Marin J.

The Eden project has come along nicely. I visited it once in it's infancy and hoped it would flourish as much as the plants that were nurtured under the milky white domes. Time would tell. Years later, the time has told a story of lush palm trees and dense rainforest samples including bananas, hibiscus, plumeria and other outstanding samples of flora that we as humans, should be well versed in celebrating and knowing. The cafe's are plenty to slake thirst and appetite. There are ample signs to edify and elevate the mind. But not too many to keep you attention from just wandering the lushness. Super cool place to visit.

Xia Y.

What an interesting experience. There's two different biospheres--one is the tropical dome and the other is the mediterranean dome. Personally, I enjoyed the tropical one more just because it was bigger and greener. not to say the other one isn't as interesting but both are very different.

Norman W.

It still fascinates me how a group of people got together, with an idea, but no money. They talked companies into involving themselves, again with no finances, to achieve a concept. Wow, what a concept. An old clay pit developed into the Eden Project. A great day out for ALL the family. Designed for Mums, Dads, kids and the grandparents. Disability is no problem, they cater for everyone. We spent the whole day there and didn't see it all. Luckily, the entrance ticket covers entrances for a year so we will be going back to see those items we missed. I can't explain how we were mesmerised on our visit as soon as we walked through the entrance. Breathtaking. Anyway, look at their website. It explains it all better than I could ever write. When you are down St.Austell way, give a visit. You wont be disappointed.

Jenna C.

You may not run into Pauly Shore, but you will have fun in these biomes. The layout of the gardens can sometimes be confusing. You also have to be very careful to plan your exit early. It takes a long time to get to the top of the winding hill for the exit (this is only a problem if you need to catch the bus out of here). And the place is so big that you'll have to take a bus to get to the bus stop! Take the bus from the St. Austell station. You can purchase your tickets as a combo from the driver. It's cheaper that way. You know why? Because you get a discount if you don't drive yourself. But it's beautiful. That's all of the convincing you should really need. If you are in the area (within a day's drive), make an adventure of it and go. Learn something about plants. Learn something about nature. And just enjoy yourself! Plus, they do an amazing concert series!

Leslie S.

Ridiculously overpriced botanic garden. My partner and I went to the Eden Project in August 2011. Upon parking our car at the facility, we waited 10 minutes for a shuttle bus to take us to the park entrance (about five minutes away, but the shuttle is a safer route, as the road does not include a walkway). There were massive lines for tickets into the park, so more waiting (20 minutes). The employees working the till try to upsell you on a number of "necessary" add-ons, such as a park guide or a children's activity book, none of which are actually needed, as there is great signage all over the park. What truly surprised us, however, was the fact that the adult admittance fee for the Eden Project was £22 each. That's a lot of money (Kew Gardens costs a mere £13.90 in comparison) to see manuever around thousands of people in an attempt to glimpse a couple plants. Note: you can buy your ticket online and you'll save about £3 if you do so. You can also exchange your admission ticket for an annual membership at no additional cost if you do so on the same day. Once we paid our exorbitant admission fee, we spent a few hours walking the grounds. There are two biomes on site: a rainforest biome that gets insanely humid as you climb to the top (several people had to exit through the side door), and a Mediterranean biome that includes a display of chili peppers. The chili pepper display is missing many of the hotter varieties, so it was less interesting than we expected. The biomes themselves were so crowded that you could barely stop to look at the plants without being pushed or bumped by another visitor. My partner and I simply looked at each other and said "let's get out." The outdoor area at the Eden Project is geared toward families with young children, and if you suit that bill, I'm sure you'll have a delightful time at the park. They have numerous play areas and organized activities for children, including obstacle courses, circus training, and art projects. For children, Eden Project offers hours of entertainment. For adults who simply want to spend a few hours quietly perusing the gardens, you're out of luck. There is no such thing as a quiet afternoon at the Eden Project in August. The outdoor habitats were not terribly impressive or picturesque, but certainly less crowded than the biomes. The Eden Project offers a land train that will drive you through the outdoor gardens, but it's not necessary, as they are small and easy to walk. We were surprised at the lack of flower gardens. If you decide to dine at the Eden Project, there are picnic areas in addition to several cafes and open dining areas. The large pots of paella cooking in the Mediterranean biome were tempting, but in the end we simply sampled a baobob smoothie in the rainforest biome. It is certainly interesting to see the biomes at the Eden Project if you're lucky enough to visit on a quiet day, but my overall assessment is that the park simply isn't worth the money.

Julia D.

I kept thinking about the movie Biodome with Pauly Shore while in the Eden Project Biomes. Here's a breakdown of what I liked and didn't like: Likes: -Cafe was delicious. I had salmon with beet salad and endive salad. Huge, fresh, delicious portions. -The outdoor areas were beautiful and less crowded. -The Mediterranean biome had lovely California plants and flowers. -Pesto garlic salad dressing in the cafe. Amazing! I bought some in the gift shop. -Plants for sale! Dislikes: -It seemed a little gimmicky, like serving rum drinks in the rainforest biome. -The biomes were a little dirty and felt kind of like Disney World or something. -Super crowded. -The museum seemed random and unfocused. I wouldn't come back but I'm glad I saw it.

