★★★★★ 5.0
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SEA LIFE London Aquarium
That colonnade entrance you're looking at once echoed with the voices of London's most powerful politicians — this grand early 20th-century County Hall served as headquarters for the Greater London Council until 1986, when Margaret Thatcher dissolved it entirely. Now, behind those stately limestone columns, lies Europe's most ambitious underwater world with over 500 species swimming through 14 themed zones. As you step inside, you'll discover Britain's ONLY living coral reef display — a massive 92,000-liter tank that took marine biologists three years to establish. But here's what most visitors miss: that famous glass-floor Shark Walk you're about to experience? It's built with the same reinforced glass technology used in submarine observation decks, designed to hold the weight of a small car while sand tiger sharks glide just inches below your feet. The building's transformation from political powerhouse to aquatic wonderland cost £40 million, but they kept one original feature — those Art Deco ceiling details in the main corridor still bear the Greater London Council's coat of arms, now watching over penguins instead of politicians.
Did You Know?
- The SEA LIFE London Aquarium was originally opened in March 1997 as the London Aquarium and is housed in the historic County Hall building on the South Bank of the River Thames, a location that once hosted the London County Council and later the Greater London Council—making it a site of both civic history and modern marine education.
- In 2008, the aquarium displayed three autonomous robotic fish designed by the University of Essex, which could swim around and avoid obstacles like real fish—a unique blend of marine biology and cutting-edge robotics that aimed to mimic the speed of tuna, the acceleration of a pike, and the navigation skills of an eel.
- The aquarium features a 40-meter-long underwater tunnel and a 'Shark Walk' where visitors can walk over a glass floor with sharks swimming just beneath their feet, offering an immersive, thrilling experience that’s especially popular with families and children.