Blue Reef Aquarium Portsmouth

Fantastic experience: Perfect place for children..watch there eyes light up when they see the FISH

Negative experience: Very over priced for what you see.. didn't even take 30 minutes to walk around.. no wonder the give you a stamp to go back all day. But come on who's doing that!?..

Positive experience: Not worth the money really. Was okay.

Fantastic experience: Very educational. A great place for understanding the sea and all that lives in it

Negative experience: Half of the fish were in several of the tanks so we just saw the same thing and there was no large sharks. We were there for not even 20 mins. I'm happy I didn't spend the full 50£..I got the kids pass so only paid 30 but it was still a lot for what it was. The gift shop was way over priced as well. It took us an hour and a half to travel there and we got 3 hours parking for 4.50. There was nothing else around, decent shops, open fish and chip shop, even the beach was boreded off. We ended up going to Hayling 20 mins away and spent the day there at the beach and the arcades and rides. Don't waste your money and time going to blue reef it was utterly disappointing and a waste of money and travel, I won't be doing it again

Positive experience: Adult tickets over priced and was only in there for 30 minutes. Fish did look health but just over priced.

Positive experience: My family love going to Blue Reef. It's a small aquarium but has some beautiful fish and nice exhibits. There is a large area shut off where there used to be a huge tank with reef shark. Blue Reef could really benefit from utilising this space to have sea turtles or larger sharks. We also miss the otters!!If they were to make a few changes then I think Blue Reef would be very popular. My kids really enjoyed the shark feeding today and the variety of fish on offer.

Positive experience: Great aquarium for thd small people, Demo, Dorey, axolotl all present. Along with a giant lobster, snapping turtle and show off sting rays that will flap round the side of the tank and splash you to get your attention!

Positive experience: It was a good place, I loved seeing the fish and it was nicely maintained. Good price. Very quiet too, which is great if you're looking for a spot to relax and just enjoy the sea life. There's a nice range of fish from seahorses, a walk in tunnel, little sharks, starfish, even a lobster which crawled up to the side of the tank threatened me and then crawled back into his comfortable tunnel. However, there's one small thing which made me alter the review to 3 stars. The man manning the till seemed polite enough, and yes, it isn't really necessary to hold doors open for people. He did a kind gesture when he helped to hold the doors open for me and my wheelchair, but on the way out he didn't budge. It could be my imagination, it was hot put all weekend... but if there's a chance he wondered why my legs worked when using them to push open the door. Well... I have vertigo when standing for so long. The wheelchair helps prevent palpitations which cause fainting episodes. Hence why my legs worked, but the rest of me didn’t.

Positive experience: Friendly member of staff at the till. Unfortunately the aquarium is in a very sad state, run down, and in very much need of some TLC. I have an annual pass, so trips are fine for a quick wonder with my two year old and baby, if I was paying the one off admission fee I would feel ripped off. I mainly visit for the outside play area, my two year old enjoys it , but again very much run down, I’m surprised it’s been allowed to get in such a sorry state. It Blue reef invested some cash in this place it would bring in more crowds.

Positive experience: It's fine, but extremely overpriced for the quality.

Negative experience: Worst place Iv ever been the little fish that where there didn’t even wanna be there in them dirty small unlight tanks what a waste of money I want my money back robbing company

Negative experience: Didn’t really think it was worth the money, it’s very small and seemed like it was just a lot of the same fish in different tanks! Was out in about 10-15 mins honestly I want my £30 back!

Fantastic experience: The most healthy aquarium I’ve seen in a while! The fish were very good and the whole space was easy to navigate. You can leave and enter at any time after buying a ticket, and there’s a cool gift shop at the end. As a fish enjoyer this was such a great experience, I recommend it.

Fantastic experience: Health and well keepers fish

Fantastic experience: Had the best time with my girls and my mum today! Absolutely loved all the animals, and the beach area. Girls asked when they can come again!

Fantastic experience: Small aquarium but reasonably priced at £15 per head.

Negative experience: For people who have never seen any array of fish this operation might be worth a visit but for someone who had ever been to another aquarium this was poor. The main (only) building takes you through a few corridors and a couple of rooms with tanks of varying sizes. To be fair their are a lot of variety of fish from local dogfish (rays etc.) through to exotic clown and other fish types. They even have a nice frog section (includes a huge snapping turtle and other turtles). But once the building is done (30-50 minutes at a stretch) you are done. The outside could be nice but contains an extremely limited kids play area. It's a shame because it could/should be the crowning glory for Portsmouth but feels dilapidated and forgotten. A coffee house would be an excellent addition in the rear play area and some actual things for kids to play on (a sandpit is fine but please do a lot more). Oh and watch out for the 'restaurant' next door, over priced, extremely slow service and lacks any easy, small foods for kids.

