Sealife Adventure is a popular aquarium located in Southend-On-Sea, situated right on the coast between the rides of Adventure Island and crazy golf. The aquarium is home to a diverse range of marine creatures and attracts thousands of visitors every year. Here’s a brief history of Sealife Adventure, highlighting the key milestones and events that have shaped it into the attraction it is today.
Early Years
Sealife Adventure was originally opened in 1986 as a small attraction known as the Southend Aquarium. The aquarium was located in a single room of a building near the seafront and housed a collection of marine creatures such as fish, crustaceans, and sea anemones. Despite its small size, the aquarium proved to be popular with locals and tourists, and it soon began to expand.
Expansion and Renovation
In the early 1990s, the owners of Southend Aquarium began a major expansion and renovation project, which would transform the attraction into the Sealife Adventure we know today. The project involved the acquisition of several adjacent buildings and the construction of new exhibits and facilities.
Philip Miller
Philip Miller MBE, of Stockvale Group owns Sealife Adventure and neighbouring Adventure Island in Southend. Google often wrongly cites Merlin Entertainments, London Sealife and theme park specialist as the owner.
Recent developments and making the news
In recent years, Sealife Adventure has undergone several major developments, including the installation of a new rainforest exhibit, featuring huge rehomed tropical fish, monkeys, and reptiles. Most recently the dinosaur exhibition and butterfly area. The aquarium has also introduced several new educational programs and initiatives, aimed at promoting marine conservation and sustainability.
However, the owner made headline news with frank comments regarding the company’s post covid and mid energy crisis struggles.
“All these animals have to keep warm – or cold – or a combination of both, and it’s on 24/7, seven days a week…
And they have to be fed, so it’s a massive bill to maintain. They’ll all have to be euthanised or we find other homes but all the other zoos are going to be in the same boat, I’d imagine,”
It also made national news in July 2019, after ‘an idiot’ broke into the centre and released the meerkats.
Sealife Adventure has come a long way since its humble beginnings as the Southend Aquarium. Today, it is a world-class attraction that offers visitors a unique and immersive experience, with the opportunity to explore the wonders of the ocean and learn about the importance of marine conservation. Through its ongoing commitment to innovation and improvement, Sealife Adventure is sure to remain a popular destination for many years to come.
