After a £1.5m fundraising drive, a new aquarium has opened at the Horniman Museum. HELEN BACKWAY goes below the surface ...

I HAVE often gone past the striking building which houses the Horniman Museum but have never ventured in. The opening of the new aquarium gave me a perfect excuse.

The aquarium has received more than 40,000 visitors since it opened in July this year.

Although small, the underwater world has good displays of ecosystems from around the world.

The British pond, Fujian reef, Iwokrama rainforest and Caribbean mangrove swamp all feature, with everything from clown fish to tropical monkey frogs.

It is well-arranged in light, airy rooms and parents can leave their buggies in the foyer, freeing up space to move around.

Despite the fact I visited on a Sunday afternoon at the start of the school holidays, there was still enough room to see all the watery exhibits.

There is much to entertain youngsters with fishy facts and activities.

The moon jellyfish housed in a bright blue tank were captivating but I was disappointed to spot only one seahorse.

And kids wanting to see sharks and big fish will be disappointed.

But it is free and the museum itself, donated to the city by Frederick Horniman in 1901, is full of curiosities with everything from masks and butterflies to musical instruments and even a torture chair.

There is also a good cafe and lovely gardens to explore.

The Horniman Museum, London Road, Forest Hill. Open daily from 10.30am to 5.30pm. For more information, call 020 8699 1872 or visit horniman.ac.uk