The award-winning Aquarium of the Lakes, at Lakeside, on the southern shore of Windermere, near Newby Bridge, will be re-named The Lakes Aquarium, as from March 1, to acknowledge a change of direction and emphasis and take its brand forward, to a new level.

Since its opening in 1997, the Aquarium has had a unique focus on the world of freshwater. This will largely continue, but the attraction will now be adopting a global viewpoint and introducing visitors to creatures they may never before have encountered.

Rather than tracing the journey of water from the Cumbrian mountain top to the sea at Morecambe Bay, the Aquarium will be comparing life in Windermere to that within other lakes around the world. This move started in late summer 2007, with the introduction of a new Lakes of the World area, to house creatures such as red-eyed and Asian tree frogs, Tetra and Cichlids and a Cuban boa.

The journey is soon to be one encompassing an insight into the world's most intriguing lakes and creatures such as Blind Cave Fish, Piranhas and Wolf Fish, are already either in situ, or soon to arrive.
New theming is also being created, this enabling long-established favourites, such as the otters, to have a new environment in which to play and live.

A £200,000 investment will also enable the Aquarium to install a new, interactive exhibit, set to become one of the most talked-about features of any attraction in the country. This interactive dive bell is due to be unveiled in time for Easter and will be a must-do on the list of most children thanks to its exciting technology and ability to allow kids to seemingly get very close to some amazing creatures.

Those visitors who have enjoyed the view from the Aquarium's lake shore café will now be offered a wider choice of catering options, making this a great stop-off for those arriving by car, coach, boat or steam train.

This overhaul of the Aquarium's brand identity and exhibits is viewed as being an essential move to keep the attraction at the forefront of the North West's tourism sector.