There are a huge number of aquariums in the world, each of which is unique in itself. They differ in size, inhabitants and variety of animals represented. The largest of them annually attract a huge flow of visitors who want to get a closer look at the life of underwater creatures.
The top 10 includes the largest aquariums in the world today. When selecting them, the area, number of individuals and species represented were taken into account.
Sydney Aquarium
The Sydney Aquarium opens the top ten largest aquariums in the world. Over 6 thousand individuals live here, among which there are about 650 species of various underwater inhabitants. Its opening took place in 1988, and in 2012 it was completely rebuilt and restored. The Sydney Aquarium is a permanent home for sharks, fur seals, sea lions, penguins and other animals. It also houses one of the largest collections of sharks in the world.
Aquarium in Sydney, Australia
0
Year of appearance: 1988. Population (attendance): more than 1 million people per year. Another world-famous aquarium is located in Sydney. It opened in 1988 and today presents to visitors one of the richest collections of marine life in the world. This aquarium is famous for its impressive system of underwater tunnels, a walk through which promises to be unforgettable. Visitors get a realistic feeling of being completely immersed in the abyss of the sea, huge sharks and schools of colorful fish swim above their heads, and marvelous underwater landscapes open around them. Sydney Aquarium is home to over 11,000 marine animals and fish, covering over 650 different species. The vast territory of the aquarium is divided into several thematic zones. Visitors will have the opportunity to look into the “Abode of Fur Seals” and watch some of the friendliest marine animals in the world. One of the most impressive halls is the “Open Ocean”, where sharks weighing up to 300 kg swim in a huge aquarium. No less impressive is the Great Barrier Reef area, where you can see the most amazing marine life: miniature bright fish, seahorses, colorful stars and polyps. More than a million people visit the Sydney Aquarium every year, and 55% of them are tourists from other countries. It does not lose popularity among Australian residents either; according to statistics, every Australian visits the Sydney aquarium 2–3 times in their lifetime. Such indicators are not surprising, because the Sydney Aquarium houses the world's largest collection of sharks, and also has the longest acrylic tunnel in the world, 160 meters long.
9. Sochi Discovery World Aquarium
Sochi Discovery World Aquarium is the largest aquarium in Russia. It occupies an area of just over half a hectare and has assembled its entire exhibition on two floors. On the territory of the Sochi Oceanarium there are 30 aquariums with different species of inhabitants. The central aquarium is a 44-meter long tunnel where sharks and other species of fish live. To fill the aquarium, a total of 5 million liters of water were needed. The opening of the Sochi Oceanarium took place in the winter of 2009.
L'Aquarium de Barcelona
L ' Aquarium de Barcelona is included in the list of the largest aquariums in Europe. It is located in the capital of Catalonia, Barcelona, and covers an area of approximately 1.5 hectares. L'Aquarium de Barcelona is inhabited by about 12 thousand underwater inhabitants, represented by 450 different species. It has several thematic areas. Of particular interest is the oceanarium itself in the form of a large tunnel 86 meters long. It is part of the Mediterranean Sea. L'Aquarium de Barcelona is considered one of the most popular and visited among tourists.
Oceanario de Lisboa
Oceanario de Lisboa is the largest aquarium in Portugal, located in the city of Lisbon. It is inhabited by about 16 thousand marine inhabitants, represented by 450 species. The Oceanario de Lisboa has an area of 1 hectare and its depth is about 7 meters, which allows visitors to create the illusion of an open ocean. The pride of the aquarium is the sunfish, which is not available in all aquariums due to specific conditions of detention.
The Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium
The Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium , with an area of about 2 hectares, is included in the list of the largest aquariums in the world. It is located in Japan, in the Okinawa Exhibition Park. The four-story building houses about 80 aquariums, home to sharks, deep-sea creatures, tropical fish and other marine life. There are about 80 species of corals in the aquarium.
general information
The main goal of such a museum is to introduce people to different aquatic inhabitants. Spacious aquariums house completely different representatives of marine fauna. They are interesting to watch. Specialists get the opportunity to conduct scientific research.
The best aquariums in the world contain more than just fish. The exhibition often includes:
- invertebrates;
- pinnipeds;
- cetaceans;
- sharks;
- dolphins;
- turtles.
The bottom is usually reproduced in accordance with real prototypes. This allows marine life to feel as if they were in their native environment. Some aquariums hold performances with dolphins.
