Detail of the hostory of the aquarium can be found in the guide books displayed below on this page and also in A Review of Dolphinaria published in 1986.
The aquarium last remaining dolphins "Missy" and "Silver" became part of the controversial Into The Blue project and were eventually release into the sea in the Caribbean in September 1991. Their fate remains unknown.
Pools: Polygonal main pool (elongated octagon); 22.0 m max. length, 9.2 m max. width, 3.0 m deep, surface area roughly 175 m2 . Trapezium shaped holding pool adjoining; 3 m deep, surface area 55 m2, which can be filtered, but not emptied, separately. Total surface area roughly 230 m2. Indoor, natural sea water.
More details can be found in A Review of Dolphinaria.
1972 plan of the aquarium and dolphinarium
Then and now: Views of the dolphinarium at its opening in 1972. A view of development by Sealife Centres as a large aquarium tank in 2009.
PHOTOGRAPHS
Pictures of the original dolphin pool which housed the sealions and is now the site of the Brighton Sealife Centre Gift Shop. The trainer in the photos is Stewart Burnham.
Postcards from 1972.
Brighton Aquarium - Ian Valentine Photography mid-1980s
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VIDEO
GUIDE BOOKS
ENLARGED SCANS
Brighton Aquarium and Dolphinarium guide book - 1972 .
Brighton Aquarium and Dolphinarium guide book - Mid 1970's
Brighton Aquarium and Dolphinarium guide book - Mid 1980's
Brighton Aquarium and Dolphinarium guide book - Mid 1980's
ENLARGED SCANS
PRESS
RESEARCH PAPERS