SEA LIFE Great Yarmouth

Sightseeing attraction | Great Yarmouth | England | United Kingdom

entertainment and education in aquarium

The SEA LIFE Great Yarmouth in Great Yarmouth, England, is a fascinating attraction on the coast of Norfolk that allows visitors to immerse themselves in the world of oceans and their inhabitants. As part of the worldwide SEA LIFE chain, this aquarium combines entertainment with education and offers an impressive variety of marine animals in lovingly designed exhibits. Located right by the bustling coastal town, it is a popular destination for families, tourists, and anyone who wants to discover the wonders of the underwater world while raising awareness for ocean conservation.

fascinating marine life in ocean

One of the highlights of SEA LIFE Great Yarmouth is the Ocean Tunnel, a transparent acrylic glass tunnel that takes visitors through a huge aquarium. Here, tropical fish, majestic rays, and even sharks swim above and beside the guests, giving the feeling of walking through the ocean itself. This area is especially popular with children who can marvel at the colorful coral reefs and the variety of marine creatures. The stars of the tunnel include blacktip reef sharks and a loggerhead sea turtle, which regularly capture the attention of visitors.

interactive animal experiences in zoo

Another highlight is the Penguin Enclosure, an outdoor area that houses a colony of Humboldt penguins. These playful animals can be observed swimming, diving, or waddling, and daily feedings provide the opportunity to learn more about their behavior and lifestyle. The facility is designed to mimic the natural habitat of the penguins, with water pools and rocky areas, giving the impression of a small piece of South America on the English coast.

ocean conservation and wildlife protection

The "Jellyfish Discovery" area fascinates with a collection of jellyfish presented in specially lit tanks. The floating, pulsating movements of these animals, combined with changing colors, create an almost hypnotic atmosphere. Visitors also learn here about the importance of jellyfish for the marine ecosystem and the challenges they face due to environmental pollution. Equally impressive is the "Rockpool Experience," an interactive area where guests can gently touch starfish, crabs, and sea anemones, accompanied by knowledgeable staff who answer questions and provide interesting facts.

family-friendly destination at coast

SEA LIFE Great Yarmouth is home to over 1,500 animals in more than 50 exhibits that replicate various habitats - from native coastal waters to tropical seas. Other attractions include seahorses, crocodiles, piranhas, and a variety of British marine creatures such as lobsters and cod. Particularly noteworthy is the turtle rescue station, which informs about the threats to sea turtles, such as plastic pollution or fishing nets, and shows how injured animals are rehabilitated before being released back into the wild.

In addition to animal encounters, the zoo places great emphasis on education and conservation. Interactive displays and lectures on topics such as ocean pollution or the importance of coral reefs raise awareness of environmental issues. Regular feeding demonstrations, including those of the penguins, sharks, and rays, not only provide entertainment but also insights into the biology and behavior of the animals. For children, there is a small play area and activities like quizzes that make learning fun.

The aquarium is fully covered, making it an ideal destination in any weather. It is wheelchair accessible, with flat paths and elevators that make access to all areas easy. An on-site café offers hot meals, snacks, and drinks, while a souvenir shop with marine-themed items like plush toys and books attracts visitors, with proceeds partly going towards conservation projects. For those looking to extend their visit, there is the opportunity to participate in special experiences such as a "Behind the Scenes" tour, which gives a look behind the scenes of animal care.

Contact details

Web

Phone

Address
Marine Parade
NR30 3AH Great Yarmouth

Map view

Opening hours

Sunday10:00 - 15:00
Monday10:00 - 14:00
Tuesday10:00 - 15:00
Wednesday10:00 - 15:00
Thursday10:00 - 15:00
Friday10:00 - 15:00
Saturday10:00 - 15:00

Reviews

6353 Reviews

Rach D
08.03.2025

Myself, my fiancé and our 6 month old daughter had a lovely time here this morning. Lovely colours, good sensory for children and very friendly staff. Our daughter loved the octopus and the jellyfish! Me and my fiancé touched a starfish and I held an African land snail. We will definitely be back when our daughter is a bit older. Thank you 😁
Antony Lock
03.03.2025

Crap over priced for a 5 minute walk
Richard Dering
23.10.2021

Always have a visit, a great place and very interesting
Daniel Harrington
21.02.2025