Negative experience: I'm sure there are some amazing aquariums unfortunately this isn't one of them better off buying some fish and chips and sitting on the seafront.

Negative experience: Unhappy with our experience!! We went as a family of 3, £30.30 for my husband and myself as our baby goes free, the gentleman who worked there was polite, however the experience was over within 20 minutes. There was no shark enclosure and the tunnel was very short. We didn’t have to wait for long to be served at the till, we were stamped on our hands and informed that we could return as many times as we like and last entry is at 4pm. Unimpressed with this see life centre. The gift shop was overpriced! We won’t be returning and will inform friends and family to stay clear.

Negative experience: total waste of money, went with my kids for a birthday treat, it started ok but the further you get in the worse it got! displays were dirty lots of alge, website has a big bit about how the shark tank has been repaired and now back open but lots of people were asking when they reached the end where the sharks where!!!!!! the blind cave fish had big red lumps on their side, snapping turtle did not have anywhere to get ALL the way out of the water. the outdoor kids area looked run down, the best part was the view of the isle of white..... there is not much difference in the price of tickets at the sealife center where you can spend most of the day with lots of interactive things to do

Fantastic experience: 5* Party for my son's birthday! My son and his friends had an incredible time at his 5th birthday party today. The staff at the aquarium were faultless, they had thought of every detail and made sure we had everything we needed. The party room was prepared before we arrived with bunting, confetti as well as plates and cups ready for the birthday tea. We particularly loved the whiteboard coloured in with sea creatures and a birthday message for the birthday boy. We were also allowed to decorate and bring in our cake ready before guests arrived, there were several members of staff on hand to ask if we needed anything else, from a cake knife to matches, which was extremely helpful and much appreciated. A big shout out to Rob, our aquarium tour guide, who was very entertaining and taught the children lots as we went around the aquarium. After that, the children had a great time playing in the outside park which was perfect for a hot, sunny day. The party food was prepared and set up by the time we came back to the party room, as well as music and party bags which I hadn't realised was part of the party cost, win! To end it all, my son was allowed to feed the sting rays, fish and sharks as his friends watched on which he will remember forever, I am sure! A fantastic party which was fantastic value for money. Thank you to everyone involved today, you were all brilliant and we will recommend this party as a top pick, a truly fantastic morning!

Fantastic experience: Well curated and surprisingly large and varied exhibits. The giant blue lobster was a highlight for me.

Fantastic experience: Really had a great time! Go in with an open mind as most of these reviews are negative but myself, partner, 7 year old and 8 month old had so much fun! They would of course benefit from selling ice lollies and drinks on hot days. The lady who done the 11am talk and feed in the tunnel was brilliant very informative and knew what she was talking about.

Fantastic experience: FIN-tastic visit to the aquarium! Great location on the seafront with a nice cafe and chippy. Great displays that are clearly well thought out. Very friendly, knowledgeable staff who are clearly passionate about what they do. There is effort going in to updating the displays and bringing new exhibits to the centre!

Negative experience: Too much money for a 15 min walk through the dark with half the exhibitions being closed

Negative experience: what an awful aquarium, barely any attractions, took us 15 minutes to walk around. Cost £30 for 2 adults, not worth it at all. Areas are very grubby, especially the toilets. Wouldn’t recommend. P.s no sharks.

Negative experience: Absolutely shocking! For the money we paid family ticket of 4 I think £51.60 was so very disappointing! Everywhere is Very old and very dark! got round the whole place in 25 mins! Took my son for his birthday and they had an Easter egg hunt which we completed thought the kids would get a little sweet absolutely nothing. Would never go back needs a lot of tlc and money spend on the place to get it back update or at least lower the prices!!!! Only after i had booked the tickets online did they then decide to say there shark enclosure was closed. Not happy at all.

Fantastic experience: It had a lot of exotic and beautiful fish and other creatures! The rays and dog fish were really cool! J age 9

Negative experience: Expensive for not a lot, clown fish tank is shocking with no natural corals or amen for them. Takes 15 mins ish to wonder round. Unless you read every poster then it may take 35

Fantastic experience: Superb, if you're in the area a visit is a must. You get a stamp so you can go in and out all day! A good play area out the back and a great selection of well presented marine life awaits.. fabulous.

