Summary:
The Musée Océanographique de Monaco is a museum and aquarium that showcases a collection of marine species and objects related to the sea, offering exhibitions, animations, and educational initiatives to promote the understanding and conservation of the oceans.
Full Story:
The Musée Océanographique in Monaco is the main tourist attraction in the city, welcoming over 650,000 visitors annually. The museum’s mission is to promote, love, and protect the oceans. Built in 1910 on the initiative of Prince Albert I, the museum is an impressive 6,000 m² monument located on a cliff 85 meters in height. It features around 100 tanks that house a collection of over 350 fish species and 6,000 specimens.
The aquariums are a highlight for visitors, offering a dive into the tropical and Mediterranean marine ecosystems. The tropical zone showcases the vibrant and diverse life of the coral reef, including sharks, piranhas, clownfish, stonefish, pufferfish, and seahorses. The Mediterranean tanks house over 200 species of invertebrates, such as octopuses, moray eels, and jellyfish.
In addition to the aquariums, the Musée Océanographique is a museum exhibiting a precious collection of historical, artistic, and artisanal objects related to the sea. It provides opportunities for exploration, learning, and contemplation of the marine world through art exhibitions, conferences, international symposiums, and awareness initiatives in collaboration with the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation.
Currently, the museum is hosting several exhibitions, including “Mission Polaire,” which allows visitors to explore the North and South poles through five thematic spaces. There is also the exhibition “Les Géants des Glaces,” featuring seven monumental sculptures by Michel Bassompierre, as well as “Le Prince et la Méditerranée,” which honors the strong connection between Prince Rainier III and the Mediterranean Sea. The museum offers various activities and workshops for families and friends, such as meeting coastal animals, escape games, and a virtual reality experience called “immerSEAve.”
Practical information: The museum visit takes approximately two hours, and it is open from 10 am to 6 pm (until 7 pm in September, April, May, and June, and until 8 pm during the summer). Admission prices are €19 for adults, €12 for children and students, and €9 for individuals with reduced mobility. Children under 4 years old enter for free. Combined tickets with the Prince’s Car Collection or the Prince’s Palace are available. A restaurant is located on the museum’s terrace, offering a stunning view. To reach the museum, visitors can take bus lines 1 or 2 from the train station or park at the Chemin des Pêcheurs parking lot.
For more information, visit the Musée Océanographique’s website.
Source:
Monaco Tribune