Dubai Aquarium
Dubai Aquarium is one of the largest in the world. Its total area is about 273 square meters. It is located in the capital of the UAE, Dubai, and is part of the Discovery Center shopping and entertainment center. It was opened in 2008 and has become one of the most visited in the world. To fill it, it took 10 million liters of water, which now houses more than 200 species of marine life and 33 thousand species of fish. Dubai Aquarium is notable for being included in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest indoor aquarium. The panoramic panel of the Dubai Aquarium is more than 30 meters wide and over 8 meters high. Dubai Aquarium has an arched, half-kilometer tunnel 11 meters high and 20 meters wide.
4. L'Oceanografic
L'Oceanogro fic , located in Spain, is considered one of the largest in the world . Its area is just over 1 hectare, and over 45 thousand marine inhabitants live in it, among which 500 different species are represented. In addition to the diverse flora, there is also a rich fauna, consisting of 80 plant species. In Europe, L'Oceanografic is considered the largest. The oceanarium is divided into ten zones inhabited by residents of the Mediterranean, the polar oceans of the Arctic, tropical seas, the Red Sea, etc. The total volume of water contained in the aquarium is about 42 million liters.
Aquarium of Genoa, Italy
0
Year of appearance: 1992. Area: 3,100 sq. meters. Population (attendance): 1.2 million people per year. In Italy, the largest aquarium is located in Genoa, it is the second largest in Europe. The opening of the oceanarium took place in 1992; it was built specifically for the opening of the Genoa Expo'92 exhibition. Initially, the center had important educational, environmental and even historical significance. Its opening was timed to coincide with a significant day - the 500th anniversary of the discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus. The Genoa Oceanarium introduces visitors to the typical inhabitants of the Ligurian Sea, representatives of the northern waters of the Atlantic Ocean, as well as typical inhabitants of the reefs of the Caribbean Sea. Thus, the presented exhibition actually reproduces the sea route that Christopher Columbus made more than 500 years ago. It is also worth noting that the exposition presented to visitors focuses on the most important environmental problems of the planet; visitors are offered interesting educational excursions and lectures. The area of the oceanarium is 3,100 square meters. meters, about 1.2 million people visit it every year. Its visitors will have the opportunity to admire the most incredible inhabitants of the deep sea, which now live in a huge aquarium, as well as watch the stingrays that live in a large open tank. In total, the aquarium has 70 tanks, and you will need to spend more than one hour getting to know their inhabitants. There is a movie called “Night with Sharks”. Once a month, everyone can spend the night in the aquarium and observe how its inhabitants behave after dark.
Shanghai Ocean Aquarium
Shanghai Ocean Aquarium ( SOA ) is the largest aquarium in Asia. It is located on an area of 2 hectares and has become a permanent habitat for more than 15 thousand animals, represented by 450 species. The SOA is divided into nine thematic zones. The China Gallery features rare and endangered fish species. The following zones deserve special attention: “Cold” and “Polar”. There you can watch the life of seals and penguins. A special feature of the Shanghai Aquarium is its long tunnel, which is considered one of the longest in the world: it stretches for as much as 155 meters.
Georgia Aquarium
The Georgia Aquarium ranks second among the largest aquariums in the world. Its opening took place in 2005. For seven years it managed to maintain its status as the largest, until the SEAAquarium opened in Singapore. It is divided into five thematic zones. The Southern Company River Scout area features North American river inhabitants and some exotic fish species. The next thematic section, AT&T Dolphin Tales, is dedicated to dolphins, of which more than a dozen live here. Every day they put on a half-hour football show for guests. The largest of the galleries presented here is Ocean Voyager built by Home Depot, home to the inhabitants of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. Also in this part of the aquarium there is a huge thirty-meter tunnel. The sea house occupies an area of just over 5 hectares.
Rating of the largest aquariums in the world: top 15
Of the many aquariums, the largest are the following:
- SEA Aquarium – this is the name of a huge aquarium located on the resort island of Sentosa (Singapore). Located in a large amusement park, it is an integral part of it. The oceanarium has been operating since 2012. It holds over 50 million liters of water. About seven hundred thousand diverse fish and small fish from all over the world feel here as if in their native element, for which their natural conditions have been recreated. Here is the largest viewing area with a length of 36 m and a height of over 8. Consisting of 49 compartments, it seems to transport viewers into the exciting world of a real underwater kingdom. The impression is enhanced by the wreckage of a shipwrecked ship located at the bottom. Special privileges here for young visitors. At their service are many interactive programs developed in educational or simply children's areas. The purpose of these programs is to introduce the living conditions of a wide variety of underwater inhabitants. Special programs developed for children introduce them to the peculiarities of life of the inhabitants of the underwater world. In addition, you can visit Adventure Bay, a park with many water attractions.
