Sea Life, London Aquarium: All year

One of the last things you might expect to find under County Hall in London is an enormous underground tank full of sharks. No, this is not a scene from a James Bond film, but the central tank of the Sea Life London Aquarium. It’s a fantastic place for a family adventure, with themed zones over three floors. And straight through the middle of those three floors is the shark tank, a column of water with windows at every level for eyeballing these magnificent predators.The Shark Walk allows you to tiptoe right across the surface of the water, the sharks swimming just a few inches below the glass.

Plan your trip around the feeding times to catch the Piranha feeding frenzy, rainforest talks on some very fishy characters, or dinner-time at the shark tank. Touch pools and interactive displays allow you to get up close and personal with the strange creatures of the deep - among others, the Cuban crocodile, the clownfish (Nemo!), the octopus and green sea turtles.

Recent arrivals that caused quite a stir are a family of Gentoo penguins. Unlike traditional zoo enclosures, the London Aquarium has recreated the penguins’ natural Antarctic environment. Meet the family, and some of their chilly neighbours, in Penguins: Ice Adventure. With so many rare and beautiful inhabitants, the London Aquarium keeps conservation high up on its priorities. From pioneering seahorse-breeding programs to seal rescue and turtle conservation campaigns, learn all about the work Sea Life does in the marine environment, and what you can do to help.

London Aquarium

County Hall, Westminster Bridge Rd, London SE1 7PB

Opening Times

Monday-Friday, 10:00-19:00; Weekends, 9.00-19.00.