Acquario di Genova
On Gingerguide's self-guided Genoa audio tour, Acquario di Genova is a stop worth about ~120 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.
- Type museum
- Suggested visit ~120 min
- Genoa Genoa guide
About Acquario di Genova
The largest aquarium in Europe, home to dolphins, sharks, sea turtles, and penguins, built for the 1992 World Expo and now one of Italy's most-visited attractions.
The Acquario di Genova is the largest aquarium in Europe and one of the most visited museums in Italy, welcoming over one million visitors per year. Occupying a converted ship in the Porto Antico, the aquarium was inaugurated in 1992 as part of the celebrations marking the 500th anniversary of Columbus's voyage to the Americas, and was designed (like the entire Porto Antico regeneration) by architect Renzo Piano. The aquarium contains 70 tanks holding 6 million litres of water and is home to over 600 animal species. Among the highlights are the dolphin tank, the shark tunnel, the Antarctic section with Magellanic penguins, the tropical coral reef, and the extraordinary manatee exhibit, the only one in Italy and one of very few in Europe. The aquarium is particularly strong on marine ecosystems of the Mediterranean and Atlantic, and its educational programs for school groups are considered among the best in Europe. The outdoor area includes a separate exhibit on sea turtles, a sensitive subject in the Mediterranean where all sea turtle species are endangered.
Did you know? The Acquario di Genova is consistently one of the three most visited museums in Italy, alongside the Colosseum and the Vatican Museums, despite Genoa being a much smaller city than Rome.
How much time do you need at Acquario di Genova?
Around ~120 min works well for Acquario di Genova — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.
Should you stop at Acquario di Genova?
Yes — Acquario di Genova made the cut as one of 18 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across Genoa. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.
Nearby stops in Genoa
Hear the story of Acquario di Genova
Preview the Genoa tour free in the Gingerguide app.