Dive In! is a brand new exhibition celebrating 400 years since Scarborough’s famous spa water was discovered.
The story begins in 1626, when a local woman called Thomasin Farrer noticed strange reddish rocks and salty tasting water coming from the cliffs at South Bay. People soon learned the water could help them feel better and visitors began travelling from all over the country to try it. This discovery helped Scarborough become Britain’s very first seaside resort.
The exhibition takes you on a journey through Scarborough’s past. Learn about sacred springs and holy wells that people visited for healing long before the spa existed. Meet lively characters from the early spa days, including “Dicky” Dickinson, the first “Governor of the Spaw.” See how the town grew into a popular holiday destination, with colourful posters, beach scenes, swimming pools and the fun seaside entertainment that made Scarborough famous.
For Scarborough locals the exhibition is a chance to celebrate the amazing history that began right here in Scarborough. Showing how local families, workers and legends helped shape the town and how the connection to water still brings the community together. Highlighting why Scarborough’s past really is something to feel proud of.
Dive In! invites everyone to think about their own connection to Scarborough; its beaches, its waters, its memories and its future. Even after 400 years, the town is still a place where people come to rest, play, explore and feel renewed.
Scarborough 400 Installation by Animated Objects
Alongside Dive In, visitors can explore an installation by Animated Objects celebrating Scarborough’s rich seaside heritage. Featuring a Victorian bathing machine, a soundscape, a large-scale South Bay artwork incorporating favourite places and pastimes shared by local people, and a section of a reconstructed Victorian Pump Room, the installation brings together stories, memories and traditions from across the town.
Created through collaboration with residents, schools and community groups, the installation explores the experiences that have shaped Scarborough’s relationship with the sea over the past four centuries, offering a community perspective on 400 years of Britain’s first seaside resort.