Valencia Aquarium Oceanografic

This is the largest aquarium in Europe, with the capacity to house 45,000 living creatures from 500 different species. The planet's main marine ecosystems are represented here.

Its avant-garde architecture, the layout of the different aquaria and its scientific, recreational, and educational objectives bring the marine world to the public, raising awareness about protection of its flora and fauna. It serves, moreover, as a platform for scientific research.

The Oceanogràfic is made up of different buildings, housing examples of the most important ecosystems from each of the planet's seas and oceans:

Mediterranean:
This shows a portion of the Mediterranean’s biological wealth through an exhibition of nine aquaria, each in a different format depending on the habitat presented, with around 7,400 examples of fish and invertebrates.

Wetlands:
A spectacular 26 metre high sphere simulates the environments of two of the most unique wet zones on the planet: American mangrove swamps and Mediterranean marshes.

Temperate and Tropical:
You are invited to make a journey from the temperate regions of the Pacific and Atlantic to the warm waters of the Indian and Caribbean via aquaria connected by a fantastic 70 metre long underwater tunnel, the longest in Europe.

Oceans:
With a volume of 7 million cubic metres, this aquarium is the largest of all the aquaria in the Oceanogràfic, and one of the largest in the world. It depicts a journey through the Atlantic, from the Canary Islands to Bermuda, through a tunnel where you can view species such as the sand shark, the cow shark, and the sunfish, among others.

Antarctic:
A colony of penguins is the protagonist in this recreation of a rocky cliff, with areas for laying eggs and raising young.

Arctic:
The Arctic area is found under a great dome in the style of an igloo. In it, rocky cliffs and blocks of ice make up the habitat of walruses and beluga whales, one of the most unique marine mammals on the planet.

Islands:
Located outdoors, this installation takes its inspiration from the islands located along the South American coastline, characterised by the presence of large colonies of Patagonian sea lions.

Red Sea/Underwater Auditorium: 
A large room crowned with a roof shaped like a scallop shell. Inside is the 466 person capacity auditorium, with a spectacular aquarium portraying the Red Sea creating the backdrop.

Underwater Restaurant:
Located in the centre of the complex, this is the most emblematic building of the Oceanogràfic, given the peculiarity of its roof. Designed by Félix Candela, it brings to mind a figure similar to a water lily. It has a large aquarium on the lower floor. 

Dolphinarium: 
This is one of the largest dolphinariums in the world, with 26 million cubic metres of water, and a depth of 10.5 metres.

With a total of 5 pools, this facility can house groups of about 30 dolphins, making it the largest in Europe.

A grandstand rises in front of the pools, with capacity for 1,500 spectators.

Furthermore, in the Oceanogràfic we find the Education and Research Building, the Area for the Recovery and Conservation of Marine Fau, the Access Building, as well as shops and catering outlets.