Come sea for yourself! A fantastical ocean experience to make waves at Grand Arcade this summer

The installation will consist of aerial and ground level recycled paper art sculptures including fishes, coral reefs, dolphins, turtles, jellyfish, octopus, seahorses, tropical fish, and a whale! - transforming the centre into a magical sea experience for visitors. The exhibition comes as part of Grand Arcade’s returning partnership with the University Museum of Zoology, which it previously collaborated with back in 2024 with ‘Grand Safari’.

Grand Depths celebrates the diversity of marine life and highlights the importance of its preservation. Accompanying the artwork, educational displays will be posted throughout the shopping mall to encourage visitors to learn more about the oceans, their ecosystems, and the challenges they face.

Visitors are also invited to continue their exploration of marine wildlife across the road at the University Museum of Zoology, where they can dive deeper into the wonders of ocean life; contributions from visitors are warmly welcomed to help support the University of Cambridge’s research programme about aquatic ecosystems and organisms. Following the exhibition, the paper artwork will be repurposed into a ‘drop cake’, layered recycled paper which can be turned into furniture, as part of Grand Arcade’s commitment to environmental sustainability and circularity.

Children and families can also participate in a wide range of free activities, such as a trail map encouraging exploration across the centre, a ‘draw your favourite sea creature’ competition, where the winning design will be turned into a toy, and educational engagement days with appearances from museum zoologists.

Julie Kervadec, Marketing Manager at Grand Arcade said: “We are beyond excited to be partnering with the University Museum of Zoology again to bring the wonders of the water world to the heart of the Grand Arcade. Across the year, but especially during the summer holidays, having free, educational activities and experiences for children and families to enjoy is important to encourage learning and curiosity without the financial worry. We hope that the exhibition will offer visitors a chance to explore the majesty of ocean life, learn more about conservation, and enjoy some spectacular sculptures while they spend a day out with family and friends - all while keeping dry in the process! We can’t wait to welcome visitors to ‘sea’ the displays."

Professor Mark Brown, Director of the University Museum of Zoology said: “Now more than ever, it is important that we pay attention to the health of our oceans and the incredible biodiversity it supports. We hope that this immersive experience offers visitors the chance to discover the beauty of marine ecosystems while gaining a deeper understanding of why its conservation matters. Inspiring people to value and protect our oceans is essential if we are to protect these remarkable environments for future generations."

Researchers at the University of Cambridge are working to understand, conserve, and regenerate marine wildlife. If you would like to learn more and support this research, visit: https://www.philanthropy.cam.a...

To find out more about Grand Depths, visit: https://www.grandarcade.co.uk/...