Positive experience: Disappointing if I'm honest especially for the price charged. The enclosures were underwhelming. One of the larger exhibits was closed. The outdoor section is well past its prime. The price really should reflect the state that it's in. They certainly dont spare any expense in keeping the gift shop fully functional and well lit!! Giving 3 stars because there are some nice fish in there.

Negative experience: Over priced at £15 a ticket. Ladies toilets were out of order! The tanks were looking old and unkempt. I saw a number of diseased and dying fish. This aquarium needs a complete make over.

Fantastic experience: Loved it. Took my son on his first birthday.

Fantastic experience: I had a great time at Blue Reef Aquarium in Portsmouth! The variety of marine life was impressive, and the underwater tunnel was a highlight, getting to see sharks and rays up close was amazing. I enjoyed the different talks throughout the day; the staff were friendly, knowledgeable and happy to answer questions. it’s a great spot for families, and the location by the seafront makes for a lovely day out and the beach club for kids. I would definitely recommend it!

Negative experience: Went to visit today, for £30 entry, thought this was quite expensive given the fact that it only takes 30mins to walk around and the shark enclosure is still shut (since end of Nov!).

Negative experience: I am angry that I have paid £57.10 for 3 adults and my 3 year old to experience an underwhelming and disappointing 20 walk round with very little sea life to see, including an empty shark tank. The venue is dated, unhygienic and very unpleasant smelling. And the worst part was that we travelled 50 minutes to get there on the last day of our holiday. Prices are totally unfair and unacceptable for what is on offer. When I asked for a partial refund, I was asked to put my complaint in an email. Do better Blue Reef Aquarium!!

Negative experience: Horrendous. Visited on a Tuesday and paid £45.45 for a 20 minute walk around. There was an empty tank with a man repairing it, there was wooden shuttering so no cafe, the shark tank was under repair so no sharks either. When you pay no one tells you about missing spe imens. Run down, dirty and broken, and I paid for that !!!

Positive experience: A bit pricey as it is fairly small so not all that much to see. We spent maybe an hour, if that. Generally looking quite tired throughout, some of the tanks seemed a bit small and cramped for the fish and the shark tank was closed (which was advertised on the website and we did know in advance). Overall it was okay, not a terrible experience but wouldn't go again.

Negative experience: This is not worth £50 for a family ticket. It took around an hour to get around and have 2 talks. The talks are why it's gets 2 stars rather than 1. The whole place feels old. If you can get in for £5 per person then it's worth an hour of your time. Otherwise don't bother.

Fantastic experience: A lovely place to visit with balanced displays that celebrate our ocean life whilst also educating about our changing world climate. The staff were fantastic when my mum became ill and very kind.

Positive experience: Not all that big, but exhibits are well explained and all areas are accessible. Most areas are set at an easy hight for smaller kids to view.

Negative experience: The worst experience I’ve ever paid for! £30 for me and my partner, baby was free entry but still.. £30 wasted! Wouldn’t bother going and will advise friends not to bother too! Awful! Was in and out within 20 minutes, I have a better aquarium in my living room! It’s basically like 3 rooms with big tanks and three hallways to each room with small tanks in the walls.. but it’s like 100 steps the entire way around, if that! Honestly want a refund it was so bad, such a waste of a day travelling when we could have gone to so many better ones! Gutted!

Negative experience: Unfortunately this was not a good experience. I originally put 1 star but have given an extra one as the one staff member we encountered was very friendly and helpful. The aquarium itself is lacking, well, everything. The most underwhelming part was the plastic in the tanks where the jellyfish presumably used to be! I understand the opportunity to educate on the issue of plastics in our ocean but the fact they were cut like jellyfish was just a bit ridiculous! The turtle looked sick, there were no seahorses, Shark lagoon was closed and I appreciate maintenance was happening but there didn’t seem to be a discount or any sort of compensation for this. Most of the tanks were too high up and the whole thing just seemed dated. Of course our young children loved seeing the fish swimming about but there wasn’t anything particularly engaging or interactive with the displays. I understand visitor attractions are taking a hit at the moment and costs are going up but unfortunately this experience just wasn’t worth the money it only took us about 40 minutes to go round. Such a shame

Positive experience: Not as bad as the reviews make out, fish are all healthy and yes no shark enclosure currently but is what it is! Will go again at some point probably

Negative experience: Interesting, but a little run down. Displays closed, so not worth the entry fee.

