Famous Gargoyle Head and a 1970s underwater camera join the Loch Ness Experience as part of its latest tour additions

The visitor attraction formerly known as the Loch Ness Centre has officially rebranded as the Loch Ness Experience, reflecting the continued development of its visitor offering and a renewed focus on bringing the world-famous mystery to life.

As part of the rebrand, the Loch Ness Experience has unveiled an enhanced visitor experience, introducing new artefacts, immersive storytelling and period-inspired displays that take visitors deeper into the stories behind one of Scotland’s most famous legends.

Previously operating as an immersive self-guided tour, the attraction has now introduced dedicated storytellers to lead visitors through the experience, bringing added drama, detail and atmosphere to the journey.

Dressed in traditional outfits inspired by 1933, the year Aldie MacKay reported what is widely regarded as the first modern sighting of the monster, the storytellers help transport guests back to the moment that sparked a wave of intrigue which continues to capture imaginations almost a century later.

As visitors move through the experience, the new storytellers will also help bring fresh focus to a series of artefacts connected to the search for answers at Loch Ness, from objects recovered from the depths of the loch to items linked to some of the mystery’s most talked-about moments.

Among the new additions is a 1970s vintage camera belonging to Professor Roy Mackal, one of the key figures in the scientific search for Nessie. The camera was used as one of the earliest attempts at an underwater search when Mackal attempted to capture images beneath the surface of the loch.

Lost for more than half a century, the camera was discovered on the loch bed during a 2025 test deployment of the National Oceanography Centre’s AUTOSUB AUV. Having remained dry inside after more than 50 years underwater, it has since been repaired to working order and now has a permanent place in the Experience’s Search for the Truth room.

Visitors can also see the famous Gargoyle Head in the Underwater Room, a striking object connected to some of the most debated underwater imagery in Loch Ness history. Linked to controversial photographs from the 1970s, the object was later identified as a sunken tree stump during Operation Deepscan in 1987, before being recovered by diver Dick Raynor and brought to the attraction by Adrian Shine.

In the People and Stories room, the Hippo Foot Ashtray has been moved and given new prominence as one of the Experience’s most significant artefacts. The object is linked to Marmaduke Wetherell, a big game hunter sent to investigate the monster by the Daily Mail in 1933, who submitted casts of supposed strange footprints to the British Museum. The prints were later found to have been made using a hippopotamus foot ashtray, creating one of the most famous episodes in the history of the mystery.

The artefacts help visitors explore the wider story of Loch Ness, showing how the marriage of science and curiosity has helped shape one of the world’s most enduring mysteries.

Adrian Shine of the Loch Ness Project said: “These artefacts are important because they show how the Loch Ness story has developed through decades of searching, questioning and interpretation.

“Roy Mackal’s underwater camera system is a remarkable reminder of the ingenuity that went into the early scientific searches of the loch, while the recovered Gargoyle Head tree stump and the famous Hippo Foot Ashtray each tell very different chapters in the history of the mystery.

“They remind us that the history of Loch Ness is not just about what people have seen, but how people have investigated, interpreted and sometimes misunderstood what the loch has given back.”

The latest developments mark the next chapter for the Loch Ness Experience, building on its role as a guardian of the loch’s story and giving visitors new ways to explore the history, science and folklore behind one of Scotland’s most enduring mysteries.

Nagina Ishaq, General Manager of the Loch Ness Experience, said: “Loch Ness has always been a place where stories, science, speculation and curiosity come together and these new artefacts help us bring some of the most fascinating parts of that history to life.

“The enhanced experience gives visitors the chance to explore the mystery from different angles, from the first modern sighting in 1933 to the searches, hoaxes and discoveries that have shaped the legend over the decades.”

Andrew Pawson, CEO of Continuum Attractions, said: “The Loch Ness Experience is one of Scotland’s most iconic visitor attractions, and the enhanced experience gives visitors another reason to explore the history and mystery of the loch this summer.

“The improved experience comes at the perfect time as Continuum is taking part in the Government’s VAT reduction scheme in full, while adding a further 10% discount at selected Continuum attractions including the Loch Ness Experience. We know family days out can be expensive, so this is about helping more people enjoy memorable shared experiences during the summer holidays..”

Located in Drumnadrochit on the shores of the world-famous Loch Ness, the Loch Ness Experience offers an immersive journey through more than 90 years of sightings, investigations and debate surrounding the loch and its legendary inhabitant.