Known locally as "The Tube" because of its innovative and award winning design, the Visitors Centre houses every thing that a visitor to the bay needs know. Designed by architect William Alsop to resemble a futuristic telescope looking out over the new bay area, the visitors centre holds informative exhibitions as well as tourist information, maps of the area, souvenir shop and presentations on the on-going development of the bay area. The visitors centre was also the launch site for the record breaking powerboat Spirit of Cardiff in its round the world challenge.