Reasons to Visit Monsters of the Deep
From fascinating skeletons, to mysterious specimen jars, a circus tent, deep-sea technology and coloured bubbling tubes with exciting specimens. There are plenty of mysteries to uncover for a curious mind at the new exhibition: Monsters of the Deep here at the Dockyard. In this blog we dive into some of the top reasons to visit.
Come face to face with an Orca Killer Whale Skeleton
This is the magnificent Skeleton of an Orca Whale, which is the first ‘monster of the deep’ you will see when you enter No.1 Smithery. This is proudly displayed above our specimen jar collection (more on those later). Our ancestors may have seen skeletons like this wash up on the seafront, and the skeleton of the killer whale and the skull of a fin whale provide all the evidence they would have needed to explain the existence of strange and other worldly monsters.
Pass by the Kraken’s Watchful Eye
As you enter Monsters of the Deep you are first confronted with the looming eye of a terrifying deep-sea monster. Are you brave enough to greet this beast?
Discover the mysterious Coelacanth Fish
Coelacanths are elusive, deep-sea creatures, living in depths up to 2,300 feet below the surface. Known as the ‘living fossil’, due to fact it was thought they had been extinct for 70 million years, until one was discovered alive in the 20th century. Don’t miss your chance to stand alongside the 6ft tall fish.
Marvel at the ‘Bubble Plinth’
Unless you are a deep-sea marine biologist you’re unlikely to have got up close and personal with a Giant Sea Spider the size of your face, or come within inches of a carnivorous Giant Deep-Sea Isopod. Thanks to the National Oceanography Centre Discovery Collection, you can now encounter these rarely seen species.
These star specimens, from the most unexplored parts of the planet, are displayed atop tubes of bubbling water.
Explore Monsters of the Medway
Our team of dedicated Research Volunteers have been working closely with the Collections Team to pull together fascinating discoveries of Monsters throughout history in the River Medway. Have you spotted anything lurking in the local waters?
This research is presented alongside the sea serpent figurehead of HMS SALAMIS, launched at Chatham.
Learn about Deep-sea technology
Explore the most important modern day discoveries made in the deep-sea using a variety of high tech equipment including this remotely operated vehicle (ROV) which is equipped with cameras, lights, thrusters, manipulators and numerous scientific sensors.
Boaty McBoatface
We can’t talk about modern day technology without giving a mention to the house hold name Boaty McBoatface. Boaty is an Autosub Long Range (ALR) and was used to carry out important research. Did you know Boaty can collect data from 6,000m deep in the ocean?
The Dazzling Circus Tent
Roll up, roll up! Discover a magical mermaid in the immersive Circus Tent that takes you back in time with an interactive video showcasing how ‘mythical creatures’ stared in circus acts.
The lighting, objects and atmosphere place you in the minds of our ancestors, who believed in the legends of these monsters of the deep.
The Fascinating Specimen Jars
There are over 150 specimen jars from the National Oceanography Centre Discovery Collections on display in an impressive case. Get up close and personal with a variety of deep-sea specimens from the NOC’s vast collection that was started in 1925. Made up of over 70,000 items, the NOC has kindly lent multiple specimens to Monsters of the Deep.
Visit Monsters of the Deep
Diving in to this new exhibition is all included in your entry ticket to the Dockyard.
The exhibition is open from 1 April to 19 November 2023.
