The Deep Aquarium in Hull

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Because of the ‘ahem’ slightly inclement weather this weekend we decided to visit The Deep today. 

It's easy to get to by car straight over the M62. I've never gone there on public transport but trains to Hull are fairly regular and there is a bus service from the train station, or if you are feeling energetic you could walk. They've got a big car park and it cost £3 for 6 hours.

At £34 for a family ticket of 2 adults and 2 children, it is fairly expensive. Although, if you sign up for gift aid your ticket grants you free entry for a year on all subsequent visits, which makes it better value.

The visit starts via a room covered in stars that we all really liked. Then you walk down a slope with great interactive displays about about planets, evolution, fossils and how the oceans originated. Some were a bit beyond my young kids but I reckon older children would find it all interesting.

The huge tank full of jellyfish was a success and I had a valiant attempt to explain how come they were see-through. (Still not sure to be honest). At the bottom of the slope you reach an open shallow tank with brightly coloured fish, including Dory - sorry fish purists but all small children refer to fish by their Nemo names! It was great because the kids could get really close to the fish. Next to the tank was the demonstration area where a very friendly assistant helped us to stroke a crab and starfish. It was extremely exciting and terrifying in equal measures as you can imagine.

The Cold Water section was quite spooky with huge dark, moody amazon river fish that seemed to swim really slowly. We also saw a bright blue lobster, I'm embarrassed to admit I didn't realise they were blue before being cooked.  The kids loved the ice kingdom with it's enormous ice walls.

We stopped for a quick rampage in the play area that was handily placed halfway round. After that, you reach the main bit, which is the 10m deep tank; apparently it's home to 7 different types of shark and hundreds of fish. The Deep has lots of different ways to interact with the tank and see the amazing array of fish, sharks and stingrays. Our favourites were the viewing bubbles where you climb a ladder and your head pops up inside the tank and the tunnel under the tank. It was fascinating watching sharks and sting rays swimming above us. You can leave via a glass lift that moves through the tank, which was amazing.

I haven’t covered everything that was at the Deep, just the bits that we really liked. Other highlights, included my favourite, a beautiful tank full of coral. My little boy’s was predictably the slime exhibit with slugs, snails and brightly coloured poisonous frogs.

I’d definitely recommend a visit to the Deep. There’s a good café serving nice food and the shop is fantastically called the 'Deepartment Store', why wouldn't you want to visit that? If you have time, take a walk along the river front and also check Hull out.