Positive experience: Unfortunately, like many others I found it expensive for what it was - £50.50 for an adult and three kids. Spent no longer than 30mins there and the shark tank wasn't operational. For the price the place could also use some TLC. Person the desk was friendly and helpful though. Some funky looking fish and the mass clown fish tank was cool to watch but overall, I left disappointed.

Positive experience: In need of investment, all a bit shoddy and run down. Animals on display and education about them was pretty good. But not worth the high price imo.

Negative experience: Believe the reviews. This place is wayyy overpriced and incredibly run down. You'd get a better experience taking your little one to Pets at Home to look at the fish. The staff might actually smile in there too.

Negative experience: Wasn't great, I personally wouldn't waste your money or time. The shark pool wernt open and we wernt told about it before we paid full price, it's my daughters birthday and she's obsessed with sharks, ruined all our day

Negative experience: I took my little girl here last when she was around 9 months old. At least two exhibits were closed then and the toilets were disgusting. The price was £13. Fast forward to today when she is 2.5 years old we go in after looking on the website to make sure nothing was out of order and again the shark exhibit is out of order whilst she did enjoy it the £2 price rise I don’t understand. How can you up your prices yet make no improvements? it’s still a little dank and dirty, the foot stalls for the little ones are filthy and have clearly never seen a cloth. The ladies toilets were closed and the toilets we did use were still filthy and really outdated. It’s not worth the price, there’s always at least one exhibit closed and whilst my toddler did enjoy it I just couldn’t justify paying that again. I will say the boy on the way out was really friendly and happy which was good. It’s a shame they didn’t advertise the closure of one of the main exhibits online as I may not have gone or been as disappointed in our visit. There was a little sign just below the till in small writing that I didn’t notice until I was leaving which in my eyes isn’t good enough.

Negative experience: This website shows the price a groovy grandparents ticket at £49.60 the actual price when you get there is £51.60. Ahh they must have not updated the website was the response. They also failed to mention on the website that the ladies toilet is out of order and the shark lagoon is empty I hate being ripped off like this. As far as I'm concerned you owe me money.

Negative experience: Very disappointed visit today as a birthday treat. Travelled 45 mins to get here. First impression of the outside looked good. Expensive for 2 adults child went free as under 3 which was good. Took all of 15 mins to walk around. No sharks as problem with the tank no one explained this when paying to go in. Very disappointed. Will no recommend

Positive experience: Been before with my nieces and nephews and was good. Over the last year or two definitely not as good as it was with lots of closed tanks and the like. Shame as it was a nice place to take them for the day and had become a very expensive 20 minute walk. Hope they invest back into it

Negative experience: We visited for a birthday treat and for the price, wish we'd have made the trip to Brighton for the sea life centre. Blue reef was a disappointing experience, paid about £50 for a half hour visit. Unable to spend any longer as its a tiny place with not much to see. The place was unmaintained and dark. We were hoping for a good experience with the underwater tunnel, but that was terrible - again nothing like the seaside centre. The gift ship was overpriced and staff not particularly friendly. Don't waste your money here, go further afield to better aquariums!

Positive experience: Pretty nice place, the fish are well treated and there’s a range of animals to see. It is a bit overpriced though. Sometimes it gets quite busy and crowded aswell

Negative experience: This place is awful , run down bad maintenance half the stuff was being worked on with cables/wires laying everywhere very Dangerous ! was a sign for the new turtle bit saying opening autumn 2024 mmmmm should say probably never , how is this place still open ,Shark tank with no sharks the jellyfish tank was just cut up plastic bags floating around , walked around twice in the space of 15mins just to try and justify the steep entry cost . Utter rubbish the place is a dump feel sorry for the fish and animals although the plastic bag jellyfish looked healthy

Fantastic experience: The Junior Aquarist experience was fantastic, Jess was very knowledgeable and very good with my kid. She took time to tell us so much interesting information and point out many things we would not have noticed ourselves. The talks given by the staff are great and they are really good with kids.

