Great Aquarium Saint-Malo, Public aquarium in Saint-Malo, France.
The Great Aquarium Saint-Malo is a 4,000 m² public aquarium holding 2,500,000 litres of water in 46 tanks, the largest containing 600,000 litres. Its blue glass facade carries a circular "Grand Aquarium Saint-Malo" logo above a printed underwater scene with sharks and fish, and the entrance is framed by two cylindrical silver columns with red-tinted tops on wooden platforms. Inside, ten themed areas range from cold and temperate seas to a mangrove and a shipwreck where sharks dominate.
The aquarium opened in 1996 at a cost of 50 million francs, with the project initiated by Maurice Chicheportiche. In 1999 it was sold to Compagnie des Alpes, owner of Parc Astérix, and in 2011 it was acquired by the Looping Group. The Nautibus attraction, added in 2001, received a Thea Award in 2002.
In 2003 the aquarium and partners including the city of Saint-Malo founded the eco-association "Attention Mer fragile" (Caution! Sea in Danger), which educates visitors about threats to the sea and shorelines. Its work covers the Emerald Coast, with beach and natural-site clean-ups, school lessons for children and participation in the United Nations' World Oceans Day.
The aquarium sits outside the walled city near the beach and can be reached on foot or by car. Visitors who want to avoid long waits should arrive early on rainy days or during school holidays.
The Nautibus, a small submarine ride created in 2001, passes through a pool of 1,500,000 litres holding 5,000 fish; in 2002 it won a Thea Award from the Themed Entertainment Association and the Ille-et-Vilaine tourism trophy. The shark ring, a 600,000-litre basin encircling the room, holds seven sharks of four species and four sea turtles, one loggerhead over 30 years old.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,128 contributors worldwide.