Oceanarium - Georgia Aquarium has been the leader in the world rankings for a long time. Today it is the second largest aquarium in the world with a volume of 30 million liters. It was opened in 2005. There are five compartments here, which are essentially 60 thematic zones. One of them, Southern Company River Scout, inhabited by river inhabitants from North American countries, as well as individual representatives of “exotics”. In another, the owners are more than a dozen dolphins who greet visitors with a real football show. There is also an exhibition of frogs. A touching moment - the inhabitants here are given names. In addition, in the aquarium, which covers an area of more than 5 hectares, there is a 30 m long tunnel.
In Georgia - Shanghai Ocean Aquarium or simply SOA not only ranks third in the world ranking of aquariums, it is also the largest in Asia. Here, on two hectares, about 450 species of animals live, located in 9 thematic zones. One of them is “China”, where endangered species are collected. The names “Polar” and “Cold”, inhabited by representatives of the Arctic, speak for themselves. There is also a tunnel here, much longer than the Georgian one. Its length is over 150 m.
Shanghai - Spanish L'Oceanografic covers an area of over a hectare and is inhabited by more than 500 species of inhabitants of the deep sea. In addition to living organisms, you can see representatives of marine vegetation here - about 80 species in total. Like other aquariums, the Spanish one is divided into galleries (10 in total) in the form of towers with a total volume of 7 million liters, giving visitors the opportunity to admire the inhabitants of the Arctic, the tropics, of course, the Mediterranean and other parts of the planet. More than 40 million liters of water were filled into the compartments for them. It is noteworthy that the Spanish aquarium is at the same time a scientific laboratory, even the compartments here are appropriate, taking into account the naturalness of the environment, down to the chemical composition of the water.
In Spain - Dubai Aquarium occupies 1.2 million m², filled with 10 million liters of water. It has been in existence for 10 years and is famous for its entry into the book of records as the largest indoor aquarium in the world. The oceanarium is inhabited not only by fish, of which there are about 33 thousand, but also by more than 200 species of other marine animals. Its dimensions: width over 30 m and height over 8. And why not have a tunnel! Its length is 500 m, height – 11 and width – 20 m, and simulates day and night lighting. The wonders of the depths here can be seen not only from the tunnel, but also through the bottom of a glass boat, which is also available to visitors. A special pride of the Dubai Aquarium is its collection of marine predators. Well, for those who are hungry, there is a fish restaurant nearby.
Huge - The Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium is one of the largest in the world, opened in 2002, located in the Japanese city of Okinawa on the territory of the exhibition park. Its size is 2 hectares. There are 80 tanks on four floors, in which, divided into three zones, tropical fish look through the glass not only at visitors, but also at neighboring sharks or deep-sea inhabitants, and, in addition, everyone can admire the corals, of which there are about 80 varieties, and turtles, which are located in a separate aquarium. An interesting solution for the main aquarium: a huge screen with chairs in front of it, and thousands of cubic meters of water above the viewer (the aquarium is located in the underground floor).
- Oceanario de Lisboa - a Portuguese pearl with a roof made of fish scales, located in Lisbon. The first building was built in 1998, then, in 2011, another one was built, connecting them with a tunnel. The roof is made of transparent ceramic tiles, which allows free penetration of sunlight and creates additional ventilation. On an area of 1 hectare and at a 7-meter depth, in 5 huge aquariums, in each of which a separate ocean is recreated and its inhabitants are pleasing to the eye, the total number of which is within 16 thousand, and the number of species reaches 450. Such dimensions and “densely populated “It’s as if they transport visitors to a real ocean, which, moreover, has its own curiosity - the sunfish. The conditions of its maintenance are quite complex, so not every aquarium can boast of the presence of this type of fish. The seabirds found in the Indian tropics are also interesting.
In Portugal - L'Aquarium de Barcelona one of the largest in Europe and the world. Its area is one and a half hectares, and the “population” is estimated at 12 thousand inhabitants, who are representatives of about 450 species. Like others, L'Aquarium de Barcelona is divided into thematic sections and also has a tunnel, the length of which reaches 86 m. But the main thing is that this tunnel naturally connects with the Mediterranean Sea, becoming part of it. A surprise for diving certificate holders: the opportunity to swim with sharks.
Largest in Europe - Sochi Discovery, which began operating in 2009, “part-time” is also the largest in Russia. Two floors, 6 thousand hectares, 5 million liters of water. And all this occupies 29 tanks, of which the central one is again made in the form of a tunnel, which stretches for 44 m. There is room to accommodate representatives of the most diverse species, subspecies, orders and other classifications of inhabitants of the underwater world, of which about 4 thousand have gathered here. The exhibition is original. of this aquarium, representing various reliefs, forests, waterfalls, lakes, etc.
