One of the perks of being an Aquarium member is being invited to unique experiences not accessible to the general public. Last Saturday was one such experience - the first family sleepover in front of our newly-renovated Predator Exhibit! What better way to spend the night than under the watchful eye of nine graceful ragged-tooth sharks?

Our eager members, and their even more excited children, arrived at the Aquarium, equipped with mattresses, sleeping bags, pillows and pyjamas. With the Predator Exhibit's gallery illuminated only by soft blue light, occasionally obstructed by a shark shadow, there was a great hustle to get sleeping spots with the best views.

As parents were relegated to mattress inflation duty, it was time to get the children's entertainment underway. After a quick introduction by the host, Keith Stone, excitement heightened in anticipation of the announcement of the "best dressed kid" prizes.

From paper mache orcas and fuzzy octopuses to handcrafted angler fish and sharky pyjama overalls, members' children came dressed as their favourite underwater wonders. It was a tough call, but winners were chosen and the crafty kids got to take home some adorable penguin plushies and an educational Puppet Stories book.

Curator Maryke Musson then took over, and together with marine biologist and children's author Heidi de Maine, taught the children about the life of ragged-tooth sharks, the threats they are facing and about the hundreds of other wonderful and diverse shark species found around the world. These amazing kids really knew their wobbegongs from their white tips!

The fun did not stop there! It was time for some arts and crafts, with parents and kids working together to decorate their own mini-sharks with glittery beads. These itsy-bitsy sharks would go home with our members, a small reminder of the need to protect these majestic animals.

Some snacks and hot chocolate were in order, warming up our members for some night-time exploring of the Aquarium and its marvels.

Finally, it was time for the evening to wind down. Children and parents gathered for the evening's animated movie, spread out in the warmth of our auditorium. As energy slowly dwindled, contented families made their way back to the Predator Exhibit, said their goodnights to their nine new ragged-toothed friends and called it a night.

Like all great sleepover hosts, the Aquarium knows that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and our members were not disappointed. After a quick pack-up, it was time for parents and children to greet Yoshi, Bob and Sandy, the fin-tastic sea turtles of the I&J Ocean Exhibit, before we opened for the public.

Thank you for the amazing experience and the incredible memories! (PS: Redeem your Happy Snappy photos here.)

Not a member? Let's fix that!

An annual pass to the Aquarium means you can visit the fish as often as you wish and attend any of the exciting events. But there are boatloads of other benefits:

• 10% off at the Aquarium shop
• 25% off venue hire
• 25% off diving
• No queues
• Special rates for au pairs/nannies
• Free seawater for home aquarists

Become a member today by visiting us, upgrading your day ticket (same-day upgrades only), or buying online (where memberships are 10% less).