The Deep
Polly Checkland Harding
One of the UK’s biggest aquariums, with over 5,000 different species across 50 different displays in a dramatic building overlooking the Humber estuary, The Deep is a multi-award-winning venue and an international player in marine conservation.
Open since 2002, The Deep was busier in its first year than London Zoo, welcoming over 85,000 visitors through its doors. The most commercially successful of the Millennium projects, it has even featured on a Royal Mail stamp and in 2005 was granted a £5 million extension.
Visitors can explore The Deep’s interactive displays and presentations, ranging from tropical lagoons to conditions echoing the depths of the ocean, and enjoy the daily diving shows, all of which are an education into its remarkable residents, which include rays and sharks. As well as the threatened grey reef shark, you’ll find gentoo penguins and critically endangered green sawfish. All the inhabitants are cared for by specialist aquarists, who are kept busy cleaning, analysing the water in the aquarium’s tanks, culturing and preparing food, record keeping and maintaining equipment.
The Deep is also an education and conservation charity, working towards penguin protection, turtle rescue and coral conservation globally, and all profits are re-invested into pioneering research and conservation activities as well as acquiring or breeding new exhibits. The Deep has had success breeding and culturing species in the aquarium, and is a contributor to the fantastic work of the European Breeding Programme. An international player in marine conservation, The Deep is also involved in Project Galapagos, which looks to protect this incredible natural haven in the Pacific Ocean. The Galapagos Islands are home to the largest concentration of shark species on the planet, but have seen a decline in native inhabitants, including falling numbers of fish that has had a damaging knock-on effect on the penguin population. All this goes on behind the scenes, but is a key part of the ethos of this astonishing visitor attraction.
Looking for more attractions in Hull? Explore our guide to the city.
