Blue Reef Aquarium in Portsmouth brings to life the mysteries of the undersea world. Over 40 naturally themed habitats take you on a fantastic journey from the bustling Solent to exotic tropical waters. Come face to face with poisonous frogs, cute otters, graceful rays and meet amazing pufferfish!
At the aquarium's heart is the giant ocean tank where an underwater tunnel offers incredible views of a recreated coral reef and shoals of brightly coloured fish. A full programme of entertaining talks and feeding displays take place throughout the day.
Opening Times and Special Events
Open: All year round, daily from 10am except for 25th December.
February - October closes at 5pm, November - February closes at 4pm.
Blue Reef is family friendly with under 3's admitted free and Family Tickets available. The aquarium is baby-friendly with changing facilities, it's accessible for push-chairs, and multi-level displays mean even the smallest family members get a great view.Blue Reef Aquarium is undercover and easily accessible for wheelchairs.
11th – 20th March 2011 - National Science Week - National Science Week is an annual event to celebrate science and highlight its importance to our everyday lives. All week Blue Reef is offering you the chance to become a marine biologist and take part in some observational and hands-on experiments around the aquarium.
30th April – 2nd May - Pirate Weekend - Swashbuckling fun for younger visitors - discover all about pirates, privateers and buccaneers. There’s storytelling sessions, workshops, flag designing classes and even special talks about some real life pirates. Staff will be in full piratical costume to really help visitors get into the mood.
28th May – 5th June - Shark Week - Despite their reputation as man-eaters, sharks worldwide are under increasing threat from us. Learn all about the secret world of these amazing creatures and what we can do to help protect them in the wild. Regular talks and feeding demonstrations throughout the week.
8th June - World Ocean Day - World Ocean Day is an annual event aimed at raising awareness of the marine environment. Come and join Blue Reef’s own day of activities and become part of a worldwide celebration of the planet’s seas and oceans
17 & 18th September - Pirate Weekend - Swashbuckling fun for younger visitors - discover all about pirates, privateers and buccaneers. There’s storytelling sessions, workshops, flag designing classes and even special talks about some real life pirates. Staff will be in full piratical costume to really help visitors get into the mood.
October - The Big Draw - Join the national campaign for drawing and become an artist for the day as part of The Big Draw event. Sketch a seahorse, paint a puffer fish or create your own fishy work of art inspired by the amazing variety, patterns, colours, shapes and sizes of marine creatures. Prizes and special offers available for all participants.
31st October - Halloween at the A-scarium - The aquarium will be staying open late tonight for special torch light tours. Not only will the aquarium be decked out in Halloween themed decorations there will also be activity tables and a fancy dress competition. So join the spider crabs, and batfish for a screaming good time!
6th – 7th November - Divers Weekend - Blue Reef is inviting visitors to discover the secrets of the underwater world this Saturday and Sunday. In association with a local dive club, the weekend aims to provide a fascinating introduction to both the sport of diving and the rich variety of local marine habitats.
