The Deep (aquarium)

The Deep
Date opened 2002[1]
Location Hull, England
Coordinates 53°44′19″N 0°19′50″W / 53.73861°N 0.33056°W / 53.73861; -0.33056Coordinates: 53°44′19″N 0°19′50″W / 53.73861°N 0.33056°W / 53.73861; -0.33056
Number of animals 3,500+[2]
Volume of largest tank 2,500,000 litres (550,000 imp gal; 660,000 US gal)
Memberships BIAZA[3]
Website www.thedeep.co.uk

The Deep is a public aquarium situated at Sammy's Point, at the confluence of the River Hull and the Humber estuary in Hull, England. It opened in March 2002.

Billed as "the world's only submarium",[4] the tanks contain thousands of sea creatures (including seven species of shark), 2,500,000 litres (550,000 imp gal; 660,000 US gal) of water and 87 tonnes (96 short tons; 86 long tons) of salt housed in a building designed by Sir Terry Farrell and built as part of the UK National Lottery's Millennium Commission project.

The Deep is also a landmark centre for marine research. Staff marine biologists look after the animals in The Deep's collection as well as carrying out research into the marine environment. In 2013, the aquarium was voted the best family place to visit in Hull.[9]

The Deep is a charitable public aquarium dedicated to increasing people's enjoyment and understanding of the world's oceans.[5]

History

The Deep from the west bank of the river Hull

Situated at the confluence of two rivers, Sammy's Point has a history going back at least to the 16th century, when Hull Castle was built on part of the site. Parts of this were made into a new fortification (The Citadel) in 1681. When the Victoria Dock was built in 1850, mud that was dug up for the dock was used to extend the foreshore and create the land that now holds The Deep. Sammy's Point was named for Martin Samuelson, who built a shipyard there in 1857. The land was bought by a succession of owners, all in the ship business, and was then used by the Humber Conservancy as a buoy depot, but was abandoned in the 1980s.[6]

About half of the financing for the aquarium was from the Millennium Commission, with the rest of the £52.285 million for initial construction coming from various other sources. Operational funding is from membership, ticket, and retail sales.[7] The building was designed by Sir Terry Farrell, and constructed by Mero-Schmidlin (UK) PLC: it took 17 months to build and was finished in 2001.[8]

The aquarium opened to the public in 2002. Over three million people have visited the facility since its opening.[1]

In 2013, the aquarium was voted the best family place to visit in Hull.[9]

The draw for the Third Round Proper of the FA Cup took place on 8 December 2014 at The Deep and broadcast live on BBC Two.[10]

Exhibits

The aquarium uses a combination of hands-on interactive displays, audiovisual presentations, and living exhibits to tell the story of the world's oceans. The museum includes a series of exhibits presenting a chronological journey from the beginning of time through the present day oceans. There is also an interactive area where visitors can learn to control an underwater diving vessel.

Aquaria exhibits include the Tropical Lagoon of Light, teeming with brightly coloured tropical fish and rays, a 10-metre-deep (33 ft) Endless Oceans exhibit containing 2,500,000 litres (550,000 imp gal; 660,000 US gal) of water, Europe's deepest viewing tunnel at 9 metres (30 ft), and a glass lift through the tank.[8] The tank is home to sharks, rays and northern Europe's only pair of green sawfish along with many other fish. The sharks and rays are fed by divers in a daily show. Other marine life on display include fish that glow in the dark, coral, turtles, jellyfish, frogs, penguins, an Amazon flooded forest and many species of insects.

Education

The aquarium's education programme hosts 30,000 primary and secondary school students each year. Some of the themes covered in these programmes include food chains, caring for the marine environment, predator-prey relationships, adaptations, and habitats.[11] The Deep also hosts a variety of special events during the year.[12]

Two Rivers Restaurant

The Deep is also home to the "Two Rivers Restaurant", described as one of the most unusual restaurants Hull has to offer.[13] It is located in the heart of the aquarium.[14] The menu is inspired by locally sourced and sustainable ingredients and diners can watch fish swim past in the tank next to them.

References

  1. 1 2 "The Deep". Hull City Council. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
  2. ↑ "The World's Only Submarium". The Deep. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
  3. ↑ "BIAZA Zoos and Aquariums". biaza.org.uk. BIAZA. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
  4. ↑ McCurrach, Ian (15 June 2008). "To Hull and beyond". The Independent (Online ed.). Archived from the original on 22 April 2009. Retrieved 28 November 2011.
  5. ↑ "About The Deep". The Deep. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
  6. ↑ "A History of Sammy's Point" (PDF). The Deep. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
  7. ↑ "Information on funders and sponsors for The Deep" (PDF). The Deep. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
  8. 1 2 "The Deep, Sammys Point, Hull, UK". mero-schmidlin.com. Mero-Schmidlin (UK) PLC. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
  9. ↑ "Best Family Place to Visit in Hull 2013". hullvibe.co.uk. Hullvibe. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
  10. ↑ "Deep anticipation as Hull hosts third round draw of the FA Cup". The Yorkshire Post. 30 November 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  11. ↑ "Welcome to Learning at The Deep". The Deep. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
  12. ↑ "Events". The Deep. Archived from the original on 12 October 2007. Retrieved 15 October 2007.
  13. ↑ "Two Rivers Restaurant". The Deep. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  14. ↑ "Dining with Nemo". Love Food. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
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