|
Plans for spring 2006 opening of the spectacular new
aquarium got an ernormous boost with a £1.1m pledge from ReDiscover.
There is still £400,000 to be raised to complete the £1.5m project
in London Road but Horniman Trustee chairman Timothy Hornsby believes this will
be a great encouragement for more sponsors to come forward.
The new aquarium will be a major educational resource
for Forest Hill and the rest of London with free entry to all. We will be able
to explore the diverse nature of ecosystems from around the world highlighting
the conservation issues facing these fragile but important environments.
Fifteen captivating life displays in seven distinctive zones are scheduled for
construction with more than 250 different species of animals and plants going
on display.
The first zone - Drawn to Water - will display a
typical Victoriana-style Parlour Aquarium with a striking painting of Sea
Anemones by Philip Henry Gosse, the Victorian naturalist and contemporary of
Charles Darwin who was first responsible for introducing the word 'aquarium'
into the English language in 1854.
The second area - British Pond Life - is dedicated to
educating visitors about the variety of life forms teeming in endangered ponds
across the UK. There will be viewing dens and an interactive learning zone so
that visitors can view microscopic marine life beyond the reach of the naked
eye.
Meanwhile, Drifters will explore a world without walls
with captivating displays of saltwater Jellyfish and an interactive learning
zone featuring living sculptures to illustrate the basis of all life in the
world's oceans - Plankton.
The fourth zone - Seashores - will show marine life
found along the coastlines of the British Isles and will showcase a mesmerising
display of Seahorses along with a North Devon Rockpool complete with crabs,
shellfish and realistic wave surges.
The aquarium team are also planning to pump the smell
of the seaside into the area to create a realistic and evocative learning
experience for visitors. Visitors can also submerge into the rich Tropicana of
an endangered Fijian Coral Reef - one of the most biodiverse hotspots in the
world - a spectacular Mangrove Swamp and a breathtaking South American
Rainforest featuring atmospheric sounds and a mind-boggling array of flora and
fauna.
Director of the Horniman Museum, Janet Vitmayer,
expressed her delight at the news: "For more than a hundred years, the Horniman
has been renowned as home to one of the first public aquariums in the capital
and, thanks to the generosity of the National Lottery and other charitable
organisations, I am thrilled to announce that we are now well on our way to
building an exciting new world class aquarium for the twenty first century in
south London."
The £34m ReDiscover fund supports institutions
which promote public understanding of science by helping UK science centres and
museums to renew, refresh or redevelop their exhibitions.
Forest Hill 08/05/05 |
