National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham

Yesterday I visited the SEA LIFE centre in Birmingham for the first time and I absolutely LOVED it! There is a wide variety of tropical and cold water sea creatures for you to see, two of my particular favourites were the ray bay and the sea otters. I was lucky enough to see the feeding experience for both these areas, and if you have time they are definitely worth watching. The staff are extremely knowledgeable about the animals and, you can tell how passionate they are about making sure they get the best care which is refreshing to see. As a solo adult visitor who loves sea animals, I decided to add the go below experience to my trip, and it did not disappoint! I would strongly recommend anyone adding this to their visit. It’s a bargain at £3.50 extra considering what you get to see; For example, the preparation of food, some of the animals that are getting special care and also learning more about the animals. Finally, I would like to give a big shout out to Abigail, who was absolutely brilliant. She was my guide, super knowledgeable and tailored my visit to what I wanted to know. She even introduced me to the animals in the 360 tunnel, which was brilliant! Thanks so much! 🙏 It’s also worth noting, it’s best to book online in advance as you save £9 off the entry for an adult in comparison with the on the door price.

We went for my boyfriend's birthday day out and it was the best experience any of of had in a long time. There was next to no wait (we arrived on time, but you will have to wait if you show up before the time slot), staff were friendly and welcoming, the tropical area was fantastic, the animals were gorgeous, and the music in the jellyfish room was pleasant and calming. The only downside was the family who let their young children grab, force past and physically climb over our friend whilst she was crouched down looking at one of the tanks, and their parents wouldn't stop them. Other than that, I would definitely recommend.

The National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham is a really fun and engaging aquarium. It is one of the most popular family attractions in Birmingham, with over 60 displays of freshwater and marine life, including turtles, sharks, rays, penguins, seahorses, jellyfish, and more in an underwater environment that is both educational and entertaining. The centre even features the only fully transparent 360° ocean tunnel in the United Kingdom, where fish and sharks swim all around you as you walk through, which is a real highlight of the visit.  The quality and quantity of creatures on display are good, and the centre’s layout includes themed zones like Penguin Ice Adventure and interactive rock pool areas where you can gently touch some animals, which kids especially enjoy. Staff were generally friendly and helpful, often sharing interesting facts and making the experience more personal and informative. Many people also praise the dedicated feeding times and talks, which add educational value to the visit.  That said, a few parts of the centre feel like they could use refreshing or updating, and visitors sometimes notice a couple of empty cases or exhibits under maintenance, which can be a bit disappointing if you were looking forward to seeing certain species. The centre is relatively compact, and in busy times it can feel crowded, especially around the key displays and the ocean tunnel.  The location in Brindleyplace makes it easy to combine with other attractions nearby, and there are cafés and restaurants close by for food and drinks after your visit, although you cannot eat inside the aquarium itself.  The SEA LIFE centre is well worth a visit if you are in Birmingham, especially for families or anyone who loves marine life. It offers a good mix of quality exhibits and educational experiences, even if a few areas feel a bit dated and crowded at peak times. Bit pricy too.

I visited the SEA LIFE centre today for the first time and I enjoyed a lot. There is a wide variety of tropical and cold water sea creatures to see. I was surprised to see loads of penguins . This was the first time in my life to see actual penguins. The staff are very friendly, specially the young lady at the VR section to see underwater journey. Location is ideal, as loads of restaurants and coffee shops are at a walking distance.

It was am awesome experience! I'll be honest when I first went in, I thought it was quite small, however it is extended at the back so it was indeed quite spacious. Easily took us 2-3 hours to explore the entire place at a slow pace with a 5 month old. The penguins were adorable at the start, the amount of fish in each aquarium space was quite adequate. I did wish we could see the otters though, only managed to catch s tiny glimpse in the room at the far back. The area with the jellyfish was so mesmerising. There were different photography stations located at multiple areas. You could take photos at each station, and at the end you could choose which pictures you'd like to buy and what package. Overall there was a lot of cleanliness, tanks were clean, the walkways were clean too. We ended up going at a busy weekend, but still could easily manage to get around with a baby pram. There was however a pram parking area, if you will, to store the prams if you'd rather do that. Definitely worth a trip.

