Penguins, sharks and rays are hugely popular at The Deep in Hull. But it’s the sense of scale and ambition that elevates it above the average aquarium.
What is The Deep in Hull?
The Deep in Hull is a large aquarium.
In many ways, it’s similar to other aquariums across the country. There are big tanks with lots of tropical fish. There’s a walk-through section where you can watch sharks and rays gliding overhead. There’s also a highly popular section where gentoo penguins swim, leap out of the water and get hand-fed fish.
The Deep also hosts several educational talks about the marine creatures and habitats throughout the day.
Where is The Deep?
The Deep is at the confluence of the River Hull and the Humber Estuary in Kingston-upon-Hull, East Yorkshire.
If driving, put HU9 1TU into the Sat Nav. There’s a large car park outside The Deep, which was a major Millennium Commission project and opened in 2002.
The glass lift and ice wall
There are several gimmicks that make The Deep stand out from other aquariums. One of these is the glass lift that rises through the main tank. There’s also a touchable ice wall, which kids love.
The Deep also puts a strong emphasis on the conservation projects it helps fund. These range from protecting penguins in the Galapagos to provide acoustic tags to track manta rays.
What makes The Deep special?
However, what makes The Deep special is its ambitious presentation. After entering, a path spirals down through the building, acting as a route through time.
The displays begin with the formation of the earth, then continue with the development of the oceans. The timeline continues to the origins of life, and how single cell organisms evolved into complex lifeforms.
This descent goes through the evolution of reptiles, the survivors of mass extinction events and the ancestors of creatures on display in the aquarium today.
This big, bold, overarching story makes The Deep a lot more than lots of pretty fish in tanks. And that’s why it’s the best attraction in Hull by some distance.
How much do tickets to The Deep cost?
At the time of writing in July 2025, tickets for The Deep booked online cost £23 for adults and £17 for children. This is very steep, but it does allow you to come back as many times as you like for a year.
Book tickets via The Deep’s website.
More Yorkshire travel
Other Yorkshire travel articles on Planet Whitley include:
- What overseas visitors should do in Leeds.
- Do I need to book York Dungeon tickets in advance?
- The National Railway Museum in York: A parking guide.
- What first time visitors need to know about visiting Whitby Abbey.
- A practical guide to visiting the Yorkshire Wildlife Park.
