Royal Aquarium

The Royal Aquarium was a grand Victorian entertainment hall in Westminster, built in 1876 and demolished in 1903. Designed by Alfred Bedborough in ornamental Portland stone, it stood northwest of Westminster Abbey on Tothill Street. The main hall measured 340 feet by 160 feet, covered by a glass-and-iron roof. Inside, palm trees, fountains and sculpture framed thirteen large tanks meant for sea creatures, though the tanks remained empty. An orchestra of 400 performers played in the space, surrounded by rooms for eating, smoking, reading and chess, plus an art gallery, skating rink and theatre. The Aquarium drew crowds with sensational acts and variety shows after its initial high-minded entertainments failed. The Great Farini staged dangerous circus acts, including Zazel, the first female human cannonball, launched by his apparatus. Music hall stars like George Robey made early appearances here, and politicians from the nearby Houses of Parliament often visited. The building’s risqué reputation grew as unaccompanied ladies promenaded in search of company, leading to a notorious case involving the serial killer Thomas Neill Cream. The Aquarium Theatre at the west end hosted plays, operas and farces, renamed the Imperial Theatre in 1879. Performances included Shakespeare’s *As You Like It*, W. S. Gilbert’s *Great Expectations*, and works by Lillie Langtry, who later rebuilt the theatre before withdrawing in 1903. After the Aquarium’s demolition, the theatre’s interior was moved to Canning Town as the Imperial Palace. Today, Methodist Central Hall stands on the original site.