I had an amazing time here! Every section was unique with exciting natural views. We didn't wait long at the door, because the queue wasn't much at the entrance and we already got our tickets online!. N/B: the sealife Is just one way in, and same way out! Don't go looking for the lifts to take out. N/B: please while entering the Aquarium, switch off any light from your video camera.

Absolutely loved our visit to SEA LIFE Birmingham! It’s a fantastic place to explore marine life, especially for families. The aquarium isn’t too big, which makes it easy to navigate without feeling rushed, and it’s wheelchair and buggy accessible, which we really appreciated. The highlight for us was the 360° underwater tunnel , because we were completely in awe! The relaxing music and the small and huge fish swimming all around made it such a magical and calming experience. A wonderful day out and definitely worth a visit. Friendly staff as well.

Visited the National SEA LIFE Centre in Birmingham — a nice, family-friendly aquarium with solid displays and facilities. That said, I was expecting a bit more overall. It’s around four times cheaper than the London one, and in many ways the set-up feels pretty similar, but it didn’t quite have the “wow” factor I’d hoped for.

I have visited the sea life centre many times over the years and now live pretty close by so thought it was about time I gave it a review. This is an attraction mainly for kids but don't for a second think that you can't enjoy it as a slightly over excitable adult. There is a huge range of aquatic life to see around the centre finishing off on the tube which is put through one of the larger tanks at the centre so you can be fully surrounded by fish, sharks and Ray's. It's not as big as it looks in the pictures but it is impressive nevertheless. For parents this is a must do with the kids. For adults I'd check the website to see what discounts you can get before heading down as it can work out expensive.....but in Birmingham this is about as close as you can get to the sea!!

This is worth a visit, but very pricey (£21 for an adult that had no discounts; that's about $30). For a family, you're now about $80 for the experience) It's beautiful and nicely laid out so that you can focus on one thing for a bit of time and not worry that you're holding back the ones behind you. As you wind your way up the ramps to the upper levels, you get to see the same exhibit from several angles. Very unnerving to see a shark from above and then realize that his eyes are on the top of his head and they're looking at you as well. The penguins are adorable. Photography is fine as long as you don't flash. The 4D experience was a 15 minutes condensation of the movie Happy Feet. The 4D comes from the fact that the seats shake when they're dancing and you get a spray of water when the shark crashes down. I noticed a lot of education on saving species from being used in medicines or being over hunted. The gift shop was a bit dusty and I noticed that many of the stuffed animals were a bit grimy. PS: yes, the photo I uploaded is of the actual penguins. They seemed to pose for my camera.

I've been twice to the sealife centre now - first time: loved it. There is lots to see, for me the highlight by far is the fantastic walk through tunnel where there are reef sharks and incredible rescue turtles to admire. The new addition of the penguin section is wonderful too. The second time I went was in the Easter holidays and it was a huge mistake. The centre had MAJORLY overbooked- we were on timed entry but could barely move. I had 3 kids in tow this time and they could hardly see most things because of the volumes of people crowding round each tank. I was gutted because we'd had such a lovely time previously. The staff did their best to manage it but tensions were obviously high and the queue system for the 3D cinema was a bit of a disaster - not enough space for the volumes of people wanting to see the show to wait out of the way of others. We didn't get a look in at any of the talks either- the kids couldn't get close enough to most of them to see what was going on. So that's why I've only given it a 3 star review, and I nearly gave it a 2. No matter what the capacity of a building, if you overbook to that extent you spoil it for everyone. If you go out of holidays- you'll have a wonderful time and i'd give the attraction itself a much better rating at those times (!!!!) but just don't waste your money during school holidays- watch blue planet at home instead!

I was ignorant for a long time about going to this amazing place. I thought it was for kids and had no interest in going......untill I saw half price voucher on the O2 Priority app. Gathered some friends and went. It didn't look that big from the front. I figured it would be a quick tour and leave, how wrong I was. Surprised how much stuff is inside and room. It's like being inside those tents from Harry Potter. There's a 4D cinema and they were playing spongebob. It's all gimicky with blowing wind, squirting water and bubbles but it was fun. They recently added penguins, I forgot what type/place they were from. I was like a kid the whole time being at the Sea Life Centre. Found myself getting excited seeing some sea life creatures that I recognise from tv. Found Nemo and saw Dory! :D I love learning about space and life outside earth, and yet I know nothing about our planet. Got to learn about different types of fish and places found around the world. I seen different species that I never seen in my life. Glad I got to spend few hours here. Thanks to O2 for giving me reason to go. Great times, must visit. Also great location in Brindley Place. Plenty of things to do around and eat. And can have a nice walk by canal afterwards to complete your day :)

