Aquatic life is a subject that has always been of great interest to children and adults alike. Vienna's Meeresmuseum with its 300,000 litre aquarium will quench your thirst for knowledge.
Today, the House of the Sea has numerous terrariums and aquariums on floors 1-5 and a rainforest area (Tropenhaus); on floors 7 and 8 there is a permanent exhibition that tells you a lot about the building itself — the tower. When you're done with the exhibitions, don't be lazy and go up to the top, ninth floor, to the observation deck, which offers a beautiful panoramic view of the city.
But let's get back to the main theme of the Haus des Meeres in Vienna. Not all museums in the world can boast such an extensive collection of living animals. The variety is impressive, with around 10,000 fish, amphibians, reptiles and other animals in just 4,000 square metres!
Crocodiles, poisonous snakes, boa constrictors and lizards can be seen in the Haus des Meeres' terrarium section. Following the success of the Tropical House, which gave visitors a different experience, the concept of free movement for the animals was also implemented in the Crocodile Park. Part of the floor of the water tank has been made of glass, allowing visitors to look directly into the crocodile tank. Crocodiles are undoubtedly one of the largest reptiles in the world: alligators, gaviales and real crocodiles arouse the interest and sometimes the fear of both adults and children.
In the tropical marine section, the main attractions are the huge aquariums with fish, sharks, turtles, lots of different corals and beautiful fish. The centrepiece of the tropical freshwater section is the Piranha Aquarium.
You can introduce your young zoology enthusiasts to almost every aquatic and terrestrial animal on the planet. Sharks, crab and catfish swim majestically in the huge aquariums, predatory pike dart around, large bright jellyfish float gracefully and starfish brightly decorate the floor. Children will be particularly interested in the exotic inhabitants of the seabed, such as leaf fish and bulldog-mouthed catfish.
Even the feeding of sea creatures, which takes place in the museum at certain times, can be a fascinating spectacle.
But sea creatures are not all that the Haus des Meeres in Vienna is famous for. A visit to the terrarium is a must, where leaf-eating ants scurry in all directions. Take a stroll through the tropical garden, where vines span the great bridge and orchids bloom in vibrant colours and give off their subtle, enchanting scent. Listen to the roar of the waterfall, breathe in the humid, thick air and cool off in one of the local grottoes. Monkeys and birds roam free in the man-made tropics of the Amazon.
Would you like to celebrate your child's birthday at Sea House? Nothing could be easier! Many young people in the Austrian capital regularly celebrate their birthdays at the Haus des Meeres. The party is not only entertained by a team of entertainers, but also by a biologist who spends almost two hours taking part in interesting competitions and answering the children's most perplexing questions. You can book your child's party in advance; these events are usually held in the afternoon on weekdays and only at certain times.
