The world’s first aquarium mirror maze was unveiled at the National Sea Life Centre in Birmingham on Wednesday, March 28th.
Designed by Adrian Fisher, the world’s leading maze designer, its bewildering mix of mirrored pathways and tropical fish displays eventually lead to the undersea lair of a giant Pacific octopus.
Fisher, a six time world-record holder, has built more than 500 mazes in 27 countries worldwide but this is the first he has created inside an aquarium. “Using mirrors in a maze enables us to play with people’s perceptions of space and create an attraction which appears many times larger than it actually is,” he said.
“We have built mirror mazes in many different settings but this will be the first time we’ve created one in an aquarium, and we’re really excited about the extra dimension the constantly moving fish will bring to it,” said Adrian.
Relatively small groups of tropical fish in displays located within the maze will appear like vast shoals surrounding the visitors on all sides.
The maze – entitled ‘The Lost City of Atlantis’ - is in three sections graduating from mythical Atlantis through a coral reef maze into a section themed on the Temple of Poseidon. Reward for negotiating the maze will be arrival in Poseidon’s Chamber and the chance to admire the resident Pacific giant octopus, the world’s largest and cleverest species of octopus.
“These sea creatures are so intelligent marine experts often devise puzzles to help keep them stimulated,” said curator Graham Burrows. “It will be very fitting that our visitors have to solve a puzzle themselves in order to see it.”
Issued by Adrian Fisher Mazes Ltd. For more information and to arrange interviews please contact Drew Cunliffe on 01373 836499 or email drew@drewpr.co.uk.