Quite impressed that Birmingham has a large aquatic centre like this (very pricey though) hidden within the recently much developed canal area near Broad Street. It seems very well run with talks and even a 4D cinema show. Probably wrong to say this but I wish there were times or days when aquariums were kid free. Watching lots of fish is relaxing...hey they tend to play music in these places that suggests this is exactly the mood that they are aiming for, but large groups of screaming kids (and they ARE always screaming) spoil what should be a chilled setting (you can't even hang back or forge forth to avoid them, there is always another group around the next corner!). Too many cool fish to name, but Firefish, Flamefish and Chalk Bass were among my favourites.

It does not matter how old you are , the sealife centre is fun, my niece took my morther who is in her eighties and had a great time it was on their recomendation that I decided to visit. It is a short walk though Birmingham centre from New Street station. The sealife centre shows a undersea view of marine life you can walk though a massive tank where lives giant green sea turtles along with black tip reef sharks quite spectacular. There are also lots of smaller displays of marine and fresh water life including otters and beautiful seahorses, my personal favorite was the Rays who are quite curious and come to see who you are . The centres aim is geared towards making us aware of the lilfe in the seas and oceans and help in the conservation and breeding programs. I am sure children of all ages would love this colourful and different day out.

I loved my trip here yesterday!!! But my wife does say that I'm just a BIG KID so that would make sense... I don't even know where to start because everything was just so great so I'll start with my only 3 recommendations for improvement: 1. Get a cloak room! Seriously, nowhere to put your coat or bag? That's just odd, sorry but it is. Take this example... it's freezing outside and pouring with rain, what do you have on? A big coat, hat, scarf and yes, an umbrella... So as you enter this tropical indoor paradise of warmth, what do you instantly want to do? Yes, take it all off! So where do you put your stuff? "Oh, you have to carry it all around with you" which just spoils the experience on one level as I was uncomfortable walking around holding all this stuff. 2. The prices were a little high, £17.50 per adult was a bit too steep in my opinion for a 1 hour experience as it's only a small place. I think £13.50 would be more reasonable and have me coming back again and again, but at £17.50 I don't think I'll ever come back, it's just too expensive for what it is. 3. Bottled WATER: Yet again, Merlin Group... I really don't understand your logic of only providing Coca Cola products? I had to ask the attendant if they sold water and she said, "not in the machines, but you can buy it at the gift shop as you leave" - what? That's outrageous... I just don't get it at all... Ok the good stuff: Everything else! It was an amazing experience! All the fish were swimming around happily and enjoying themselves. The great tanks, decor, the bright colours, the fantastic stages that had been built, the backdrops, wow, I was so impressed! I just sat and watched the octopus for what seemed like 20 minutes! I was so amazed at the beauty and uniqueness of this alien creature... I also sat down and just watched the fish in the big tank that has the open top, the way they swim around like they don;t have a care in the World, so peaceful, so majestic... it really relaxed me and I almost fell asleep! ha! They also had a great 4D show that was not only entertaining, but also educational for the children - a big thumbs up for this, very noble. I loved this too. I think my other favourite thing was seeing the giant Sea Turtle! I've never seen one before so when I saw it swim past me in the tube, I was just awe struck. I had no idea they were so big. Overall a magical day out, and I loved it apart from points 1-3 above. Had these criteria been met, I would have rated 5 stars instead of 4.

I really wanted it to be amazing, but in all honesty it was average. For kids, it's brilliant. But as an adult going, it wasn't great, apart from the sting ray tank, jellyfish and the tunnel. The otter enclosure was closed for cleaning, which was disappointing, but can't be helped. It's very easy to get stuck behind other people because the walkways are so narrow, we happened to go on a day where there were 3 school trips, so it was very difficult to move around. There were staff stationed in certain places that took pictures of you posing that you could see at the end and buy on a key ring or just a picture, they were pricey but worth it. However I don't think I'd go again unless I was taking children.

