FAQs
Got a question about Eden? Cast your eyes downwards for answers to the most frequently asked questions.
The living theatre of plants and people
How do I get to Eden?
What are the opening times and how much does it cost?
How are disabled people catered for?
Are dogs allowed?
Who owns it?
Is there anything for kids?
What's it about?
Eden is all about man's relationship with and dependence upon plants. Much of our food, our clothes, our shelter and our medicines come from the plant world. Without plants there would be no oxygen for us to breathe, no life on earth.
The Eden Project is a showcase for all the questions and many of the answers. But Eden is not a worthy, over-serious, guilt-ridden place; nor does it preach. It is about education and communication of the major environmental issues of the day, always presented in an engaging, involving, even humorous way.
What's in it?
More than 1,000,000 plants representing 5,000 species from many of the climatic zones of the world. Many of these can grow in the mild conditions of Cornwall, others need greenhouses and that is where Eden's two gigantic Biomes - the biggest conservatories in the world - come in.
In addition to the plants, art is central to Eden's messaging, and the site is liberally peppered with fascinating, thought-provoking works and installations.
Whose idea was it?
The idea was primarily Tim Smit's, working with horticultural gurus Peter Thoday and Philip McMillan Browse, and Cornish architect and co-founder Jonathan Ball.
The more Tim found out about plants the more he wanted to tell the fascinating story of their importance to man, but it needed a much broader canvas than Heligan.
Along the way Tim gathered many others to help flesh out the vision and make it the reality it is today. His book Eden tells the full story.
How many visitors does Eden get?
Our initial business plan was based upon 750,000 visitors per year, but in the first year we welcomed nearly two million. Since then it has settled down to one and a quarter million a year. By mid-2006 more than 7.5m people had visited Eden.
How big are the covered Biomes?
The Humid Tropics Biome has an area of 15,590 square metres (1.55 hectares), is 55 metres high, 100 metres wide and 200 metres long. It is the biggest greenhouse in the world and is high enough to hold the Tower of London or eleven double-decker buses piled on top of one another.
The Warm Temperate Biome has an area of 6,540 square metres (0.65 hectares), is 35 metres high, 65 metres wide and 135 metres long.
What are the Biomes covered with?
The Biomes are made up of hexagons of various sizes, the largest of which are approximately 9m across. The frame is galvanised tubular steel glazed with a triple layer of ETFE (Ethylene TetrafluoroEthylene Co-Polymer) foil.
ETFE is a transparent, recyclable foil and should last for at least 30 years. It is anti-static and therefore self-cleaning. It is very strong, transparent to UV light and is not degraded by sunlight. The whole structure is guaranteed maintenance-free for at least 25 years.
Are there any animals?
Since the opening of the Eden Project in 2001, what was a sterile china clay pit now teems with wildlife. In the covered Biomes there are insects, butterflies, birds and some lizards. These function as biological controls for pests, and there are no plans to introduce any more animals.
How is the climate maintained in the covered Biomes?
The covered Biomes are incredibly well insulated to conserve heat and therefore energy. The three layers of ETFE foil within the hexagons are blown apart by air forming an insulating pillow.
The climate is controlled using sophisticated computerised systems for automatic ventilation and heating. The back wall acts as a heat sink absorbing heat in the day and releasing it at night and the plants themselves help to control the climate (when it gets hotter they give off more water which cools the air).
Where do the plants come from?
The plants are grown from seed and cuttings and brought in from nurseries, research stations and botanic gardens all over the world.
Eden has its own nursery a few miles down the road where our plants are nurtured before they move to the main site.
How does the Eden Project affect the economy of the local community?
By 2006, five years after opening, Eden had - according to independently verified figures - contributed £700 million to the local economy. Eden uses local suppliers wherever possible, employs local people and supports local businesses in Cornwall and the South West.
Isn't it all just a big green theme park?
Eden is unashamedly entertaining but the real difference between it and a theme park lies in the scientific integrity and talent which underpins the whole Project; the academic excellence on site and beyond with the many partnerships we have set up with institutes, universities and individuals right across the world. Unlike theme parks Eden is a charity, and all the money raised at Eden goes back into our mission to explain the relationship between people and plants.
Is it all finished?
No, and we hope it never will be. Obviously plants are constantly growing and changing with the seasons and Eden has expansion plans beyond the two covered Biomes, outdoor landscape and The Core.
Plans for The Edge - Eden's fourth climate zone - are underway, as are those for the Fertile Crescent, a meeting place for conversations that just might go somewhere. Beyond that, who knows, but you can rest assured that Eden will continue to break new ground and further expand its horticultural, educational and artistic endeavours.
What is The Core?
The Core is Eden's new education centre, encapsulating our commitment to education in its broadest sense. Not just for students or scientists, The Core is open to everyone and contains a whole host of thought-provoking, enlightening exhibits.
