Close Encounters Of The Creature Kind Make Lakes Aquarium Visit A Half Term Must
Lake District visitor attraction Lakes Aquarium is gearing up to allow children and adults alike to get up close and personal with its incredible and awe-inspiring creatures through a half term ‘Close Encounters’ event running from February 13-19, 2012.
The Lakeside-based attraction, near Newby Bridge on Windermere’s southern shore, is preparing to feed visitors lots of science facts, rather than science fiction, while enabling them to feel, observe and discover the range of wildlife under its roof in a variety of dynamic ways.
Every day, children will be able to handle snakes and a giant land snail, use magnifying glasses to observe rock pool creatures and their characteristics and dive into creative discovery bags located around the Aquarium. These will contain storybooks, puzzles, discovery challenges and other useful ways of finding out more about different wildlife.
The usual daily talks will be taking place, with the 10.30am and 3pm talks focusing on Lakes Aquarium’s very own UFOs – unforgettable, furry otters. At 11.30am and 1.45pm there are Morecambe Bay talks, followed by Rockpool Discovery talks at 11.45am and 2pm. A Lake Tunnel talk takes place at 11am and 4pm and a Rainforest talk, complete with additional creature handling opportunities, will be at 12.45pm.
Visitors can learn about creatures with amazing abilities, appreciate those considered ‘aliens’ by virtue of being invasive species and find out more about conservation and climate change.
An animal tracking quiz and leap frog game add fun to the learning opportunities as visitors explore wildlife locations around lakes of the world, including the Lake District. There’s a journey to the bottom of an African lake to be had by entering the world’s first Virtual Dive Bell, which brings adventurers face to face with an angry hippo, a cranky Nile crocodile and spine-chilling sharks, while also entertaining with creature-focused computer games.
All of this adds value to an entrance price already reduced for the 2012 season. Adult admission is lowered to £8.95, children’s to £5.95 and a family ticket is priced at £23.75 for two adults and two children, with other options available. Buying tickets online in advance at www.lakesaquarium.co.uk saves up to 25 per cent.