Standard Door Prices: Adult £15.50 Child £10.50 Student £14.50 Concession £14.50 Family £50.00 I took my mum and uncle here a few months back. I knew it was going to be pricey, but I was completely staggered at the on-the-door prices of over £45 for the three of us! The centre is creatively laid out and we seemed to have a good time, but I really do not think it was worth the money we paid and I certainly won't be returning any time soon. I strongly believe that it may only be worth your visit if you have some half price tickets or special offers in hand. Booking in advance can save you at least £5 a ticket (something I dint not realise at the time I went). Just before you exit the main aquarium, they have installed a 'mirror maze' attraction which is cleverly done and is much better than before when you literally stepped out of the main tunnel and straight into the gift shop. Overall, I'm sure if you have kids in tow they will have a great time, but beware that between the admission, the food and the lures of the gift shop, this can add up to a very expensive day out

I first visited Birmingham's Sea Life Centre when I was a wee boy still in primary school; since then, I have returned at least three times since and every time enjoy the nautical pleasures it offers. It's often easy to forget this attraction when thinking about a fun way to spend a day in Brum, as it's a bit out of the way, just across the way from the NIA on the canal behind Broad Street. It's probably best experienced with an enthusiastic child or two, so if you're babysitting a niece/nephew or some cousins for the day then this is a way to keep them happy and make them learn something at the same time. You'll discover all sorts of wet and wonderful wildlife waiting to be 'ooh'-ed and 'aah'-ed at, but make sure you don't miss the scary-looking crab that is so huge I swear it's escaped from a 1950s B-movie and is planning on overtaking Birmingham - and the world - as soon as some naughty child cracks the glass. The famous shark tunnel is a great way to get as close as you'd probably want to get to some eerie-looking sharks, although probably not one for 'Jaws' fans!

Birmingham's Sea Life Centre has been in Brindley Place since the 90's and I can't see that it has changed a huge amount. There's a 4D cinema now and a Nemo/Clownfish display but it still looks pretty much the same to me as when I was 9. The layout of the building takes you on a path up to the top and then down a lift into the famous ocean tunnel. On the way you can see jellyfish, sharks, seahorsea, otters and all manner of fish. There are regular talks from the staff on the shark lagoon, rays and others. The otters are lovely and you can usually see them being fed. Now, the reason this is 4 stars for me is because of their recent addition- penguins!! There are lots of viewing windows including underwater views where you can see the penguins racing towards you! I worry the enclosure is a little small but the penguins seemed very happy, racing through the water and giving each other pebbles. Your enjoyment of the centre will probably depend on the time you visit. Term times are full of school trips and the holidays are full of families! I would recommend a weekend, particularly Sundays. Tickets are around £20 pp so it is worth doing some research and finding a money off voucher. These are quite readily available on chocolate bar wrappers etc, with o2 rewards and with the Brindley Place card.

I have gone to this sea life centre several times. It is easy to spend a long time here with young children, but with older ones I have found after walking through once they don't really want to go around again, they just want to spend some money in the gift shop! I have only gone recently because I had a voucher for two free children with one paying adult which made it a fairly cheap morning out. I would be reluctant to pay full admission prices as I would not spend enough time here to warrant it. It is a lovely morning or afternoon out though and I do enjoy going and will go again next year if I get a voucher for 2 free kids again!

A reasonably fun place for kids and adults alike. Here you will find amazing sea creatures and hours of fun. Located in well known Brindley Place, it is easy to find and fun in all weathers. In the kids holidays you may have to wiat in line for a bit but not really any more than half an hour. Well worth a visit.

I've spoken to loads of people about the Sea Life Centre in Birmingham and I am definitely in a minority in thinking that it's a boring waste of money. I love wildlife of all kinds so couldn't wait until my children were old enough to appreciate a visit here, but when we got there I realised it was quite a small building and there is not a very good selection of fish and sealife at all! The best thing about it is the tunnel towards the end where you walk through and the sea fish are swimming above your head and to either side of you. This is the absolute best opportunity in the whole building I think to observe the fish and see how they really interact with one another. I particularly liked it when the little sharks swum above my head because you could literally see the other fish watching it and warily swimming to the side as it passed. My children loved watching the terrapins and turtles, especially as we timed it to be there at feeding time because a never ending colony of turtles appeared for their share of the food. The guy feeding them scooped out a small turtle to show the kids, loads had gathered around, and he was very knowledgeable and friendly encouraging the children to ask questions. All the staff were helpful and friendly, they can't be faulted at all, it was just the layout of the Centre itself that I didn't like plus the fact that there were not many fish to look at and virtually nothing in the way of things for the children to interact with. There's a cafe and gift shop, we didn't eat anything from the Centre because it was so expensive but the gift shop was good. As usual with these kinds of attraction the shop was overpriced, but there was an excellent selection of 'pocket money' items which my kids' enjoyed choosing from. For £2.99 you can buy a lovely enamel badge with a name on, that sounds expensive but it's worth it for a good quality reminder of a not terribly good day out. I can't remember the exact price we paid to visit the Sea Life Centre, but our family of two adults and three children cost around £25 for admission. I wouldn't usually complain about this, but I honestly think this attraction is overpriced and shoddily put together.

