Oceanário de Lisboa

The great oceanarium of Lisbon, on the old Expo ’98 waterfront, with the oceans of the world under one roof.

The Oceanário de Lisboa is one of the great aquariums of the world and the most visited attraction of Parque das Nações, on the old Expo ’98 waterfront. Around a single great central tank, which can be seen from two levels, four habitats recreate the oceans of the planet — the North Atlantic, the Antarctic, the temperate Pacific and the tropical Indian — in a journey through the seas that has made the Oceanário a reference of ocean education in Europe.

The oceanarium

The Oceanário opened in 1998, in the year of the Lisbon World Exposition, and was conceived to show the ocean as one single system: the great central tank, with its schools of fish, sharks and rays, is the heart of the building, and the four towers around it recreate the different climates of the seas, from the cold of the Antarctic to the warm waters of the tropics. The institution works on conservation projects and on the study of marine life, with its teams taking part in programmes for species such as penguins, sea otters and ocean sunfish.

What to see

The great central tank, seen from the surface and from the depths.
The four habitats of the building, from the Antarctic to the Indian Ocean.
The sea otters, penguins and other animals of the conservation programmes.
The temporary exhibitions and the ocean education programmes.

Visiting

The Oceanário is in Parque das Nações, reached by metro and train from the centre of Lisbon, beside the river and the other attractions of the old exposition site. Tickets and times are published by the institution, and the visit combines well with a day by the Tagus; the aquarium also runs educational programmes and guided visits through the year.