Return of the Sea Life Centre

Last week one of the city's major attracions - The Sea Life Centre - reopned after being closed over the winter for major refurbishment and renovation. This year the aquarium celebrates its 140th anniversary and the relaunch includes a new Behind the Scenes tour and the Jellyfish discovery.

We were lucky enough to be invited to the launch event and it really does look amazing. Of course there are still all the great fish & sea creatures to look at but the refurbishment work has really highlighted what a stunning example of Victorian architecture the building is.The photo below doesn't do it justice but at least you get an idea of the archways, to get the full effect you'll just have to go and see for yourself ;)

Of course the underwater tunnel is still a highlight, and even though I've been through a few times now it is still amazing to stand and watch as Lulu the giant turtle glides over your head. And the new Jellyfish centre is good fun although I couldn't help thinking it looked like the jellyfish were living in giant lava lamps, all that was missing was a bit of disco music.

We certainly missed the aquarium when it was closed so it's great to have it back looking better than ever. So make sure you pop in the next time you're here.

Charlotte

Up on the Roof at Embassy Court

Our Flick winner for March was Kate Benjamin aka CardiganKate with a stunning shot of Embassy Court. So read on to hear from Kate about her winning photo... 

I am lucky enough to be Brighton born and bred (I know, I'm a rare kind!) but I still marvel at all the new experiences that the city has to offer.

I'm an amateur photographer(I'm a freelance graphic designer in the real world), so I try and take my camera with me whenever I think there might be a chance of a good shot. Having been up on Embassy Court's roof about 5 years ago with only a tiny camera phone I knew that the tour would be a great photo opportunity. It also happened to be the Brighton Marathon that day, and as you might remember, we were incredibly lucky with the weather; clear blue skies and a light wind.



We were lead on the tour by Cara Courage, one of the Embassy Court volunteer guides and all round Brighton Arts and Architecture guru (and also the subject of this photo). Her knowledge about and passion for Embassy Court make the tour both engaging and fun. Her personal stories of the building's history and the opportunities to visit parts of the building you'd never normally see make it an unmissable experience.

If you've done the Sewer Tour and been on the wheel then this should definitely be the next stop on your 'places to see in Brighton' list!

They're running tours during the Fringe and run tours on a monthly basis until October. You can find out more about Embassy Court's amazing story at their website www.embassycourt.org.uk

Some of my graphics work is being featured at an Artists' Open House during May. You can find me at 21a Brunswick Square along with other Brighton photographers and makers including LomoKev, Chris Harrison and Alex Bamford.

Kate Benjamin  
www.katebenjamin.com

Brighton Interactive Video Map

Brighton & Hove is a great city - we all know that. It's compact too, making it a great place to wander around. But many people (especially visitors to the city) often aren't aware of the fantastic 'city villages' dotted around.

So to help people get a feel for these eclectic areas, we've just launched a new Interactive Video Map to enable visitors to 'virtually' explore the city and get a flavour of these diverse areas. From Clifton to Kemptown, we really hope it will encourage people to get out and explore the areas for themselves.

There are 8 videos to choose from and explore:

• Hove
• The Cultural Quarter
• Beachfront
• The Lanes
• Brunswick Town
• Kemptown
• Clifton
• North Laine. 

Check out the Interactive Map here and see Brighton & Hove in a whole new light...

The videos all have music, so make sure you have the sound on if you have it!

Enjoy and let us know what you think.

Sarah
VisitBrighton