Positive experience: £45 for 3 adults, and we went round in only 30 mins. Place to ourselves on what should have been a busy weekend day. Unfortunately we were left rather underwhelmed by our visit today. The place feels very dated with not much veriety to the tanks, with some that eve looked dirty. In 1 tank we saw a lion fish looking unwell laying sideways on the bottom. No big sharks any more, no otters, and 1 turtle. Much better off going the extra distance to the Bournemouth or Brighton aquariums. Sorry Portsmouth, you need to up your standards.

Fantastic experience: The staff were fantastic with our neurodivergent child. The aquarium is educational, well laid out, with interesting and engaging exhibits. We can't wait to visit again!

Positive experience: Myself and my friend took our grandchildren (both 4 years ) who both thoroughly enjoyed the visit it was an enjoyable experience but I felt the pkace is in major need of a refit/update . Very tired looking and grimy in places. The outdoor area is very disappointing as the whole area looks worn out and dilapidated.

Negative experience: Awful. We were in and out in about 15 mins. The aquarium is very dated and lacks variety. We travelled over an hour with our 6 month baby for his first aquarium experience and what an anti-climax it was. Overall, a very miserable experience and I wouldn’t recommend coming here. We will be writing a complaint and asking for a full refund.

Fantastic experience: Such a fab place to visit. Lovely aquarium with well cared for animals. Sting rays were a particular highlight. Staff are very knowledgeable and friendly, excellent cafe too! We’ll be back!

Positive experience: I enjoyed attending this place. Although the admission fee was slightly pricey, for the most part, I had a good experience. In relation to some of the exhibits, such as the Bumblebee Frogs and The Reeves Turtle, the windows showcasing the exhibits could have been bigger, allowing more people to see them at the same time. If the Aquarium is crowded, it is frustrating to wait to see something and when you finally do, one feels rushed because of the amount of people who also want to see animals such as the frogs. The Snapping Turtle was amazing to see, as were The Monsoon Falls. I spent ages looking at The Longhorn Cowfish, which was one of the better aspects of the aquarium. This place, however, could use some improvement. For example, some of the areas are not well maintained and the amount of darkness in some of the places is slightly dangerous because one is unable to see properly. Furthermore, the Axolotl enclosure was slightly disappointing. I had expected something bigger and more substantial. On the other hand, the Monsoon Falls exhibit (the one in which there is a Giant Gourami) is one of the more impressive aspects of this place. I doubt that this is feasible, but it would be lovely to have days in which people could enjoy the aquarium silently. For example, many places have days upon which visitors attend and do not speak loudly and do not shout. These days are designed for Persons with Autism, who might be sensitive to louder sounds. Although I recommend this place, it is slightly expensive. Many of the reviews of this place consistently raise the same issues, such as the exorbitant price, the atmosphere of the place and that it should contain more things to see. I do hope that those who are in charge of making decisions about The Blue Reef Aquarium do take the time to read the feedback. It has the potential to be even better.

Positive experience: I'm glad I brought tickets via a discount site. Walked round the aquarium within 30 odd mins. Had to keep the kids occupied and keep them indulged to try and justify paying to get in there. There are some nice fish to see and some bits are really interesting but it doesn't justify the normal entrance price. Starting to look run down as well. I've been generous by giving 3 stars. A return visit is highly unlikely.

Negative experience: An expensive trip to a small venue which since our last visit did nt have as much to see or do having lost some of its previous inhabitants. The highlight of our visit was seeing the stingrays and the rescued snapping turtle (whose enclosure was very small). There was sand everywhere having been trod in from outside and the toilets were dirty. Would nt recommend.

Positive experience: It's pretty good. It's definitely not a new modern huge Ripley's Aquarium, but it's decent. The people that say it only takes 15 minutes are just really rushing through. If you spend time skimming the signs and looking at all the exhibits it's at least an hour. If you have a family with kids you can spend a couple of hours. They have informative talks every 30 min or hour. The price is a bit steep but it's expensive to maintain an aquarium.

Fantastic experience: Great place to visit! Clean and animals well cared for. The staff were super friendly and accommodating of our son’s SEN’s needs - can’t wait to visit again!

Positive experience: I thought the entrance was expensive for the time we actively spent walking around the aquarium. The Stingrays were particularly beautiful, and lovely to see. We were in and out in 30 minutes which was slightly underwhelming. Not sure how much justification there is in a return visit.

Negative experience: Very overpriced we were in there less than 20 minutes. There are more variety of fish at our local Garden Centre. Very run down complained to the manage about the price but she was not bothered!!!

