St Andrews Aquarium Expansion Development Plan
- St Andrews Aquarium
- Jul 8
- 4 min read
From storm damage to an exciting new chapter
In November 2023, St Andrews Aquarium was hit by some of the worst winter storms on record. The extreme weather caused significant damage to our seal pool, forcing us to close the area and temporarily relocate our seals to Scarborough SEA LIFE, where they spent the following year while we planned and carried out essential repairs.
Back in St Andrews, it quickly became clear that simply repairing the old seawall would not be enough. With increasingly powerful storms affecting our coastline, we needed to create something much stronger, safer and more resilient for the future.
What began as an urgent repair project soon became one of the biggest development projects in the history of St Andrews Aquarium.
Building a stronger seawall for the future
Construction of the new seawall began in July 2024.
The replacement wall now stands 2.7 metres higher than the original and features a specially engineered bullnose design along the seaward edge. This curved structure helps deflect the force of incoming waves, offering far greater protection against future storm conditions.
The project took nine months to complete, with construction teams working through the challenges of a coastal build and the ever-changing Scottish weather.
While a huge amount of planning went into protecting the site from the sea, Mother Nature thankfully only reminded us of her power on a handful of occasions during the build.
Creating a brand-new visitor space
With the seawall complete, attention turned to the exciting new space behind it.
A bespoke timber deck was designed and engineered to span the full 690 square metres of reclaimed space. Because this is an aquarium, the structure needed to be far stronger than a typical visitor deck. It was built to support an impressive load capacity of approximately 600 kg per square metre, allowing it to safely accommodate pools, habitats, landscaping and building features.
The build itself was a major challenge.
More than 12 kilometres of timber, around 7.5 miles, had to be carried and installed by hand. Every piece was transported down a narrow coastal path, across the beach and through a small opening in the seawall before finally reaching the construction site.
From start to finish, the decking project took six months to complete.
New attractions at St Andrews Aquarium
Once the deck was in place, work began on some of the most exciting new additions to the aquarium, including:
Otter Kingdom
Our brand-new otter habitat has been carefully designed to provide an enriching, naturalistic home for our Asian short-clawed otters.
The enclosure includes flowing water, waterfalls, rocky areas and a winding river, giving the otters space to swim, climb, forage, explore and play.
Otter House
The new otter house provides a dedicated indoor space where our otters can rest, recharge and escape the Scottish weather whenever they choose. It also supports the daily care, feeding, training and enrichment routines carried out by our keeper team.
Dino Dig Sandpit
Our Dinosaur Dig Sandpit gives young explorers the chance to uncover prehistoric discoveries through hands-on play.
The fossils hidden within the dig are based on real fossil specimens, with casts taken directly from genuine discoveries. This allows children to uncover authentic prehistoric replicas while learning more about the incredible creatures that once roamed the Earth.
You can discover more about these new attractions on our Otter Kingdom and Dino Dig pages.
Bringing the Fife coastline into Otter Kingdom
The otter habitat presented one of the biggest design challenges of the entire project.
The rear boundary of the enclosure is formed by the inside face of the new seawall — a solid concrete structure almost three metres high. Rather than allowing this to dominate the exhibit, we decided to transform it into something truly special.
St Andrews Aquarium enjoys one of the most spectacular coastal locations in Scotland, with dramatic cliffs and panoramic views across the North Sea. We wanted to bring that landscape into the enclosure itself.
Using carefully crafted artificial rockwork, waterfalls and a flowing river, we recreated the rugged coastline of Fife, turning a plain concrete wall into a naturalistic environment that provides an enriching home for our otters and a stunning centrepiece for visitors.
It is a habitat designed first for animal welfare, but also created to inspire, educate and connect visitors with the natural world around us.
Looking to the future: Phase Two
Our expansion journey is far from over.
The next phase of development will see our meerkats move from their current indoor habitat into a brand-new, state-of-the-art outdoor enclosure.
This larger habitat will provide significantly more space, greater environmental enrichment and new interactive viewing opportunities, allowing visitors to get even closer to these charismatic animals.
We also plan to introduce an African tortoise species, creating an exciting mixed-species exhibit.
Introducing the Virtual Wildlife Hide
Another exciting addition planned for Phase Two is our Virtual Wildlife Hide.
This immersive experience will allow visitors to control remotely operated wildlife cameras positioned around the aquarium grounds and surrounding coastline.
Using large interactive displays, guests will be able to discover and observe the incredible wildlife that shares our unique coastal location, from seabirds and marine mammals to other fascinating local species.
It will be a brilliant way to connect visitors with the wildlife of St Andrews, the Fife coastline and the wider marine environment.
Continuing to grow, educate and inspire
Beyond Phase Two, we are already exploring ideas for future developments that will continue to make St Andrews Aquarium an inspiring destination for visitors of all ages.
Our aim is to create attractions that are engaging, educational and enjoyable, while supporting the highest standards of animal care, welfare and conservation.
This expansion represents one of the biggest developments in the aquarium’s history. Born out of adversity following the devastating storms of 2023, it has become an opportunity to create something even better for our animals, our visitors and the future of St Andrews Aquarium.
We hope you enjoy everything we have created so far, and we look forward to sharing the next chapter of our journey with you.
Plan your visit today and see what is new at St Andrews Aquarium.
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