Blue Planet Aquarium

The Blue Planet Aquarium is a marine and freshwater aquarium located by the Cheshire Oaks retail and leisure complex in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, England. When opened by the Queen in July 1998,[1] it was the largest aquarium in the UK, and is still the largest in North West England. The £12 million building was designed by Manchester-based Buttress Fuller Alsop architects to resemble the shape of a crashing wave.[2] It was built by Cheshire-based developer Deep Sea Leisure (now owned by Aspro Ocio Group), who also built Deep Sea World in North Queensferry, Scotland.

This article is about the aquarium in England. For the Blue Planet aquarium in Denmark, see National Aquarium Denmark.

Blue Planet Aquarium
Sand tiger shark at the aquarium
Date openedJuly 1998[1]
LocationEllesmere Port, Cheshire, England
Land area8,000 m2 (86,000 sq ft)[2]
Volume of largest tank4,000,000 L (1,100,000 US gal)[2]
MembershipsBIAZA[3]
OwnerAspro Parks
Websitewww.blueplanetaquarium.com

Its stated aim is to "enlighten, increase knowledge and raise interest in the marine environment using an interactive, entertaining and sustainable approach."[2]

Description

The interior houses tanks, pools and submerged tunnels designed to take the visitor through different habitats of the marine environment. The main aquarium tank holds 4,000,000 litres (1,100,000 US gal) and features a 71-metre (233 ft) underwater tunnel.[2] Themed areas include Tropical Rivers, Lakes and Ponds, Where Land Meets the Sea, and Seas and Oceans.[1] The aquarium contains many varieties of marine and freshwater fish, including more types of shark than anywhere else in Britain.[4] It also keeps a variety of mammals, reptiles and amphibians.

Awards

The aquarium's shark dive won the Visit Chester and Cheshire Awards 2010 category for Best Tourism Experience of the Year.[5]

References
  1. "Six Years of Change: How Funding from the European Union has Helped the North West 1994-1999" (PDF). Government Office North West. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
  2. Awe, Janet (1 April 1998). "Concrete proves its worth in the age of aquaria". Architects' Journal.
  3. "BIAZA Zoos and Aquariums". biaza.org.uk. BIAZA. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  4. "Blue Planet Aquarium". VisitCheshire.com. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
  5. Cheshire & Warrington Tourism Board: Visit Chester and Cheshire: And the winners are Archived June 23, 2010, at the Wayback Machine (accessed 17 June 2010)
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