Blue Reef Aquarium

About Blue Reef Aquarium

Now trading as Tynemouth Aquarium (formerly Blue Reef Aquarium), this family attraction occupies a distinctive burnished-steel building on Grand Parade, overlooking the award-winning Longsands Beach. It brings together local North Sea species and marine life from further afield across more than 30 multi-level displays, arranged so visitors can move from native rock-pool habitats through to warmer tropical and Amazonian environments. The building's coastal setting and sweeping sea views make it a popular stop on a day out in Tynemouth village.

The centrepiece is a 250,000-litre ocean tank with an underwater walk-through tunnel, where sharks, rays and other fish pass overhead. Elsewhere the aquarium is home to seals, Asian short-clawed otters in a freshwater display, reptiles in an Amazonian zone, and a rock-pool area for close encounters with native creatures. Daily talks, feeding demonstrations and animal encounters run throughout the day, giving visitors of all ages a chance to learn about the species and the wider marine environment on the North East coast.

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