Negative experience: We went here at the weekend as we hadn't been to this aquarium before it was a tad over priced and once we got inside within 10-15 mins we had walked around the entire aquarium. Online it said it shakes just over an hour to walk around it. Nope 10-15 mins that was it the aqua tunnel was like 10 steps long and it don't go down to the ground just over the top. The whole place was such a letdown definitely not worth the price you pay to get in. The end of the trail comes out in the gift shop now I know gifts hops are expensive put their gift shop was extortionate they wanted £16 for a medium stuffed animal and they wanted £12 for a small stuffed animal. Nothing souvenir ish like fridge magnets just all these over extortionate prices I don't think I saw anything under £8 I wouldn't ever go here again and I wouldn't recommend people to go here unless they don't mind being ripped off.

Negative experience: Expensive for what you get, very small, can go round within 30 minutes, not alot to look at. Tired and rundown. They do stamp your hand so can go again in the day though and the lady at reception was friendly

Positive experience: I enjoyed the aquarium however I think £7 entry Is what it's worth, not 14. Also on the way out there was some trampy bloke complaining about there not being enough sharks. After overhearing the conversation from what I understood they were given some kind of voucher or refund. If they gave a refund to another customer then we and every other person in there should be entitled to the same. I decided not to make a scene, but this was unfair.

Negative experience: Entrance fee’s are ridiculous, considering you can easily go around in 30 minutes, gift shop is also extortionately priced & tiny. The state of the place is appalling, tanks are way too small for the animals, it’s dirty, the toilets are filthy. The outside play area used to be great, now it’s boring, weeds everywhere, broken benches, just a sad place. Really disappointed and honestly needs a dramatic overhaul!

Negative experience: Visited today and all I can say is thank goodness there was another event happening in Southsea. The free kite festival was a lot better than Blue Reef Aquarium. It's very tired, very dated and quite frankly an extortionate amount of money for 10 minutes of day. The outside area is tired. No splash park and the bins hadn't been emptied for days, benches broken and all in all generally very tired. Kite festival on the other hand was good

Positive experience: Well displayed tanks and fascinating fish. Lovely sea horses. However, the otters have gone, the interactive exhibits I remembered have gone. The interpretation was hard to read because of poor lighting and was uninspiring. The shark lagoon was lacking in sharks, although the little tropical fish were nice to watch. Staff were friendly if you spoke to them but ignored visitors as they went round, giving out an ora of disinterest. The building is decaying. It could be so good and vibrant.

Positive experience: Me and my sister went here today (9/07/24) and like it very much. Learn a fair quality of information that I didn't know (and I'm an animal nerd, and proud of it) and the talks were very clear and have friendly staff. However, I still miss the large shark tank that Moray eels, Black-tip Sharks, Horn Shark, Thresher Sharks; as well as the Octopus and otters. But I do recommend you do take the kids, as children are curious about things around them

Fantastic experience: We had a Birthday Party here for our 4 year old. Mark was very helpful with answering my queries before the party. George was great on the tour round the aquarium with all the kids and adults. He was also very helpful in the party room.

Negative experience: Small, we went trough the whole place in less than an hour. The toilets were dirty. For this price I would expect more.

Fantastic experience: At first we thought it was just the first room with two tanks. Badly signposted. But then we discovered the rest of this fascinating and quirky place. Our 3 year old grand daughter loved it. The outside playground is huge and full of fun things for kids to do. A good day out for the family.

Positive experience: It is a nice experience, and there is a large array of fishes to see, there is a different feeding and talk event every hour and the staff are very friendly and happy to answer questions. The outdoor play area is sizeable, though a bit tired looking. There are some nice benches inside the aquarium to give you a little rest or to simply sit and enjoy watching some of the fish. The £14 per adult feels slightly steep but this does allow you all day access, kids under 3 are free. Parking is outside on the main road and will be difficult to find a spot during holidays.

Positive experience: A little small for the price, however still had an amazing visit. Beautiful aquarium life. Cute gift shop ( although a little bit pricey) Still recommend for a afternoon out with children (and adults that like sea creatures etc

Fantastic experience: It was a very lovely aquarium with a lot of exhibits. The fish looked in very good health and it was a very nice layout. There was hood service and the fish talks were very interesting! Was very good for the price

Negative experience: My son enjoyed it but it was very small and takes 30 minutes max to get round it not worth the admission fee in my opinion

Positive experience: Nice place for a little family trip, you can pay for admission and return back later in the day. Friendly staff

Positive experience: It's Okay, nothing special. A little expensive personally for what you get, you can easily get around the whole place in under an hour, you can spend longer if you stop to read things and view the fish and listen to talks. I'm not sure if one of the displays is under renovation, but a whole area is boarded up, and you walk through a narrow dark walkway. Some areas look a little dated and could do with a touch-up, and the gift shop was definitely disappointing and expensive.