£56 for an adult and 2 children, it took us 30 minutes to walk around the place and we were bored. I asked a member of staff if there was an area we had missed as it was so small, the reply was you have full access for a further 4 hours, mmm go round a further 8 times? No thanks. The shark area was also getting refurbished and closed but no mention of this on the website when paying over the odds. They gave us a 50% off the next visit but we won’t be going again, once you’ve seen a couple of rooms there’s no need to go back. Take a free trip around a fish aquarium and save yourself the money. Waste of money, time and won’t be visiting this venue again.
Angelika Kowol
20.02.2025

The sea life center isn't animal friendly, too little space, few information. An unpleasant experience.
Jet Brown
19.02.2025

£58 for 4 to visit we were in and out in half hour. The tunnel was closed but didn’t know that until we got there, but still charged full price. Although I can’t imagine imagine the tunnel would add much more on to the experience. We have visited Hunstanton sea life centre in the past and there was a lot more there.
Paige Colwell
16.02.2025

This is probably the best sealife I have visited. Most of the staff are really nice and actually want to interact with you, discussing the animals. They have some beautiful creatures like the turtle, the Octopus, a dwarf crocodile, the penguins and the sharks. It's in a good location with parking the beach and amusements around.
Chloé
16.02.2025

Nice place with lots of aquariums to see for little ones. They’re at their height so they can really enjoy it and there are activities like penguin feeding etc. I was a bit sad to see the part where kids can touch the starfish. I assume it’s not to the starfish’s liking ! You can feed the fish! Currently the shark tank is closed but will reopen in April 2025. They’re very transparent about it and offer you a discounted ticket if you are to come back in the summer when it will have reopened
Diane Jones
13.02.2025

It was brilliant I enjoyed it staff we re wonderful and very helpful
Karl Hannant
08.02.2025

Today, Saturday, my disabled daughter asked to visit on her 33rd birthday. She has a mental age of a toddler. We drove an hour and knew we would get to the door at 2pm. Times state 3pm close, but an hour inside would have been sufficient. The doors were locked at 2pm. Staff inside ignored us and said they are closed. Restaurant had customers in. Very disappointed daughter on her special day. We observed many people trying the door and walking away. If the doors are locked at 2pm this should be clear. Not everyone lives on your doorstep. I will be reaching out to the head office and the edp to escalate this complaint as your reply is not sufficient an apology.
Diana Hazelton
09.02.2025

I feel very poor value for money. We have pad 60 for four of us and 2 hours in we have seen everything, had coffee etc. The communication on the biggest aquarium being closed is very wishy washy. They cover themselves stating building works carried out while half of the place is unaccessible. They give out 50% off for a next visit, but weshould get that discount on today's visit to be fair. Verysneaky comms on their website upon buying the ticket. Doubt we will ever return
tricky biz
11.08.2020

Expensive
Penny Goffin
07.02.2025

Visited today with a disabled friend, the staff were friendly and very helpful, will visit again.
Billy Earl
04.02.2025

Lovely sea life centre. Will be backing April to see the new tunnel etc. Staff are friendly and knowledgeable.
Bill Mason
31.01.2025

Great place with helpful staff and interesting exhibits
Kade Felix
27.01.2025

Great atmosphere and animals, bigger than I thought it would be. Took about an hour to walk through, and although the price is slightly steep for that amount of time thats not unusual for any sealife. Worth a visit at off peak times
Paul Atkinson
21.01.2025

Went to Great Yarmouth on 18/1/25. Although the website stated a part was closed it failed to mention it was the main underwater section yet still charged you the full amount with a half price discount to visit when it is up and running. Bit cheeky. Should just be charging half price until it is fully up and running.
Ellie Irvin
21.01.2025

Brilliant morning here with my daughter she loved it ! Was greeted by sally who was very welcoming and helpful , so polite and it makes all the difference to the experience! Defo will be returning thankyou :)
Liam Spring
15.01.2025

Great variety of animals but is a bit more run down compared with other sea life venues
박혜미
14.01.2025

Not many kinds of fish
Jasmine Croucher
05.01.2025

Good aqurem lots of fish and sea animals, to see and penguins too came here in 2021
M Milad
05.01.2025

22£ per person for entry. Not value for money.

 

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