Public Aquariums To Visit?

[karigupi]

Just wondered if anyone had an aquarium recommendations to share for the summer holiday.

We've been to the sealife centre at Hunstanton often & the kids love it there, we're thinking about going to the Birmingham one today which we've not been too before, they are really expensive though

Any other public aquariums which are good for the family to visit?

 

[youngfisher]

Kari - Go in and buy somthing from the shop 'boots'.
If its like the one in leicester, they will give you a voucher.
Its 2 for 1 at the sea life centre and another sea life place on it.
Just a thought to save you a bit of money, hopefully they will give you the voucher like they do at my area.

YF

 

[keenonfish]

Well a bit far North for you but I have been to Blue Planet near Chester and Scarborough sealife centre in Yorkshire. Out the two Scarborough was FAR FAR better experience.

 

[m00se]

If you're up for a flight, or you were going to Boston anyway, the New England Aquarium is out of this world

 

[peter22UK]

i hear the deep at hull is good

 

[mixmaster jay]

the deep is meant to be good but never been
http/www.britinfo.net/attractions/cityL14000B.htm
http/www.thedeep.co.uk/

 

[minxfishy]

The sealife in Birmingham is OK, I went last year, but go early, or you will queue for HOURS, they will of course offer to get you straight in if you pay extra!! But stuff that, otherwise its an ok place to go, my little one wants to go back, but its very expensive without a voucher (which I used last time).

 

[m00se]

The deep is pretty good, only 10 minutes down the road for me It's got some excellent exhibitions, some of which rotate regularly. The large tanks toward the end are particularly good.

 

[karigupi]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone I had the Walkers vouchers, but that Boots one sounds much better, will see what I can find out.

I will look at taking a trip to The Deep too, sounds good.

We ended up at Sealife Hunstanton again today & had a really nice time, although V expensive, its the first time i've been there since I started fishkeeping & it was much more interesting. Got some piccies I will post up if anyone is interested, not many though as keeping an eye on three kids in there was a challenge!

 

[mixmaster jay]

oooh i forgot about them walkers voucher things i think ive got 86 lol i like crisp's hehe

 

[Jonty]

Well a bit far North for you but I have been to Blue Planet near Chester and Scarborough sealife centre in Yorkshire. Out the two Scarborough was FAR FAR better experience.

Went to Scarborough on holiday and it was very good - the otters and octopus were my favourite. I think Tesco do vouchers for it as well.

 

[meguro]

Anyone want to give a general description of what you'd see on average at these places?

 

[Tory]

I agree on the deep, with it being in my city I have been a few times. Its reasonable in price, and is a submarium rather than an aquarium/sea life centre so as well as the displays, the main point of it is the submarium - its like a giant fish tank from the top of the building to the bottom. Be prepared for a lot of walking!

 

[Peggers]

Blue planet is my favourite because of the flow of the exhibitions and just the sheer size of it.
Plymouth aquarium is good, although I haven't been in a while.
The Deep wasn't that great when I went but it was new and from the comments here seems to have improved.
Tynemouth Sealife centre is ok but not worth you travelling that far too and to make it worthwhile you have to watch all the feeds.

Further afield the aquarium in Monaco was excellent if a bit busy and the one in I think Newark (America) had a really good touch pool. Although neither of these really fit you wanting a day out

For meguro:
There's lots of very large tanks essentially. The main attraction is generally a shark tank and the larger aquariums have a glass tunnel so you can walk through to see them. Most have some kind of either otters or seals. The tanks have information about the the fish and there's lots of species that would be practically impossible to keep at home.