London Aquarium: Immerse yourself on Thames waterfront
LONDON — A journey to see the creatures from oceans, rivers, lakes and streams around the world awaits visitors venturing to the River Thames’ waterfront.
The London Aquarium puts visitors in a world teeming with more than 500 species of aquatic life in more than 50 displays and 2 million-plus liters of water. The aquarium is on the ground floor of County Hall on the river’s south bank, near the Westminster Bridge and the British Airways London Eye. It’s a short walk from the Waterloo station.
Visitors can see brown sharks, giant tuna and ferocious-looking sand tiger sharks with protruding rows of teeth in the massive multi-story Pacific tank. An assortment of rays glide through the water or rest on the bottom of the Ray Pool. Carnivorous piranha stalk the waters in one of the aquarium’s zones and beautiful lion fish equipped with poisonous spiny fins can be found in another tank.
"It’s a complete worldwide journey under the water," said Kevin Broome, the aquarium’s marketing director. "The highlights are the big sharks for most people. There are so many different types of species."
Visitors can learn more about the underwater world simply by reading the information posted on panels by the tanks or by following along one of the aquarium tour guides as he or she describes the species in each of the facility’s many zones.
There are also public feedings — accompanied with warnings for visitors not to put their hands in the tanks because of the dangers of poisonous or vicious fish. One type of fish will even leap out of the water to grab its food.
The aquarium draws about 800,000 people a year, a big increase from the 500,000 people who visited when it first opened in 1997, Broome said. About 75 percent of the visitors come from the United Kingdom.
But its purchase by the Merlin Entertainment Group — one of the world’s largest attractions operators — should help bolster the aquarium’s marketing, Broome said.
"There is a massive refurbishment plan in place," Broome said.
The 3-million-pound plan will include adding a shark tunnel, which will allow visitors to walk on a pathway and look down at sharks swimming below. Broome compared it to snorkeling. That project as well as other changes to the aquarium, including cinema presentations and audio briefings, is expected to be completed in April.
"It is changing the whole look and feel of the place. It will take the customers on a real journey," Broome said.
To find out more about the London Aquarium, call 44 (0) 20 7967 8000, or go to www.londonaquarium.co.uk. The aquarium is offering adults with a U.S. government ID admission at children’s prices.
E-mail Mark Abramson at:
abramsonm@estripes.osd.mil
Getting there
Hours: Open 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. seven days a week. The last admission is at 5 p.m.
Ticket prices: 13.25 pounds for adults 18 and older, 9.75 pounds for children 3-14 years old, free for children younger than 3.
11.25 pounds for seniors 60 and older. See the Web site for special rates
Phone: 020 7967 8000
Web site:
www.londonaquarium.co.uk
