Aquarium de Paris: Underwater world in Paris

About 500 meters from one of the most famous monuments in the world, the Eiffel tower, is the Aquarium de Paris. Built underground with a rather nondescript entrance, millions of tourists walk by it annually without ever noticing it.

Built underground, the aquarium was constructed at the same time as the Eiffel Tower in 1867. However, it isn’t as old. The building completed a massive 21-year renovation in 2006, expanding its space and reorganizing its interior for the 21st century.

Today, the Aquarium covers an area of 3.5km and houses over 10,000 different species of fish. The layout of the aquarium is designed to allow children (and adults) to journey though different environments with varieties of species of sealife.

Giant shark tanks, alien-like octopuses, little seahorses, there are a wide variety of sea creatures to look in awe at. The tropical portion houses several thousand fish from the tropical waters of the world, and there is even an arctic portion which displays species found in the polar regions.

And if your little ones like getting their hands wet, there is even a touch pool. There are also drawing and art workshops for children, although those will be organized in French.

It’s a must-see for animal lovers and kids visiting Paris, and is especially interesting for anyone who enjoys watching fish in their natural habitat.

Tips for visiting

Buy tickets in advance

The aquarium is a favorite for locals, and so can get quite crowded in peak periods. To avoid disappointment, I would suggest buying tickets to skip-the-line in advance. You can order your tickets here.

Avoid Wednesdays

While you have thought of avoiding weekends, you should also avoid Wednesdays when planning your trip. French school children are off of school on Wednesdays, so the aquarium is busy with locals having an annual pass.

Go in the morning

I’ve been to the aquarium many times, and I can tell you it is much better to visit in the mornings, especially if you are planning on visiting on a wednesday or a weekend.

There is much more of a crowd in the afternoons, making the visit uncomfortably packed.

Have lunch in their restaurant

If you do head there in the mornings, you will be pleasantly surprised to see that they have a restaurant on site. With views of several aquarium tanks, you can enjoy a lovely meal with varieties of fish for company.

Don’t hesitate to take the stroller

When you arrive at the aquarium, you will notice a large set of stairs heading down to the entrance. Do not be alarmed, the aquarium is meant to be stroller and handicap-accessible.

There is usually a guard at the entrance who can direct you to the elevator that will take you ticket entrance. I myself have been there with a double-stroller, and we had no issues in terms of mobility.

Check what show is on

The Aquarium de Paris holds a lot of partnerships with local and international artists, so check what is on the schedule before you head over.

I’ve seen everyone from a Peppa Pig character to a “mermaid” show, and a nursery rhymes show inside the aquarium. (I should note that the Peppa pig show as well as the nursery rhymes were in French.)

How to get there?

Aquarium de Paris is located at 5 Avenue Albert de Mun, 75016 Paris. The closest metro is Trocadero, from where you can walk around to the entrance in about 5 minutes. It is also quite close to Musée du Quai Branly, if you want to combine visits.

How much are tickets?

Tickets to the Aquarium de Paris are around €19-25 per person and children under 3 are free. You can buy your skip-the-line tickets here.