A brand new aquatic attraction is opening at Chessington World of Adventures & Zoo at the start of the 2008 season: a SEA LIFE Centre with over 20 marine life displays housing species ranging from tiny shrimps and starfish to magnificent sharks and stingrays.
The 250,000 litre aquarium, which will be located within Chessington Zoo - will bring kids of all ages almost nose to nose with a wide range of sea creatures, creating the illusion that the visitor is on display while the fish swim freely around. Interactive touchpools, fun exhibitions and a walkthrough ocean tank will offer a final wow-experience as the fish swim overhead
This is a quote from Chessington's website. An unlikely scenario at first glance but a not altogether surprising one; remember that both Taussauds and Sealife are companies operated by the Merlin Entertainments Group, both very successful and both unashamedly commercial.
Chessington's major new exhibit for 2008, an aquarium, just happens to be branded. Is that enough to warrant a trip to Chessington next year counting as one or two collections on a list of zoos visited?
Five Sealife Centres were opened in 2000 (including one mobile), two in 2004, two in 2005, two in 2006 (including the one at Loch Lomond) and another in 2007. 2007 also saw Merlin acquire Taussauds which made it the World's second biggest operator of visitor attractions (after Disney).
Merlin now wants to stage a comeback in the UK after several of the original centres were sold off prior to the company's European crusade.
The centre at Chessington in 2008 will be the 27 branch. This must now be the biggest chain of animal attractions in the world.
Has anyone here been to the 2006 Loch Lomond centre and, if so, how does it compare to the original branches as they are now and as they were then?
The 250,000 litre aquarium, which will be located within Chessington Zoo - will bring kids of all ages almost nose to nose with a wide range of sea creatures, creating the illusion that the visitor is on display while the fish swim freely around. Interactive touchpools, fun exhibitions and a walkthrough ocean tank will offer a final wow-experience as the fish swim overhead
This is a quote from Chessington's website. An unlikely scenario at first glance but a not altogether surprising one; remember that both Taussauds and Sealife are companies operated by the Merlin Entertainments Group, both very successful and both unashamedly commercial.
Chessington's major new exhibit for 2008, an aquarium, just happens to be branded. Is that enough to warrant a trip to Chessington next year counting as one or two collections on a list of zoos visited?
Five Sealife Centres were opened in 2000 (including one mobile), two in 2004, two in 2005, two in 2006 (including the one at Loch Lomond) and another in 2007. 2007 also saw Merlin acquire Taussauds which made it the World's second biggest operator of visitor attractions (after Disney).
Merlin now wants to stage a comeback in the UK after several of the original centres were sold off prior to the company's European crusade.
The centre at Chessington in 2008 will be the 27 branch. This must now be the biggest chain of animal attractions in the world.
Has anyone here been to the 2006 Loch Lomond centre and, if so, how does it compare to the original branches as they are now and as they were then?
I must say, I was myself quite captivated by SeaLife in Birmingham. Mackerel, exactly like these I buy smoked for EUR5, were live, graceful creatures.