The penguins at Sea Life London Aquarium will soon trade flickering blue lights for real daylight after owners Merlin Entertainments confirmed a £2.1 million upgrade to their enclosure, slated for completion in spring 2026.
The overhaul follows covert filming by the animal welfare charity Captive Animals’ Protection Society, which showed stressed penguins pacing and vocalising excessively under artificial lighting in February 2024. The video prompted an immediate review by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and a formal demand for improved conditions.
💡 Pro Tip
Visitors booking tickets before March 2026 should request rear-row seats in the penguin viewing area—projected crowd reductions will make sightlines clearer.
Under the redesign, the penguin pool will expand from 25 square metres to 50 square metres, incorporating a curved, wave-shaped design to mimic natural coastal currents. The enclosure’s ceiling will be replaced with a glass-panelled dome, allowing sunlight to track the birds’ daily cycle. A 15% increase in humidity and a 5°C drop in temperature will better match the Humboldt penguin’s native Peruvian coastal habitat.
| Enclosure Feature | Current | 2026 Upgrade |
|---|---|---|
| Pool Size | 25 sq m | 50 sq m |
| Light Source | LED strips simulating dawn/dusk | Natural daylight through glass dome |
| Humidity Control | Automated at 60% | Adjusted to 75% |
| Temperature | 21°C | 16°C |
Merlin Entertainments has committed to the project after the RSPCA threatened legal action under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations 2018. The company’s chief executive, Nick Varney, stated the upgrade aligns with their goal to phase out artificial lighting in all aquatic animal enclosures by 2030.
Key Points
- ✅ £2.1 million upgrade fully funded by Merlin Entertainments
- ⚡ Enclosure size doubles to 50 sq m with wave-shaped pool
- 💡 Glass dome replaces LED lights, cutting visitor crowding by 30%
Independent penguin behaviourist Dr. Elena Vasquez praised the changes, noting that Humboldt penguins in the wild spend up to 70% of daylight hours swimming in search of food. “This redesign finally addresses their need for both space and natural light cycles,” she said. The aquarium’s 12 Humboldt penguins—housed since 2011—will remain on-site during construction, with temporary access to a 30 sq m off-exhibit pool.
📋 By The Numbers
- 50 sq m — Size of the expanded pool in 2026
- 15% — Increase in humidity to match native habitat
Construction begins in October 2025, with the penguins scheduled to move into the new enclosure by April 2026. The aquarium will remain open throughout the 18-week renovation, though the penguin habitat will be closed for six weeks during the dome installation. Visitors will instead receive live-stream access to the temporary off-exhibit pool and behind-the-scenes tours of the construction process.
- 📊 The 30% crowd reduction is based on Merlin Entertainments’ 2023 visitor flow data
- 🔍 The wave-shaped pool design was tested in a 2022 pilot at Sea Life centres in Germany
- ⚠️ The enclosure’s glass dome may require adjustments to reduce glare for photography
Sea Life London Aquarium has not announced ticket price changes but confirmed that the upgrade will not affect general admission fees. The project is part of a broader £35 million investment by Merlin Entertainments across its UK attractions to improve animal welfare standards.
