SEA LIFE London Aquarium

It is a popular attraction for families and you may find yourself visiting the SEA LIFE London Aquarium if you have kids demanding some fishy action.

What to see at the SEA LIFE London Aquarium

The SEA LIFE London Aquarium is home to over 500 different species ranging from sharks and stingrays to seahorses, tropical fish and even penguins. The aquarium is divided into themed zones, each offering a unique glimpse into a different aspect of the underwater world.

Your visit starts at Shark Walk, where you can walk over a glass floor with sharks swimming below you then you come to the Atlantic Coasts zone, which is home to marine life from the Atlantic coastline, including sand eels and the Atlantic wolffish.

Ray Lagoon recreates the habitat in shallow Atlantic waters, featuring rays and spotted dogfish.

The Open Ocean zone is a large aquarium with purple tangs, triggerfish, snapper, southern stingrays and zebra sharks. The Ocean Tunnel is one of the features of the Open Ocean zone where you can walk through a transparent tunnel and see green sea turtles, sharks, rays and other large fish swimming overhead.

The aquarium has a few tacky additions that make the underwater experience seem less authentic. These include replica bones of a great grey whale in the Open Ocean zone, a shipwreck and even Easter Island heads. This makes parts of the aquarium seem more like a big fish tank than a proper underwater habitat.

Coral Kingdom is the largest coral reef display in any UK aquarium. Here you can explore vibrant coral reefs teeming with colourful tropical fish including cardinal fish, clownfish and regal tangs. The exhibit highlights the beauty and biodiversity of coral reefs and the threats they face from climate change and human activity.

The Seahorse Kingdom zone is home to seahorses, seadragons, razorfish and pipefish.

Rainforest Adventure is home to species from tropical rainforests, including piranhas, poison dart frogs and freshwater fish.

For those interested in learning about creatures from colder waters, the Polar Adventure zone features gentoo penguins in a simulated Antarctic environment. During winter, the lights will be turned down low in this zone to replicate the penguin’s natural habitat and the penguins will be less active during this time.

Shark Reef Encounter gives you a closer look at sharks and Ocean Invaders focuses on jellyfish. This zone is the largest jellyfish display in the United Kingdom with species including the Japanese sea nettle, moon jellyfish and upside down jellyfish.

VIP experiences at the SEA LIFE London Aquarium

The aquarium offers several VIP experiences that come at an additional cost. These range from a behind-the-scenes tour to experiences where you can get closer to (and feed) the animals and, starting in August 2024, there will even be an experience where you can snorkel with the sharks.

Visiting the SEA LIFE London Aquarium

The aquarium is on the ground floor of County Hall on the South Bank of the River Thames. County Hall is home to several other tourist attractions such as the London Dungeon and it is very close to the Florence Nightingale Museum and the London Eye. Other nearby points of interest include the Houses of Parliament, the Churchill War Rooms and Westminster Abbey, which are all just a short walk across Westminster Bridge.

It’s not particularly cheap when compared to other London attractions (considering that there are so many excellent free museums in London), although the price is on par with similar aquariums elsewhere in Europe and you can spend a few hours here so the cost per hour is not too bad. It is cheaper if you pre-book your tickets online in advance.

SEA LIFE aquariums are operated by Merlin Entertainment, the same company that runs the London Dungeon, the London Eye and Madame Tussauds and there are combo tickets available giving you access to several attractions. Combo tickets include:

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The aquarium is fully wheelchair accessible. While there is no discounted rate for disabled visitors, their carers/companions can visit free of charge.

Visitor facilities include a gift shop and there are several places to eat and drink nearby.

Allow 2–3 hours for your visit to the SEA LIFE London Aquarium.