For young and old alike, this is a great place to visit. You can work your way around at your own pace, taking in all of the different displays without feeling rushed or like you are slowing other people down. It is amazing to be so close to so many different sea animals that you would not normally see, and to find out about their natural habitats and behaviours, along with what you can do to ensure that they stay around for many generations to come. My favourite was definitely either the seahorses or the rays (which are in a large tank and have such personality). No one could ever accuse the Sea Life Centres of being cheap, but, you do get a lot of entertainment for your money and if you manage to get one of the 'two for one' vouchers then it makes it much more reasonable on the wallet. Similarly, the food is overpriced, but if you plan your day accordingly and eat either before you go or after then you can avoid this unnecessary expense.

This is the first sea life centre I visited being from Birmingham its wonderful to see all this marine life! as you don't get much chance to otherwise. Even after visiting other sea life centres in Bournemouth, Brighton, and Newquay this is still my favourite. Expensive to get in (There are 2for1 vouchers) and not very cheap in the cafe but well worth the money!

The Sealife Centre in Birmingham is a great place to go for a day out with children of any age. Following a route throughout the centre, there are sea creatures everywhere, with lots of opportunities given to directly interact with them, such as the petting pond where you can pet the fish and hold the starfish, or further on in the centre where you can hold a crab. The highlight was the part where you walk underneath a huge tank which is all around you, which is filled with water and you can see the creatures swimming around at such close proximity. The giant turtles were amazing, and it was great to watch an electric eel from such a close angle. The cost of the sealife centre is around £15 for an adult, and less for a child or student, and the whole thing takes around 3 to 4 hours. Definitely a place to take children or to go for a family day out.

The sea centre is a great place to go if you have a lot of children to amuse. Lots of interesting and colourful sea life from around the world. If your looking for a great day out, go here!

I took my 2yo daughter to the Sealife Centre - my initial thought was that it was seriously expensive but after seeing all the exhibits, it's completely worth the money. My daughter absolutely loved seeing the many different creatures and the stingray tank was a big hit. The 360 degree tunnel through a huge tank was absolutely break taking. Sharks and massive sea turtles swam over us, under us and next to us which absolutely delighted my daughter and terrified me! The price means I won't go on a regular basis but it's a great treat for any age group. The staff were really friendly, especially in the cafe, and recommended we look for discounts online - very considerate of them!

The sea life centre is fantastically situated in Birmingham's Brindley Place. it is very large, and allows you to wander around at your own pace(as long as it isnt too busy of course!)to view the many species that it has on offer. the only problem i find with the sea life centre is that the staff are very pushy to sell you things from the gift shop to the many different photos that they get you to have with costumed fish!

I've been to the National Sea Life Centre a number of times since it first opened in Birmingham, and really feel it is something kids would enjoy much more than adults. I felt the whole place hadn't really changed a great deal since it opened, and although there are plenty of things still to marvel at, the layout is still the same. I last visited here during the school holidays, and surprisingly it wasn't as busy as I anticipated. In my opinion the whole place is overpriced for what it is, and I won't be hurrying back to visit here.

I recently took my children here, during the school holidays. I had been warned that it's quite expensive and that there's not an awful lot to see, but we had Tesco Day Out vouchers that needed using within the next few days so the visit only cost 50p for a family of 4.. bargain! I do agree that there's not an awful lot to see, and I'm glad we didn't pay full price. We managed to get round the whole place in less than an hour. There are frequent fish feeding sessions, but we didn't manage to get to any of them, which was a shame. Some of the fish are really lovely but the tanks are not very big and, compared to some of the aquariums I've visited, it was a bit of a let-down. I doubt I'd make a return trip. It is, however, very handy if you've been to see a children's show at the NIA and don't want to go straight home!

