Take a break from the historic sights of Munich at this entertaining aquarium, which has interactive rock pools and exciting shark exhibits.
The Sea Life Aquarium is a vast complex full of thousands of weird and wonderful aquatic creatures. You can find it in the middle of Olympic Park, an area that hosted the 1972 Munich Olympics. The aquarium was opened in 2006 and today holds more than 4,500 animals across 33 exhibits. Follow the progression of a single drop of water from Munich’s River Isar to the Danube and out into the Mediterranean Sea. The habitats encountered along the way have been recreated in the aquarium.
Visit the interactive rock pool where you can touch the animals. Feel starfish and sea anemones as you listen to an informative talk about these fascinating creatures. Don’t miss feeding time in the aquarium, which is a favourite with kids. Watch Gonzales the green sea turtle enjoy his daytime meal. The Mission Shark exhibit contains more than 20 species of shark, which is the largest variety in any aquarium in Germany.
Sea Life takes part in conservation projects, with a special focus on preserving sea horses. Note that none of the sea horses in the exhibits are plucked from their natural environments. Instead, the aquarium breeds nine different species of sea horse.
Take a tour of the inner-workings of the aquarium to find out how it operates. Learn about the quarantine station, the wave machine and the tanks’ filters. You will need to make a reservation for the behind-the-scenes tour, which costs extra on top of admission and takes 90 minutes to complete.
The Sea Life Aquarium opens daily. Opening hours vary depending on the season, so check the official Sea Life Munich website for details. There is complete wheelchair and stroller access throughout the complex. Take the metro system to Olympiazentrum Station, which is a 10-minute walk from the aquarium. Pay to park on-site.