Positive experience: Nice little aquarium. Plenty to see. Only knocked a star off because I thought it was quite expensive. £15 per adult.

Negative experience: £50 for an aquarium that was mouldy and we got through in 30 minutes. no more otters either. that was a huge disappointment. we would have gotten the same sort of experience walking through the fish aisle at a pets at home. we liked the shrimp and crabs, and the snapping turtle was cool, but it was a real let down. absolutely not worth the money. not even worth half the money. really quite sad about it

Negative experience: Sadly this place is getting worse and worse. There’s not much to see anymore; you can comfortably get round the whole place (including reading the signs) within 30-60 minutes, which is not really worth the prices charged. Luckily it was a sunny day so I was able to take the kids into the outdoor splash park. It’s very small, so wouldn’t be great on busy days but we were lucky and they were the only kids for most of the time. So they happily played in the water and the sand for a long while. But realistically, I had spent £30+ for them to play in a splash park across the road from a free one and see few fish more than they could see at a decent fish shop.

Negative experience: I wouldn’t waste your time going. Isn’t the best aquarium to go to. Lots of tanks were empty. No otters. The whole place needs a deep clean and some paint. Needs more investment to make it a decent place to visit. Not sure the staff seem to care about keeping the place clean and tidy. It looks like more money is spent on making the gift shop good rather than the rest of the aquarium, but that is very expensive. The talks are spread out throughout the day so unless you wanted to go back you’d miss some of the interesting ones. Wouldn’t recommend or visit again unless there’s a massive change to it.

Negative experience: The 2 stars is for the awful ladies toilet. My husband said it’s the same with men’s toilet. Negative- It was very wet on the floor. Not just a small area but the whole floor. Impossible not to get your pants wet. Dirty and broken toilet. No signage and warning. There were school children in and out. What if they slipped? I’m furious. Positive- Apart from that, u get a stamp on ur hand and you come in and out for the whole day. A cafe and fish and chips outside which u can bring in and sit by the playground.

Positive experience: Nice fish experience, loved the local fish tanks, idea to expand in this area? However having a mix with tropical fish is great for kids. They just love to see dory and nemo. It takes about 1 to 2 h to go through the experience, easy to park in front or near the place, we paid 48 £ for a family entrance.

Fantastic experience: A lovely relaxing walk round. A interesting talk about the fish too.

Positive experience: Kids enjoyed it very much and that's the main thing. However, I've been there few years back and it was in much better shape then. It looks like it's been under invested, although shark enclosure is currently being refurbished, outside play ground area would benefit from a bit of TLC. Missus said the female toilet is absolutely disgusting. You can go in and out throughout the day so that's a good thing. Reasonably priced and under 3s go free.

Fantastic experience: This place is so beautiful, quiet and calming. That’s one place I would definitely go back to. It’s affordable too

Negative experience: Awfully overpriced for a place crying for refurbishment. The poor lighting in the tunnels made it so unattractive. The two star is for the aquatic and reptile life there.

Fantastic experience: A pretty decent way to spend a couple of entertaining hours with lots to see. The place has changed lots if the 8 years or so since I last visited. Plenty to see and lots of decent information boards explaining things about the fish/animals. These could have been better though if they had been multi-lingual rather than just in English. There is more variety in here than you would think and each area is well themed to make it feel like a natural progression. Plenty of viewing slots for younger/smaller children so a great place to keep them interested as well. The staff are friendly and helpful. They also have lots of knowledge about the fish/animals, so make the visit for interesting. the place appears to be wheelchair friendly. The gift shop at the end of the tour is more reasonably priced than some similar experiences.

Fantastic experience: Came here for my daughters birthday on boxing day last year. Loved it. It was quiet in there due to time of year but that made it much nicer for us, we could see everything and a nice pace to look around.

Fantastic experience: Great place to take the kids for a couple of hours .

Positive experience: It's not too bad, a bit basic, and a lot of the same type of fish but decent enough for a rainy day. It is very informative though!