Sealife is not high on my list of places to visit in Birmingham. When we visited, despite arriving early, we had to queue for forty-five (hypothermia inducing) minutes to gain entrance. The Sealife staff did try to entertain the hoardes of waiting people by encouraging children to race on space hoppers, but stopped when they realised they were in danger of injuring, rather than amusing, their potential customers (although having a space hopper related accident did appear to be a quick way to get to the front of the queue). Once inside I was not convinced that the aquarium was worth the wait. There's no denying that the fish etc. are pleasant to look out, but the whole interior is badly laid out & creates several bottlenecks where it is near impossible to view the fish. In one area staff had to usher visitors out & along what I assume was staff corridor (& so missing the exhibits) because the area was becoming dangerously overcrowded. My daughter was largely unimpressed & most put out that despite the promise of face painting in the foyer, it was not actually available for reasons we never quite discerned.

This is a great place to take the kids,of all ages,esp if interested in sealife! It is quite pricey to get into,but if you do your homework well enough for all these type places,you will be able to save money! Their website/booking online saves money as well as reducing your queuing time,and if you travel and are interested in aquatic creatures,why not think about buying an annual pass!? I know I live near to Birmingham centre,but my bf and I and my eldest son,all have passes,which we have used enough to make up on the cost of entry many times over! If you dont want to go during really busy times and dont have kids,go during the week,in termtime and just after lunch. People are tending to start making their way home or to town by then! If you have pushchairs with children that are capable of walking round easily,then ask if you can leave the pushchairs in a 'buggy park' type area! Due to the passages becoming difficult to pass if jammed with too many. Also,after long conversations with members of staff,it is requested that you dont take FLASH photography,due to the damage it can cause to the creatures health,and in some cases,prolonged periods of flashes going off,can cause the loss of poss rare creatures! If you are told not to use a flash,then please,for the sake of the magnificent sea creatures,DONT use them! With sharks,rays,seahorses,jellyfish,otters,turtles etc,this is a very pleasent and informative place to take the kids aged from 0 - 70yrs +! I have now taken the fifth star off my rating following a more recent visit,finding there is now no cafe/food area that is open,and not even a hot drinks machine! This I find very poor,esp for visitors that have travelled more than a half hr drive away minimum,especially to visit the centre,only to find they cant even buy a cup of tea/coffee,and will have to exit the centre if they want to sit down with a hot drink! Older generations esp,dont tend to drink too much of the fizzy drinks or bottled water!

This is great place to come with the kids, especially if you've got a voucher (you can normally find one on the internet!) to help with the cost of the tickets) The Turtle tunnel is amazing, being that close to such wonderful creatures. There is plenty to see and we've often said that we would like to go one day without the children so that we can actually look at stuff without being dragged off to see another aquarium. Very easy to negotiate on a mobility scooter, although there are some very steep slopes, so if you're a manual wheelchair user and don't have extrememley strong arms, I'd advise that you have someone with you for this trip to help. We've found that if you go at the end of the day, you don't normally have to queue and it's not nearly so crowded. Don't go during the day in school holidays or you'll really regret it!

Generally a lovely family day out but would never pay full price for this. Staff are all friendly and informative and offer great interaction with children, especially at the rock pool areas. It is quite small but there is a good variety of fish and other marine creatures to see, as well as otters which are great fun to watch. It doesn't take very long to get round so if you want a 'day out' maybe plan some other activities in and around Birmingham in advance.

Went with my niece and her friends for her 10th birthday party, it was very interesting, the guide was very funny and had lots of interesting facts, the 4d theatre was fantastic, could have gone in there again and again, the last time I went was about 12 !years ago ! And it certainly 100% better, thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend.