The largest in Russia - Sydney Aquarium - one of not only the largest, but also one of the oldest in the world. It was opened back in 1988, and 6 years ago it underwent a radical restoration. Now more than 6 thousand representatives of aquatic fauna, numbering about 650 species, coexist here. The highlight of the Sydney Aquarium is its shark collection, considered one of the largest in the world. The name of the Open Ocean aquarium speaks for itself: three-meter sharks simply swim next to the visitor. There is also an exhibition “The Habitat of Fur Seals”, because they are also aquatic inhabitants.
Gorgeous aquarium - Ozeaneum located in the German city of Stralsund and is one of the three largest aquariums in Europe. In 39 tanks with a total volume of about 2.5 million liters, about 7 thousand representatives of the “Tropical”, “North” and “Baltic” seas are collected - this is the name of the galleries connected by tunnels. And on the roof is the kingdom of Humboldt penguins, which today are already listed in the Red Book.
Interesting design - Ripley's Aquarium of Gatlinburg is also one of the largest in the world and awaits visitors in the American city of Gatlinburg. On two levels there is a tropical forest zone and coral reefs; in the nearby information zone you can expand your theoretical knowledge, and in the travel zone you can swim alongside predators behind the glass sides of the boat. Oceanarium
- Monterey Bay Aquarium also located in the USA and consists of several floors. Existing with private money and proceeds from tickets, it provides visitors with the opportunity to see with their own eyes how animals are fed, to capture in their memory 550 species of fish and animals, including some truly unique ones. And another rare opportunity is given to visitors to Monterey Bay to touch individual species of aquarium inhabitants.
IN THE USA - Acquario di Genova. This Italian aquarium, which looks like the legendary ship of Captain Columbus, is visited by more than a million people every year. They can get acquainted with more than 15 thousand animals, of which several hundred are already on the verge of extinction. Holography – for those who want to feel like they are among a school of sharks, the biosphere zone introduces representatives of the fauna that live on the coasts. An educational element is a museum where you can see scuba gear, submarines and other devices for working on the sea or ocean floor.
Impressive - Vancouver Aquarium is located in Canada on an area of about 2 acres and contains almost 60 thousand living organisms. It has the status of a research institute, and as a result, here you can see rare, almost unique species of aquatic fauna. And here everything is broken down not only by biological zones, but also by individual geographical objects.
1. SEAAquarium
S. _ E. _ A. _ Aquarium is the largest aquarium in the world, which is located in Singapore, on the island of Sentosa. Its opening took place in the fall of 2012. It was then that he took away the honorary title of the largest from the American Aquarium of Georgia. The total occupied area of SEAAquarium is 8 hectares, and the volume of water is 45 million liters. It has become home to 100 thousand marine inhabitants of 800 species. The oceanarium is divided into ten zones and includes about 50 marine habitats. The central part of SEAAquarium is an open ocean area with the largest observation panel in the world, which allows visitors to create the illusion of being at the bottom of the sea. SEAAquarium is part of Singapore's Sea Life Park.
21 5
North Sea Aquarium, Denmark
0
Year of appearance: 1984. In Denmark, in the city of Hirtshals, there is the famous North Sea Aquarium - a unique entertainment center, an unforgettable experience of visiting which is guaranteed to everyone. The total volume of the aquariums at this center is 4,500 cubic meters and is home to 70 species of fish. To some, such a collection may seem quite modest, but each of the inhabitants of this amazing oceanarium is a rare marine inhabitant. Only in the North Sea Aquarium you can simultaneously observe several sunfish, whose leisurely movements are simply mesmerizing. The opening of the aquarium took place in 1984, among its outstanding features is a huge aquarium, which is designed in the form of an amphitheater. The height of its glass is 8 meters, through which it is very convenient to observe schools of mackerel and herring, as well as huge sharks. Every day, an interesting show is held for the guests of the aquarium; they can watch how a scuba diver dives into the aquarium to feed the fish. In addition to a huge indoor aquarium, there is also a large outdoor swimming pool in the center, which has become a home for seals. Travelers with children will be interested in visiting the aquarium in the warm season, when the Krabbekysten interactive zone is opened for the youngest visitors. It features a large play area with a pond, a touching pool and a pier from which you can catch crabs. In summer, visitors have access to excellent picnic areas, cafes with outdoor terraces and souvenir shops.
