SEA LIFE London Aquarium Review - and money-saving tips!

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If you’re planning a family trip to London and wondering whether to visit SEA LIFE London Aquarium with the kids, then you’ve come to the right place. I visited the aquarium recently with Lola, and it’s actually surprisingly large so it can be a great place to spend a few hours with the kids – and the perfect hideout for a rainy day. The SEA LIFE London Aquarium is surrounded by other family-friendly attractions too, so it can be worth exploring combination tickets to save money if you want to do a few activities, and there are some other ways to get discounted tickets (including kids go free) – more on that below! But first let me tell you everything you need to know about visiting SEA LIFE London Aquarium so you know where it is, what to expect and how much it costs – here’s my review and guide.

Visit: March 2025 (Updated December 2025)

What is SEA LIFE London Aquarium?

SEA LIFE London Aquarium is one of the UK’s top aquatic attractions, home to thousands of sea creatures across multiple themed zones. It’s designed to be immersive, with a mix of interactive features and viewing tanks that give kids (and grown-ups!) a glimpse into life under the ocean. From sharks and turtles to penguins and jellyfish, there’s a real variety of wildlife to discover. Whether you’ve a got curious toddler or a nature-loving kiddo, there’s plenty to spark the imagination. It’s owned by Merlin Entertainments – the company behind many well known UK attractions such as Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, Legoland, Shrek’s Adventure and the London Eye.

Where is SEA LIFE London Aquarium and how do I get there?

SEA LIFE London is located within County Hall, right next to the London Eye and opposite Big Ben. It’s extremely easy to reach via public transport – just a few minutes’ walk from Waterloo station, or you can hop off the tube at Westminster and stroll across the bridge. Buses and river boats also stop nearby, so there are lots of travel options. Personally, I’d avoid driving unless absolutely necessary – central London parking is pricey and limited, and public transport tends to be the quicker and less stressful option.

What is there to see and do at SEA LIFE London Aquarium?

Once inside SEA LIFE London Aquarium, the adventure starts straight away with the Shark Walk – a glass floor where you can walk right over a tank filled with sharks swimming below. We spent a while watching them below our feet before we’d even entered the main areas, we weren’t expecting to walk over the sharks! One of the highlights is the ocean tunnel which gives you a panoramic view of turtles, stingrays and schools of colourful fish swimming around you. Though, I have to be honest, the tunnel was pretty busy so we preferred the large window areas as they were less crowded.

We spent a long time looking at our favourite areas, such as the turtles and the sharks, but discovered as we wandered around that you can see these tanks again from different places and floors within the aquarium. It was cool to see things from different angles, and as we moved through the SEA LIFE centre it became less and less busy so we could linger for longer and get right up close without waiting. The giant turtles were absolutely amazing!

For little ones, the interactive rock pools offer the chance to be hands-on whilst learning fun facts from the staff. There were a few staff members dotted around in different areas of the aquarium giving talks too – everyone we encountered seemed very child-friendly and cheerful. Unfortunately the penguin area was undergoing refurbishment when we visited – we were really hoping to see some penguins so that was a bit of a shame. (Check to see what’s available before you visit, if your little ones are desperate to see the penguins, so you can time your SEA LIFE trip accordingly.)

There were lots of information points near the sea creatures and in dedicated interactive learning areas, so if you’ve got a curious child there’s lots of educational value to be found too. Ben Fogle popped up a few times as well, telling us about what was around via video displays.

The sting rays can be found in a large open tank near the start of the experience – they were really cool to watch and we spent a while lingering there too. We made a little friend who kept popping up and down from the bottom of the tank and I’m sure he was smiling at us! 😂 It does look like it right?! There’s also a rainforest area with things like creepy crawlies, that we weren’t expecting from a SEA LIFE centre but there were lots of children there excited to see the snakes!

And, as well as other interactive areas (which I’ll talk about more below) they had activities dotted around like the Hurricane Wind Machine – this was £2 (cashless touch-card payment) but Lola enjoyed being blown away and had crazy hair when she reappeared! There was also a bubble tea counter en-route (£6.50) and a drinks and snacks kiosk further along too – though I think it’s always worth bringing your own to save some money. The toilets popped up a few times, so don’t worry if you’ve got little ones as there are a few opportunities to use the loo on your way around the aquarium.

How big is it and how long do you need?

Although it’s not the biggest aquarium in the UK, SEA LIFE London is a pretty big space and it’s laid out over a few floors. I think you’ll likely want to allow at least 1.5 hours for your visit to take it all in properly. If your kids are particularly interested in the learning side of things, or really into sea creatures, then you could easily stretch it to a couple of hours – especially if you pause at the educational displays or time your visit around talks and feeding sessions.

There are game areas dotted around the SEA LIFE centre too – so if your children are likely to want to participate in those then allow some extra time for your visit. There’s also a large VR experience area, where the kids can sit in pods, this was charged at £9 for 1 person or 2 for £14. I can’t really comment on the VR experience offered, as we didn’t take part, but it was fairly popular. Check for events on the SEA LIFE London website for extra activities as well.

What time does the SEA LIFE London Aquarium open and close?

