Was opened to national and international acclaim on 17th March 2001 in readiness for Easter and its first summer season. The Eden Project is an outstanding local attraction that is fast becoming known worldwide, and has already been dubbed 'the 8th wonder of the world'. The largest 'Humid Tropics Biome' covers the size of 33 football pitches, (1.55 hectares), and is dominated by a large waterfall, and a stream that tumbles to the floor of the biome. It is planted with mature trees, and shrubs from the rainforest, and sub tropical areas of the world.  The smaller 'Humid Tropics Biome' is 6,540 square metres (0.65 hectares), 35 metres high, 65 metres wide, and 35 metres long, and is planted with plants of the Mediterranean, Californian, and South African regions. The grounds are yet to be fully completed and will be planted with special interest areas, such as plants for fuel, tea, hemp and rope, plants for health, and brewing. The Eden Project is open daily from 10.00am to 6.00pm, with last admission at 5.00pm. You will find the Eden Project overlooking St Austell bay, and is signposted from A390, A30and A391. The cost is £10.00 per adult, with discounts for children, seniors (£7.50), students, families (£25.00) A Family ticket is 2 adults up to 3 children 5 -15, under 5s are FREE. 

They also offer discounts for groups of 10 or more, (which must be pre-booked).Tel. 01726273453. 

Visitors for the first two weeks exceeded 50,000, and visitors continue to arrive at a rate of 3,000 per day. It reminds me of the film 'Field of Dreams', and the line 'build it and they will come'. The estimate was that it would take two and a half years to reach one million visitors, but this was achieved in just 7 months! Two million passed through the doors by Easter 2002! 

The Inn is a nice place to stay for accommodation near the eden project, and offers pre-purchased discount tickets that will allow the guest to jump the entrance queue. We keep stocks of Adult, Seniors, and Family tickets which are available from the Inn reception. Visitors may have to queue to park, but once you are in the grounds, entrance is far quicker. Visitors with Fast Track Tickets keep to the left of the paths, and walk into a special entrance where you hand over your ticket, in return for an entrance sticker which affix yourself and enter the complex. My own recommendation is that you visit the Humid Tropics Biome, which is hot and damp, then go into the visitors centre and enjoy a tea or a beer, and then visit the Temperate Biome which is pleasantly warm but dry. Finish off with a trip of the grounds, and back to the entrance. Allow 2 1/2 to 3 hours. 

The images taken at Eden on 14th March 2001, just before the Eden Project opened. They are quite large, but need to be, to show the vasteness of the inside of the Biomes. Having seen the Eden Project, I can state that is is truly awe-inspiring, and can't recommend it highly enough to visitors to the West Country, and a must-see for overseas visitors.