The Deep (aquarium)
Encyclopedia
The Deep is a large underwater 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', the tanks contain thousands of sea creatures (including seven species of shark
), 2500000 litres (5,283,446.3 US pt) of water and 87 tonne of salt housed in an iconic structure designed by Sir Terry Farrell
and built as part of the UK National Lottery
's Millennium Commission
project.
Since opening, The Deep has welcomed over two million visitors from around the world.
As well as a tourist attraction, The Deep is a centre for marine research. Behind the scenes a team of dedicated marine biologists look after all of the animals in The Deep’s collection as well as carrying out vital research into the marine environment.
The Deep is a charitable public aquarium dedicated to increasing peoples enjoyment and understanding of the world’s oceans. It is one of the most successful millennium projects in the Country.
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s. Visitors will be taken on a journey from the beginning of time through the present day oceans the icy darkness of a futuristic Deep-Sea research lab, Deep Blue one. One is directed up to the third floor and from this level a gently sloping ramp with interspersed audio-visual displays and interactive features leads you back down a couple of levels. Along the way, the handrail depicts time from the beginning of the Earth (1.5 cm = 1,000,000 years) and the displays are located at the chronological point along the way.
At the bottom of the ramp is a bright lagoon with many brightly coloured tropical fish. Details of their habitat can be found on the interactive "find your creature" panels.
Next comes the main feature, a 10 metres (32.8 ft) deep pool containing 2500000 litres (5,283,446.3 US pt) of water, several sharks and large rays
and a multitude of other fish. Early each afternoon, a show dive is performed where two members of the team dive to the bottom of this tank and feed the sharks and rays by hand.
The facility also includes fish that glow in the dark, coral, and sea horses. Finally, there is an interactive area where visitors can learn to control an underwater diving vessel.
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
situated at Sammy's Point, at the confluence of the River Hull
River Hull
The River Hull is a navigable river in the East Riding of Yorkshire in the north of England. It rises from a series of springs to the west of Driffield, and enters the Humber estuary at Kingston upon Hull. Following a period when the Archbishops of York charged tolls for its use, it became a free...
and the Humber estuary in Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It opened in March 2002.
Billed as 'the world's only submarium', the tanks contain thousands of sea creatures (including seven species of shark
Shark
Sharks are a type of fish with a full cartilaginous skeleton and a highly streamlined body. The earliest known sharks date from more than 420 million years ago....
), 2500000 litres (5,283,446.3 US pt) of water and 87 tonne of salt housed in an iconic structure designed by Sir Terry Farrell
Terry Farrell (architect)
Sir Terry Farrell, CBE, RIBA, FRSA, FCSD, MRTPI is a British architect.-Life and career:Farrell was born in Sale, Cheshire. As a youth he moved to Newcastle upon Tyne, where he attended St Cuthbert's High School. He graduated with a degree from Newcastle University, followed by a Masters in urban...
and built as part of the UK National Lottery
National Lottery (United Kingdom)
The National Lottery is the state-franchised national lottery in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.It is operated by Camelot Group, to whom the licence was granted in 1994, 2001 and again in 2007. The lottery is regulated by the National Lottery Commission, and was established by the then...
's Millennium Commission
Millennium Commission
The Millennium Commission in the United Kingdom was set up to aid communities at the end of the 2nd millennium and the start of the 3rd millennium. It used funding raised through the UK National Lottery....
project.
Since opening, The Deep has welcomed over two million visitors from around the world.
As well as a tourist attraction, The Deep is a centre for marine research. Behind the scenes a team of dedicated marine biologists look after all of the animals in The Deep’s collection as well as carrying out vital research into the marine environment.
The Deep is a charitable public aquarium dedicated to increasing peoples enjoyment and understanding of the world’s oceans. It is one of the most successful millennium projects in the Country.
Exhibits
A visit will generally last between 2 and 3 hours. Using a combination of hands on interactive displays, audiovisual presentations and living exhibits it tells the story of the world's oceanOcean
An ocean is a major body of saline water, and a principal component of the hydrosphere. Approximately 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by ocean, a continuous body of water that is customarily divided into several principal oceans and smaller seas.More than half of this area is over 3,000...
s. Visitors will be taken on a journey from the beginning of time through the present day oceans the icy darkness of a futuristic Deep-Sea research lab, Deep Blue one. One is directed up to the third floor and from this level a gently sloping ramp with interspersed audio-visual displays and interactive features leads you back down a couple of levels. Along the way, the handrail depicts time from the beginning of the Earth (1.5 cm = 1,000,000 years) and the displays are located at the chronological point along the way.
At the bottom of the ramp is a bright lagoon with many brightly coloured tropical fish. Details of their habitat can be found on the interactive "find your creature" panels.
Next comes the main feature, a 10 metres (32.8 ft) deep pool containing 2500000 litres (5,283,446.3 US pt) of water, several sharks and large rays
Batoidea
Batoidea is a superorder of cartilaginous fish commonly known as rays and skates, containing more than 500 described species in thirteen families...
and a multitude of other fish. Early each afternoon, a show dive is performed where two members of the team dive to the bottom of this tank and feed the sharks and rays by hand.
The facility also includes fish that glow in the dark, coral, and sea horses. Finally, there is an interactive area where visitors can learn to control an underwater diving vessel.
Education
The Deep has an education programme which hosts 30,000 primary and high school students in its three dedicated classrooms each year. Some of the themes covered in these programs include food chains, caring for the marine environment, predator-prey relationships, adaptations, and habitats. In addition, The Deep hosts a variety of special events for schools, families, and individuals of all ages.External links
- research website in association with the University of Hull
- Article on Construction of The Deep