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Visiting the Rampion Visitor Centre in Brighton

As a family, we quite often enjoy going out for the day during the spring and summer to Brighton. We play on the penny arcades, get fish and chips on the pier and the children enjoy paddling in the sea.

On our last visit, we discovered the Rampian Visitor Centre, nestled under one of the red brick arches on the seafront. Free to enter, we decided to see what it was all about.

What is the Rampion Visitor Centre?

In 2018 the £1.3bn Rampion Offshore Wind Farm was built, after first being proposed in 2014. Sitting out to sea, off the Brighton coast, it’s now a constant part of the horizon. Along with the installation of the wind farm came the Rampian Visitor Centre

Visiting the Rampion Visitor Centre in Brighton

The Rampian Visitor Centre is a small exhibition where you can discover how electricity works and how the wind farm was built. You will also learn about the relationship between electricity and climate change before you are able to even climb up a wind turbine – thanks to the power of VR headsets!

Visiting the Rampion Visitor Centre in Brighton

We found the Rampian Visitor Centre well signposted with a free-standing board near the beach inviting people to visit. We went on one of the hottest days of the year, and it was great to find the centre had working air con! It was actually a lovely break from the heat.

Visiting the Rampion Visitor Centre in Brighton

Inside the cosy space, a friendly member of staff greeted us and gave us a short introduction to the exhibits and pointed out the VR headsets that are free to use and managed by the staff.

Visiting the Rampion Visitor Centre in Brighton

Before rushing off to have a go on the VR, we took in the message that the visitor centre is getting across. It educates people about the wind farm itself, renewable energy sources and global climate change.

Visiting the Rampion Visitor Centre in Brighton

The Rampian Visitor Centre houses interactive displays, videos, models and exhibits all related to the construction of the offshore wind farm. 

The history of humans and electricity is also outlined in colourful, eye catching displays that appeal to younger visitors who might otherwise get distracted easily.

Visiting the Rampion Visitor Centre in Brighton

The story of the wind farm is on display, from technical drawings, conceptual models and scale models of the inside of a turbine. You can make it spin and see the inner workings whilst generating your own electricity!

Visiting the Rampion Visitor Centre in Brighton

The children absolutely loved the VR experience too. When we were ready to have a go, staff came over and unlocked the headsets, giving the children a safety briefing before letting them loose on it. The experience lets users go right up to a turbine on the offshore windfarm and see it up close.

Visiting the Rampion Visitor Centre in Brighton

Users can see the inner workings before getting to climb it and see the view from the top. The kids loved the experience and it was fun watching them move around the mock-up of the turbine gantry where the headsets live.

Visiting the Rampion Visitor Centre in Brighton

If you find yourself in Brighton and have a spare half hour, then the Rampion Visitors Centre is worth popping in to. You might learn a thing or two and keep the children happy with a go on the VR.

You can find out more over on the Rampion Visitor Centre website and for reference the address is: 76 Kings Road Arches, Brighton BN1 2FN

Visiting the Rampion Visitor Centre in Brighton

Author

  • Donna Wishart is married to Dave and they have two children, Athena (13) and Troy (11). They live in Surrey with their two cats, Fred and George. Once a Bank Manager, Donna has been writing about everything from family finance to days out, travel and her favourite recipes since 2012. Donna is happiest either exploring somewhere new, with her camera in her hand and family by her side or snuggled up with a cat on her lap, reading a book and enjoying a nice cup of tea. She firmly believes that tea and cake can fix most things.

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