The London Aquarium
by Suzanne Baum
30 September 2007
Coming face to face with a shark is not the ideal way any toddler would choose
to spend their free time doing, unless of course it is at The London Aquarium.
For it is here where we took our two young boys, aged two and three, on a visit
to see not only sharks but a diverse range of fish including piranhas, rays
and jellyfish. One of Europe’s largest exhibitions of aquatic life, The
London Aquarium houses over 400 different species of fish.
Designed in a very
child-friendly way, the exhibition consists of a large number of different water
tanks, many built at low level for a child to see. Separated into 14 different
zones to reflect such themes as ‘coral reef’, ‘tropical freshwater’
and ‘rivers and ponds’, the aquarium offers a glimpse into underwater
life as you have never seen before.
There were a number of highlights to our
visit including the aquarium’s ‘touch zone’ where our boys
were able to stroke friendly rays and starfish as they swam to the surface of
the open tank. The longest time though was spent staring in awe at the ‘Pacific
tank’, an exhibit of Tiger sharks and brown sharks that swam up against
the sides of the vast tank. Descending three floors of the building, the tank
contains over one million litres of water and can be viewed from every angle.
At certain times of the day, you can get the chance to watch the fish being
fed and if you time it right you can even watch the divers hand-feeding the
giant conger eels. The Aquarium also hosts talks on topics such as the shark
and the rainforest given on a daily basis by aquatic biologists.
As with a lot
of family attractions, a shop can be found beside the exit. Our kids would not
leave without their own collection of small fish-fortunately of the inflatable
kind.
Useful information about London:
The London Aquarium,
County Hall,
Westminster Bridge Road
London SE1 7PB
0207 967 8000
Get in Free with the London Pass..
See Take the Family's London destination
guide.
Other feature articles by Suzanne
