London Aquarium Refurbishment Complete
Kay Elliott’s multi-million pound refurbishment of the London Aquarium was officially opened by London mayor Boris Johnson last week who described it as an ‘Absolutely fantabulous attraction!’
Located in the Grade II* County Hall on London’s South Bank, the aquarium has undergone 5 months of work and been rebranded to form part of the SeaLife franchise.
The visitor experience has been vastly improved with the addition of several child friendly tanks and 14 new zones ranging from shipwrecks to shorelines and rock pools to rainforests. Improvements to the attractions organisation have improved navigation and will allow the aquarium to tell a coherent story about marine life and climate change.
Two major new attractions are an underwater tunnel stretching through the Atlantic Tank which brings guests closer than ever to Europe’s largest collection of Cownose Rays. Whilst the new floating ‘Shark Walk’ exhibit with a viewing box in the floor allows visitors to see 5 species of sharks swimming inches under their feet, a first for any SeaLife aquarium.
With the SeaLife brand reaching 30 years, London Aquarium provides a fitting addition to a brand that not only provides enjoyment to thousands of visitors a year but vital educational messages too.
General manager Toby Forer had these comments on the aquariums new role as a ‘leading centre of marine conservation’:
“Our ultimate aim is to tell a serious eco story in an entertaining way. We believe we’ve got the perfect blend of visual spectacle, interactivity and access to aquatic experts to make a visit here a truly memorable and thought provoking experience.”
