I visited the Sea Life Centre in Birmingham with my four-year-old-nephew Max (bringing my mother along for the ride). Here's what our experience was like, and what I'd recommend if you were planning a visit.
Finding things to do with kids can be a minefield, especially during school holidays. And with many attractions having significant entrance fees, it can feel like a gamble as to whether your day out is going to be a roaring success or a washout.
To help, here's how I got on with a trip to the Sea Life Centre Birmingham, what you can expect when you get there, and ultimately whether it's worth the money.
What is a Sea Life Centre?
If you're not familiar with any of the Sea Life attractions dotted around the country - there's eleven in the UK, including Birmingham, Brighton, Manchester, London and Hunstanton. Each centre offers a great opportunity for the whole family to get up close and personal with loads of marine creatures, and learn all about them and their habitat. The specific features or displays at Sea Life may vary by location - for example, the Hunstanton centre is the only one in the UK which has a seal hospital.
While some of the centres might have a bit of an outdoor exhibit, they are largely indoor attractions which means they are perfect for keeping the kids entertained whatever the weather.
How much does Sea Life Birmingham cost?
How much you pay for Sea Life Birmingham will ultimately depend on when you go and how far in advance you book, but adult tickets tend to start from about £20 per person off peak when booked in advance, up to about £27, and child tickets start from about £18 and go up to £25.
We went on a Tuesday in early August during the school holidays, and it cost us £62.50 for two adults and a child. This was including a 50 per cent discount (based on the on-the-day price) on the child's ticket, so it was £12.50 for my nephew and £25 for each of the adults. A visit to the centre is expected to last between 90 minutes and two hours (although once you're in, there is no set limit on how long you can stay).
It's worth noting that you can use your Tesco Clubcard rewards to purchase your tickets, which can be a great way to reduce the cost.
Key attractions
Penguin and sea otter exhibits
The first exhibit we came to was the Gentoo penguins, which Max made a beeline for. There's lots of viewing space, although at busy times, you might need to wait to get a really good spot at the front. As well as seeing the penguins waddle around on the surface, you also go down a little ramp where you can see them swimming in the pool in their enclosure. The penguins were really active, and seemed just as curious as Max, coming right up to the glass, something which Max absolutely loved. He'd even insisting on taking his Kidnoculars to make sure he didn't miss a thing.
In a similar enclosure, we also got a really good look at a sea otter (which was surprisingly large) and listened to the guide sharing lots of interesting facts about it's habitat, diet and appearance.
Sharks and rays
There are multiple large tanks in Sea Life attraction, each filled with multiple creatures, and there is plenty of space to get a really good look. These large tanks are open at the top, so adults can look in over the top, but for kids, the glass sides go low enough that even little ones in pushchairs have a really good vantage point. Our favourite was the tank that included bamboo sharks, guitar fish (which look like a cross between a stingray and a shark), and unicorn fish.
Shark-obsessed Max was utterly mesmerised by the bamboo shark, and more so when one of the helpful guides came over to share some really interesting facts about the creatures. He was also great at adapting the information so it was accessible to Max, pointing out the shark's gills and explaining their purpose.
Small tanks
As you move into the smaller exhibits, where there is just one species in each display, you'll see some iconic sea creatures, like the clown fish (hi Nemo!), sea horses and jelly fish. Max was absolutely flabbergasted to discover that jellyfish are older than the dinosaurs!
As well as the cool displays, there is also a little tunnel for kids to crawl through, and pop their heads up to look at a display from the inside.
360-degree underwater tunnel
The most amazing part of our trip to Sea Life was right at the end when you step into the UK's only 360 degree tunnel. This was incredible. Not only is it a wonderfully immersive experience, but you get a really good look at some of the larger creatures at the centre including sharks, rays, guitar fish and turtles.
I could have spent hours in there, just staring in wonder, but that was probably a tall ask with an excitable four year old in tow. It's all the more fascinating when you realise that the centre offers sleepovers in the tunnel!
What are the facilities like?
Food and drink: There are no food and drink facilities at Sea Life Birmingham, and you're not allowed to eat and drink your own food on the way round either. However, the centre is located right in the heart of Brindley Place, which is filled with restaurants and cafes, and you're about a 10 minute walk from Grand Central shopping centre, which has loads more eateries.
Toilets and baby change: There are toilets, disabled toilets and baby changing facilities at the attraction. They were clearly signposted, and clean.
Pram accessibility: While the venue is on different levels, it's really pram (and wheelchair) friendly, as you move through the levels via a ramp, and can take a lift down to the underwater tunnel. However, at the busiest times, you may find having a pushchair in tow slows you down, so if you can manage without one, you might prefer it.
Lockers and storage: There aren't any cloakroom, locker or Buggy Park facilities in the centre.
Photos: There are a couple of opportunities to have a family photo taken, which is available to purchase at the end of your visit. But if you don't want to do that, you can take your own pictures as you go round, although the use of flash photography is prohibited as it can be harmful to the creatures.
Autism and specific sensory needs: If your child has autism or specific sensory needs, then the centre's Quiet at the Aquarium could be right up your street. On selected dates, the aquarium opens an hour early and offers a quieter experience, where the centre music is turned off, and any TVs have the volume lowered. There are limited tickets available at £13 per person, and they must be booked online and in advance of your visit. Quiet sessions tend to run on the first Sunday of every month - check the website to see when Quiet at the Aquarium is running.
Payments: It's worth knowing that the Sea Life centre is cashless, including the gift shop.
Gift shop: There is a decent sized gift shop on your way out of the centre, with toys, key rings, magnets, tumblers and more available for a variety of budgets.
Is Sea Life worth the money?
After seeing the look on my nephew's face as we made our way round the Sea Life Centre, it was definitely money well spent - he's mad about sharks and this was his first time seeing any in real life, and I could almost see the experience becoming a core memory for him. For Max, every display was something else to marvel at, and he was buzzing about it all the way home, and still talks about the tunnel and the sharks even weeks later.
However, for an experience that took us just 90 minutes, I was glad that we had benefited from a bit of a discount. If we paid full price, it would have felt like a very expensive activity.
Planning your trip
Opening times
Opening times of the Sea Life Centre will depend on when you visit and which location, but during the week in the summer holidays, the Birmingham centre is open from 9.30am until 6pm, with the last admission at 5pm.
When booking your tickets online, you will need to choose a time slot. When I went, we arrived earlier than anticipated and were worried about having to wait for about about 45 minutes before we could go in. But we asked at the entrance whether there was any way we could be allowed in a bit earlier, and we were allowed. It never hurts to ask, but bear in mind that if you are arriving at peak times, then you may not be allowed in earlier than your allocated time slot.
Getting there
The Sea Life Centre is located in the heart of Birmingham, with multiple car parks nearby that mean a five minute walk to the attraction. If you travel by train, it's a bit of a longer walk - it's about a 15-20 minute walk from Snow Hill station, roughly 20 minutes from New Street and about 25 mins from Birmingham Moor Street.
If you're not familiar with Birmingham, and are travelling by train, you might want to check the route from the station on Google Maps before you visit, as the signage isn't great until you get closer to the attraction.
If you want to make a real day of your visit to Birmingham, you could always opt for a multi-attraction ticket, that means you could also visit Legoland Discovery Centre (which is right next to the Sea Life Centre), Cadbury World (about 20 minute drive or 50 minute train ride) or Warwick Castle (about an hour away by train and car).
Want more? Find out how this mum got on with a trip to Legoland Discovery Centre with her two children, while another shares her feedback on the new Legoland Woodland Village.