We may have more canals than Venice, but when it comes to proximity to the sea Birmingham really can't compete with, say, Brighton or anywhere else on the coast for that matter. Odd then that the city is home to an incredible aquarium. An aquarium designed by none other than Mr Gherkin himself, Sir Norman Foster. I love the Sea Life Centre. Yes, it gets busy with kids and you have to queue for your interactive sea life experience. But how can you complain when you get cuddle a crab or stroke a starfish? There's a cool shark tunnel and tanks with pretty rays floating about. You can touch them as they glide past, but I don't think you are technically meant to. I always love looking at the adorable otters splashing about too. It is best to visit mid-week and outside of school holidays, especially if you get annoyed by kids and queuing (you grump!). Otherwise, join the hoards and experience life beneath the waves. Top tip: you can normally find special ticket offers online, so best hunt around to avoid paying the rather steep full admission fee.

Having a daughter who loves all things living and breathing, I've been with her to the Sea Life Centre countless times. When I first paid my money to enter through the turnstile, I wondered how impressive a collection of sea creatures that this land locked aquarium could house. I was wrong to have any doubts at all. There's a petting pool where small hands can touch a starfish, a mean moray eel, piranhas, some cheeky otters and a walk through tunnel filled with sharks and two awesome turtles. The aquarium has many other pools and exhibits including the Finding Nemo themed area, featuring all the creatures from the film. There are sometimes promotional offers like two-for-one or half-price admission, so hunt these down afore ye go, land-lubbers!

Does what it says on the tin. It's an aquarium, and quite a good one.

A five star day out - but then I am a bit biased as I am kind of into Marine life - and its one of my fave places ever. Set in the centre od Birmingham just a 5-10 min walk from New St Station is this purpose built homage to Aquatic life. Housed in a striking and architecturally unusual building is a huge selection of sea creatures set over several floors. Hugely educational and fairly interactive this is a must-see for children but will appeal to all ages. Its also very pushchair friendly as most of the course is made of ramp based systems not steps. Besides the obvious entertainment value here - its also worth noting that Seahorses are bred here, as are otters and the centre contributes hugely towards the conservation of British marine life as well as research into Marine life on an international scale. The centre gets each exhibit right in my opinion, gearing the viewing platform/tank to the nature of its inhabitant so that you get the best view. Each creature has its own personality and I agree with other reviwees that the 'Rays' definitely are the most amusing. They always appear to be smiling and are very tame - i that they actually come to get a closer look at you. In fact at times I am not sure who is actually observing who? The final section of the tour takes you through a large glass tunnel with sealife all around including sharks, giant turtles and eels. This is a fascinating experience - almost giving you the feeling that you are in the ocean with them. Breathtaking. There is a decent cafe, a soft play area(only really suitable for up to about age 8 I would say), and a well-stockeed gift shop. I believe they also host children's parties here - although I have never indulged so I cannot vouch for how good they are

I went to the Sea Life Centre with my parents and my children. It is ok but we were disappointed that we had to queue for about 20 minutes outside before even getting to the queue inside the building. We had a half price offer which worked out fine but there is no way we would have paid full price to get in because it would have cost us over £40. I am glad we didn't have to pay that much because it was only just worth the half price that we paid. My 3 year old son didn't enjoy himself. Most of the Centre was so dark we couldn't see each other and my son and I became frustrated by the crowds. It was so overcrowded that I couldn't breathe properly. The displays, tanks, etc. were fine and, had they been in a less stuffy setting, we might have enjoyed it. We did enjoy the underwater part but that was a much smaller feature than we expected. My children liked the Amizonian Maze Mirrors and we did have an ok time. If you don't mind crowds and you have enough money to throw around then it is a good attraction, otherwise, I wouldn't recommend it. Also, as soon as we entered the Gift Shop at the exit, there was a strong smell of coffee which made us feel sick. We didn't try the food from the cafe but we did have ice-creams by the otter sanctuary which weren't as over-priced as I thought they would be.

I loved it and so did my daughter, we've been about three times now and still love it, my daughter especially likes the otters and the soft play area at the end where i cna sit and have a drink while she plays in the ball pit etc . We went one day and they were doing face painting which my daughter loved

This proved ideal for my party of 3. Armed with 2 highly picky OAPs, i headed straight for this key Birmingham tourist spot. We just about failed to get the family ticket - me being 30 was for some reason a problem. But in we went anyway for a still reasonable handful of fivers. Once into the main action, all was there as you would expect. It seemed pretty modern and tidy at the time, and there weren't too many ankle-biters around (kids) to cause trouble. We had a cheesy family photo together with pretend pirate ship in the background (which my parents now keep on their mantlepiece) and left for a local restaurant having had a pleasant couple of hours. If your love of sealife goes beyond your local chippy, then i would recommend it.

