We haven’t been to the Sea Life Centre in Manchester for a few years, but we’re armed with a Merlin pass, so we did a 2 in 1 day along with Legoland Discovery Centre next door.
Photos on Entry
We’d booked in for a 1pm slot and arrived and checked in a few minutes before the pre-show began, so we did the greenscreen photo. Not something we usually bother with, but as we’d seen that Passholders were given a 50% discount on photos, we thought we’d see how they came out. It’s just a greenscreen seat and a quick smile/pull faces/pose as a pirate at the camera, and the add some fun backgrounds in later. You can pick your backgrounds and pay for the photos later in the experience. We opted for the package that included 2x prints, 1x keyring and 1x magnet plus digital copies of all 4 options for £20 (or £10 with a pass).
Turtle Beach
Sea Life Centre Manchester begins with the presentation of Turtle Beach, with projections on the walls and floor showing the life cycle of sea turtles, where they lay their eggs, how they hatch and the dangers they face. It’s a clever little show and talk from the staff member, which makes a great start to the experience.
What Did We See?
Well, we saw… sea life! We saw Jellyfish, Lionfish, Crabs, Clownfish and Blue Tangs (yes, Nemo and Dory), Seahorses, Rays, Sharks and much more!
As you’d expect, the Sea Life Centre is filled with rooms of large tanks full of fantastically coloured sea creatures, in fun areas like Shark Shipwreck, Stingray Bay and Sea Rangers.
Ocean Tunnel
I love the ocean tunnels at Sea Life Centres. It’s great to be able to see fish, sharks and rays swimming around overhead. We were lucky enough to spot Ernie the Sea Turtle too!
Rock Pool
A fun little hands-on exhibit where you can touch starfish and shrimps.
Stingray Bay
A great room with a giant open top tank at the centre that you can walk around and see the rays flying around in circles and splashing over the top.
Soft Play
Kids always need a break from any activity, so about halfway around, there is a soft play area. Fun for them to run, climb and let off some steam, and gives the adults a little reprieve.
Jawsome Sharks
Throughout the Easter period, Sea Life Centre was hosting the Jawsome Sharks easter egg hunt. Kids can find eggs around the Sea Life Centre and collect a letter from each. Solve the anagram and collect a small prize from the gift shop. They had a small table with some shark colouring sheets near the soft play too.
Sea Life Manchester Entry Cost
Cost of entry to Sea Life Centre varies depending on date, so check online beforehand. They do allow walk-ins, but it’s much cheaper to book in advance. We did see someone in front of us pay £70, while it would cost half that online. Adults are £16-20pp and children £12.50-16.50, plus extra if you want to upgrade your ticket to a Sea Life/Legoland Discovery Centre combo ticket from £30pp and £27.50 for kids. You don’t have to do them in one day either!
So, How Was It?
It’s a fun experience with plenty to see, but its pretty short for the amount you spend. You can take your time in there and still be out in about an hour, so if it’s your one paid trip here, slow down and take it all in. If you’re planning on coming specifically for this, it might not be worth the trip unless you’re planning to spend the rest of day at the Trafford Centre to go along with it. You will see some fantastic sea creatures along they way, and who doesn’t love seeing sharks?
As always, check the official Sea Life Manchester website for up-to-date info and pricing.
