3 Best Sights in Plymouth, The West Country

Consisting of a museum, galleries, and an archive, the Box opened in 2020 as Plymouth's state-of-the-art exhibition space dedicated to all cultural and historical aspects of the city. Local themes are explored in the linked Port of Plymouth gallery and the 100 Journeys gallery, which focuses on the city's long relationship with the sea and the various voyages that began from Plymouth (including those of Sir Francis Drake, Captain Cook, and various slave-traders). Both are designed to engage visitors of all ages. More than 3,000 natural history specimens are displayed in the Mammoth gallery, while, upstairs, the Media Lab provides visual images from the past. This level is also the best place to view the 14 giant wooden ship figureheads dating from the 1800s that are suspended above the café area, each with its own story told via interactive touchscreens. The art collection, including works by artists associated with the West Country such as Sir Joshua Reynolds, Stanhope Forbes, and Barbara Hepworth, is currently dispersed throughout the museum, and there are regular temporary exhibitions upstairs and in the annex, a deconsecrated church.

On three floors, this interactive exhibition narrates the story of Plymouth, from its beginnings as a fishing and trading port to the modern industrial city it is today. Along the way, you'll take in the stories of various expeditions that embarked from here to the New World, including the Mayflower itself. Great harbor views can be enjoyed from the top-floor balcony, and the city's tourist office is also in this building.

This excellent aquarium—the U.K.'s largest—on the town's harbor presents aqueous environments, from a freshwater stream to the Great Barrier Reef and the Biozone. Don't miss the chance to walk beneath sharks in the Atlantic Ocean tank, alongside clownfish, angelfish, and cleaner wrasses in the Biozone. Feeding times are fun for the kids, and Waves Café, with its harbor views, makes a good spot for a rest and refreshment. Tickets, which are valid for one year, should be booked ahead at peak times.