David S.

This was the first time I'd been back to the Eden Project in almost ten years, it has certainly changed! As you enter the grounds of the Eden Project, you can park in number of car parks which have fruit themes, for the ones furthest away you can catch a shuttle bus. The entrance is very business like; the tickets whilst expensive allows you give a gift aid donation and also revisits for a year if you register your ticket. The ticket office is adjacent to one of the multitude of cafes at the Eden Project, which encourages all rubbish to be recycled, and features some very rustic seats and tables. There is also an entertaining display showing the consequence of a world without plants. The expansive shop sells not only Eden Project themed cookies, mugs etc. but also products created from recycled rubbish, plants, exotic teas, didgeridoos and paper made from elephant dung! As you enter into the main area of the Eden Project you are treated to the magnificent vista of the otherworldly biomes and the impressive landscaping, which at the time we visited featured a myriad of brightly coloured summer flowers. As you descend towards the biomes, you can walk through arbors of fruit trees or walk through the herbaceous areas, watched closely by the monster made out of electrical appliances! There is also a venue that at the time was showcasing different crafts, but also hosts concerts. The biomes themselves are accessed via a large cafe area, with both internal and external seating. This helps cater for the large number of visitors that visit the Eden Project every day. There are two main biomes; the tropical biome transports you into a humid environment that can initially literally take your breath away! This is the largest biome and is a fascinating place, huge tropical trees, magnificent waterfalls, tropical huts and informative plaques explaining what each plant is and which part of the world it comes from, superb. Don't try and take any pictures though, instant lens steam up! The second biome is the Mediterranean Biome, this has really changed since my last visit, again a warm area but not humid. Again fascinating information boards and strikingly beautiful plants, with a central paved area, where performances are about the threats to plants worldwide are performed. As an alternative way of getting back to the exit, you walk through through the striking herbaceous area, to another large area explaining the importance of plants, then up a lift and through a panoramic cafe area and over a metal bridge made from recycled products. The Eden Project is a great day out, informative and interesting.

Yvonne G.

Friends and I booked the Bill Bailey Comedy Session held at the Eden Project which entitled us to free entry for the weekend. I expected bigger and better but was not unimpressed. The gardens were beautiful and the rainforest dome was an experience in itself. I'm glad we arrived on a sunny day and if I were the green fingered type I would have been buying plants left right and centre but was in awe of the different colours, especially in the med dome. Obviously need to review the comedy session which was truly fantastic. Well organised bar areas, we purchased tokens up front so no endless queues waiting for correct change. Best toilets at a gig I have ever experienced, clean, no queue and they kept the indoor ones open until near enough the end of the gig. I could go on and extol the virtues of Billbut you know how fab he is and if he plays again next summer we're all there. My one big gripe with any UK tourist attraction.why are you forced to walk through the shop to get to the exit. If you're a family on a budget this would be hell, just like those sweet stands in supermarkets. I just had to but even more Cornish Fairings!!!!

Qype User (bigblo…)

We expected to be disappointed after all the hype about this place - how wrong we were!! Everything was first class from the parking to the food. Yes, it's not got as much as you might expect but it is all quality. I suggest that you save the Tropical Biome until last as this is by far the most impressive part of the visit and you may find yourself unfairly disappointed with other parts of the visit. As we left my wife said it was like Disney without the shmultz, I think I know what she meant.

Qype User (rachst…)

I had heard and read a lot about the Eden Project since it opened near St Austell in 2001. On the whole it lived up to my expectations, and is an excellent place to learn about the environments in which plants grow, the effects of climate change and how we have come to rely upon these plants in our everyday life. The biomes (the greenhouses) are located in an old china clay pit. From the car parks at the top of the hill there is a regular shuttle bus which takes people to and from the main entrance - remember which car park you parked at. There is a fair amount of walking involved to reach them, and it could be a bit much if you are not good on your feet. However, there is a lift from the main entrance level down to the biome level for those with young children or for wheel chair users. Currently, there are 3 biomes - the rainforest biome, the mediterrean biome and the outdoor biome. The rainforest biome is the largest greenhouse in the world, and is probably the most interesting. There are places to eat which appeared to get quite busy and a pretty large shop. All in all a great day out for the whole family but be prepared to queue in peak season - on the roads to get into the car park, to purchase tickets, and all the way through the biomes. However, don't let that put you off, as it is an amazingly interesting attraction which is well worth a visit.

Qype User (vur…)

Absolutely amazing, Really requires a few trips to get the benefit of everything that is on offer. I could quite happily spend all my time in the rainforest dome. the scale of the vegetation is astonishing. Words and pictures really cant do it any justice, it has to be seen to be believed. I would visit the Mediterranean dome first, as its also very good, but does pale in comparison with the rainforest one. There are good shops and cafes to visit. The gardens and sculptures outside also take a long time to walk around, I especially liked the giant bee. If the walking is too much for you you can use the zip wire (pedal powered retrieval) or the bio-diesel tractor trains (they small of chip fat). The rates are reasonable as once you pay its free fro the rest of the year.