Opening hours are generally from 10am to 5pm, with the last entry at 4pm, but it’s always best to check the website before you go to make sure that the timings don’t vary for special events or during busy periods like the school holidays. We visited on a Saturday afternoon in March and whilst it’s obviously a popular attraction, as it was busy, it wasn’t uncomfortably so. The size of the aquarium means that people spread out quite quickly, and the popular tanks have very large (and multiple) viewing areas. For a few bits, like the giant turtles, we waited a few minutes for people to move so that we could be right beside the glass, and the tunnel was fairly busy, but other than that we wandered around quite freely despite it being a weekend visit.

What family attractions are near SEA LIFE London Aquarium?

The aquarium is a fantastic starting point for a fun-filled family day out because it’s surrounded by other brilliant child-friendly attractions. Just a stone’s throw away is Shrek’s Adventure, an immersive walk-through experience that brings the world of Shrek and other DreamWorks characters to life. For older kids and teens who enjoy a bit of theatrical spookiness, The London Dungeon is just seconds away with a blend of history and jump-scares! And, the London Eye is opposite too – where you can take a trip on the wheel or opt for a London Eye River Cruise with family-friendly live commentary that might be of interest to school age kids. Click here to read more about the London Merlin Attractions.

Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament are just across the bridge, so you can tick off some iconic sights while you’re there too. And, there’s a large grassy area opposite the London Eye with a playground – so it might be worth letting the kids play in the Jubilee Gardens before you head inside so they’ve got their wiggles out, plus it’s the perfect spot for a picnic. There are street performers dotted around there too, along the water’s edge, so it’s an interesting area to explore with lots going on.

How much are tickets for SEA LIFE London Aquarium – and money-saving tips!

Tickets for the SEA LIFE London Aquarium can be pricey (most Merlin Attractions seem to be at least £30 per person) but luckily there are tons of ways to save money on your tickets. Also, make sure you book at least 24 hours in advance too – as the tickets are significantly cheaper if you avoid booking on the day. And, here’s how to hunt out the discounts to make your family days out more affordable:

Look out for offers advertised directly by Merlin – kids could enter for free at the SEA LIFE London Aquarium, The London Dungeons and Shrek’s Adventure for 2025 February half term so keep your eyes peeled.
If you’re having a day out in London, one of the best ways to save money is by booking a multi-attraction ticket through Merlin Entertainments – the price can be as little as £12 per attraction! This includes SEA LIFE London Aquarium, The London Eye, Shrek’s Adventure, Bus Tours, Madame Tussauds and the London Dungeon. You get 90 days from the date of your visit to enjoy the other attractions, so it’s worth saving up and buying in bulk if there are other things you’d like to do too – click here to find ticket options and prices for your visit date, plus combo ticket deals.

Lots of the Merlin Attractions can be visited using Tesco Clubcard points so save your points and you could visit for free!
Another way to make some great savings is to use the National Rail 2-for-1 offers – if you’re travelling by train you can get 1/3 off lots of the London Merlin Attractions.
The Love to Visit website offers discounted tickets for family-friendly days out with the kids all over the UK – so it’s worth checking their current prices for the Merlin Attractions before you book.
Or, check for discounts on Kids Pass – you can sign up to a trial for just £1 and they often feature the Merlin theme parks and attractions.
Cereal brands like Kelloggs also often run promotions where you can find discounts or even free tickets (things like 2 for 1 tickets) by purchasing specially-marked boxes so look out for these in the supermarket.
But for huge savings opt for a Merlin Annual Pass – you can access absolutely loads of attractions including all of the London days out mentioned above, Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, Legoland, Chessington World of Adventures, Warwick Castle, tons of SEA LIFE Centres and more! Kids under 90cm won’t need a pass as they can enjoy the attractions for free. Check out all of the pass options and what’s included here: Are Merlin Annual Passes worth it and which pass is best?

Final verdict – is the SEA LIFE London Aquarium worth a visit?

The tickets can be pricey (so it’s not something that we’d do frequently) but it’s a really interesting place to visit. If you’re in London with the kids over the winter, or on a rainy day, SEA LIFE London Aquarium is certainly a great indoor attraction option to hide from the bad weather too. The combination tickets offer the best value for money, given how much you can save by booking in bulk. The £59 package they are currently offering (which includes the Sea Life Centre and 4 other attractions) would make each of the 5 activities less than £12 per person which is a hell of saving!

Personally, I think it’s worth taking the time to save up and plan for making the most of the other activities too – you can spread them over 90 days or have a full weekend of fun. When you think of it as £12pp suddenly it becomes a lot better value for money, which absolutely makes the SEA LIFE centre worth visiting with kids – and you can make lots more family memories too! 😍 Or, opt for the Merlin Essential Annual Pass – it offers a whole year of fun and includes tons of other days out including some of the best theme parks in the UK. Check out this article for more info: Merlin Attractions Guide: Where can you go with a Merlin Annual Pass? Have fun!

Useful information for your visit…

Website: https://www.visitsealife.com/london/
Facilities: Refreshments, gift shop, toilets
Opening Times: 10am – 5pm
Address: Riverside Building, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Rd, London SE1 7PB
For up-to-date opening times and prices, please check their website.