WOW two adults two kids ,so expensive ,don't go on school holidays,but if you can get in the without the the crowds a cool place ,the interactive 4D cinema is cool ,and seeing the otters fed was great

A lovely array of animals to look at, this aquarium is truly magical, especially for younger children. ( I took my younger brother)Despite being pricey it offers a really good service, for most people this will be the only chance to see these animals. the staff can be rude to you. (The superior inferior thing). Parking is plentiful.

The sea life centre is a great place to take the kids to see the different fish and sharks etc

Great for a family day out, kids will love it! Don't forget to get yourself a souvenir while you're there (overpriced as with most souvenir shops). The only downside to the place is that it can be hard to find.

Considering Birmingham most be one of the furthest cities from the coast, this is a well needed attraction. It is not entirely different from any other aquarium, but it is well laid out. By far the 'star' of the show, is the tunnel through the massive tank. Going right through the middle, there are fish and things swimming all around you. There is a massive turtle in here that is just HUGE, and very old. Good for kids too.

Others have noted the high prices at this Sea Life Centre. I was fortunate to be able to use Nectar points to get a voucher online, making it a very reasonable afternoon out! I really enjoyed my visit - there is a great deal to see and the layout itself is interesting, with the path winding round various tanks and pools on the way up to the top. The main problem with the layout is that if you are wishing to see some of the talks / feeding displays, you have to go through the entire path - there is no way of nipping through to the relevant part, plus you then have to come back against the flow of people to see all the things you missed while rushing! HIghlights for me included the seahorses - the best collection I've ever seen, amazing! - the otters - very cute - and the sea turtles swimming overhead. I was disappointed by the 4D cinema experience, although the video was good and the 3D helped, I felt the 4D part was slightly superfluous, although it would be good for children. Personally I was poked in the back right on the shoulder blade which was very painful!! So be warned and sit straight in the seat... Overall, well worth a visit, especially if you can get an offer and not have to pay full price.

This is nice place for a family day out, or a school day out. You will see most of the sea animals like turtle, sharks, etc. This will save you the hustle of taking your kids on holidays as they will experience natural sea life here.

An amazing place, although the staff aren't that helpful or polite. It is surprisingly small and got through it quite quick, overall it was a fun day out.

Fantastic, we queued for nearly an hour today in the rain, but that didn't dampen our anticipation. Yes, it is a bit pricey but there are offers/vouchers about. The walk around was interesting as always and there are people giving informative talks about various creatures as well as feeding sessions. One thing not to be missed is the new 4D Cinema - what an amazing show - I don't want to spoil it for anyone by saying anything about it. Our kids had a really great day out

Quite expensive for what is there. The 4D cinema is worth a look though. We used up the two hour car park ticket, could have done with a little longer.

very busy good for little kids. I have a merlin pass so get in free wouldnt pay for it. bot that good !!

This is a great place to take all the family. Having said that i am 30 years old and i think the place is wicked. If your really feeling down about the weather this year, and lets face it who isnt? This is the perfect escapism for you. With 60 displays the Sea Life Centre has something for everyone. Visitors will be able to see creatures from the Red Sea, the Pacific coast of North America, the Carribean and other beautifully exotic locations. The sea life includes bonnethead sharks, green sea turtles, seahorses, sting rays, you get the idea, pretty much everything you have seen on tv and a lot of creatures you haven't. The best part about this place is the 360 degree tunnel you walk through whilst reef sharks cirle you in a 1 million litre ocean tank. You dont get to do that every day. Maybe i'm just a big kid but i think its well worth a visit. £9.95 adults , £6.95 if your under 12, shave you might get away with it!

The sea life centre in birmingham is a great family day out. There are all sorts from tiny goldfish to magnificent rescued sea turtles. It takes around 2 hours to get round and has badge making work sops for kids. The only downside are queues I queued for around an hour before we got in the building,so get there early.

Interesting and in a great location for a huge choice of restaurants for lunch afterwards

I was quite dissapointed when we went here, it was expensive to get in even with money off vouchers and the food wasnt much better. We found it quite hard in some places to get the pushchair around. Saying that though my children did enjoy it but think it might be a bit boring for older kids.