Please note: Avian Influenza still poses a risk to our birds. Please avoid direct contact with poultry or game birds in the 14 days prior to your experience. If you have come into contact with poultry or game birds within this time frame, please contact us via info@oceanarium.co.uk. Please also be aware your booking could be suspended or cancelled subject to the risk of Avian flu posing a risk to the penguins. Penguin Keeper experiences are unavailable from March - May due to breeding season.
How do I book:
Please call 01202 311993 option two or email info@oceanarium.co.uk. This applies to gift purchases too. This experience is available to either 1x Adult, 2x Adults or 1x Adult and 1x Child. Please note a child does need to be accompanied by an adult, who must also be taking part in the experience. This experience is subject to availability. Please call us to check avaialble dates.
What does the Penguin Keeper experience involve?
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a penguin keeper, and dreamed of coming face-to-face with a cute colony of playful penguins? You can with the Oceanarium’s NEW VIP Penguin Keeper Experience!
Learn more about what it means to be a penguin keeper. You will be shadowing our penguin keeper from 9am-12:30pm, where you will be able to find out more about our Humboldt Penguins, in this special VIP behind-the-scenes experience! Find out more about our colony of Humboldt Penguins and their personalities, by spending one-on-one time with our feathery friends and our penguin keeper!
Experience includes:
- Our Penguin Keeper Experience is £100.00 for one person or £160.00 for two people. (Either 2x adults or 1x adult and 1x child)
- Meet our Humboldt Penguins
- Assist in the morning preparations prior to opening
- Learn more and assist our penguin keeper with health checks
- Penguin Enrichment
- Food preparation
- End your experience feeding our colony of penguins during our talk.
- Find out more about our colony of Humboldt Penguins and their personalities, by spending one-on-one time with our feathery friends and our penguin keeper!
- The experience lasts approximately 3 hours 30 minutes
Start time
9:00am (please arrive at least 5 minutes before start time and enter through the café doors on the seafront)
Additional details:
Due to the nature of the experience, we can book a maximum of two people per session. Either 2x adults or 1x adult and 1x child.
This experience must be pre-booked at least 2 weeks in advance and paid for upon booking. Advanced bookings are however recommended as dates are subject to availability.
Our experiences can make a lovely gift for someone special! Gift certificates are available upon request, please ask for further details.
Unfortunately, this experience is unavailable for children under the age of 7, due to health and safety reasons.
Terms and conditions
- All Animal Experiences are non-refundable, so please carefully check eligibility if a gift, availability if you require certain dates and all other terms before you purchase.
- Minimum age to participate - 7 years old.
- Bookings are subject to availability.
- We can take bookings for a maximum of two people per session.
- Children between the ages of 7-15 years old must be accompanied by an adult, who must also pay to participate in the experience.
- Due to health and safety reasons, the experience is not suitable for children under the age of 7 years old.
- You may get messy, so dress appropriately; closed-toe shoes and trousers must be worn. Please be advised the enclosure is outdoors and exposed to the elements.
- Please listen to the keeper at all times. Your safety, as well as the welfare of all animals, is their utmost priority. As such, the keeper can stop the encounter or ask participants to leave the experience at any time should they feel necessary.
- During the Feeding Experience, you will be handling whole, raw fish.
- If you arrive more than 10 minutes late without prior agreement, then your experience will be cancelled and your experience will not be rescheduled.
- The Oceanarium reserves the right to cancel or amend an Animal Experience if deemed necessary due to animal welfare, health issues or unforeseen circumstances. On all occasions we will aim to contact you at least 24 hours prior and try to rearrange.
- Regrettably, certain guests will be unable to take part, including pregnant women, people with epilepsy; known allergies or relevant phobias and immunocompromised individuals.
