Aquarium de Biarritz
Aquarium of Biarritz in an Art Deco building from 1933, with seals, sharks, turtles and collections devoted to the ocean.
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About the museum
The idea of an institution devoted to the study of the ocean emerged in Biarritz at the end of the 19th century, when the Marquis Alexandre de Folin backed a scientific expedition in the Bay of Biscay. After the First World War the town took up the project of an oceanographic institute or museum and chose the Atalaye plateau, near the Rocher de la Vierge.
The project was approved in 1930 and entrusted to the architects Hiriart, Lafaye and Lacoureyre. The aquarium opened on August 10, 1933 in an Art Deco building, and was officially inaugurated in 1935. A research centre was built above it in 1952.
A renovation in 1992 modernised the displays while keeping the original architecture. The Biarritz Océan project, carried out from 2008 to 2011, doubled the size of the aquarium, which now covers about 7,000 m². Over time, living tanks (sharks, jellyfish) have complemented the collections of models and skeletons of whales and dolphins, navigation instruments and maritime objects.
Highlights
- Art Deco building from 1933 facing the Rocher de la Vierge
- Seals, sharks, sea turtles, jellyfish and tropical fish
- Feeding of seals and sharks
- Care centre for stranded seals
- Maritime collections: skeletons, models of cetaceans and navigation instruments
Permanent exhibition
- Aquarium et collections de l'océan – Tanks with seals, sharks, turtles, jellyfish and tropical fish, with skeletons, models of cetaceans and maritime objects.
- Founded
- 1933
- Operated by
- Biarritz Océan (société d'économie mixte locale)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €17 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €15Young people aged 13 to 17, students and job seekers. |
| Children & teens | €12free up to age 3 · Rate of €12 for children aged 4 to 12; free under 4. A minor under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. |
| Visitors with disabilities | €15companion free · €2 reduction on proof; the companion enters free if the disability card indicates the need for assistance. |
| Groups (20+ people) | –Groups from 20 people, same rates as individual tickets; booking via a form. |
| Combined ticket Aquarium + Cité de l’Océan (adult) | €28Valid for one visit within the year; reduced rate €24, child aged 6 to 12 €20, child aged 4 to 5 €12. |
| Aquarium annual pass (adult) | €42Personal, sold at the aquarium ticket office; child €30, reduced €35, duo (one child aged 4 to 12 and one companion) €75. |
| Combined annual pass (adult) | €65Child €45, reduced €55, duo €115. |
| Guided tour | €65Per guide, by reservation, in addition to the entry ticket. |
Large families receive €2 off per person on presentation of the card, at the ticket office only. Booking online avoids the queue. Payment by bank card, cash and ANCV holiday vouchers.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
An adapted route and a lift serve all levels. Two reserved parking spaces are at the entrance, reached via the tunnel from the Atalaye plateau after ringing the intercom; four other spaces are in the paid car park at Port Vieux. Wheelchairs and strollers must use the pedestrian entrance facing the Rocher de la Vierge, as the Atalaye path has steps. Guide dogs and assistance dogs are admitted on proof.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 1.5 hrs |
|---|---|
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 3 |
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
- Stroller-friendly
The free Aquazoom app offers quizzes and challenges; feeding of seals and sharks. Pushchairs are admitted, but a baby carrier is recommended because of a designated staircase.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Port Vieux
Txik Txak network buses: line N4 to the Port Vieux stop; lines 12 or 18 to the Hélianthe stop, then 9 minutes on foot; lines 5, 11, 12, 18 and N5 to the Larralde stop, then 13 minutes on foot. Biarritz SNCF station is about 25 minutes away by bus.
By car
Paid parking · 240 m to the entrance
The aquarium has no car park. Port Vieux car park 240 m away (40 spaces, uncovered); Indigo car parks Sainte Eugénie (500 m), Bellevue (800 m), Casino (840 m) and Halles Clemenceau (1 km), all paid. Free P+R car park at Halle Iraty on the outskirts, with a shuttle to the centre.
- Accessible parking
The Cité de l’Océan is 3 km from the aquarium.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Restaurant
- Museum shop
- Coat check: not available
Restaurant Olatua from April to November, Le Rooftop outside the visit route, Negua from December to March (12:00–14:00, by reservation). No cloakroom, for safety reasons. Eating is prohibited on the visit route. Gift and souvenir shop.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Corporate events
Up to 300 guests.
Private hire of the aquarium (1,685 m²), a 385 m² panoramic terrace and a 40 m² meeting room (20 people). Up to 300 people for a cocktail and 60 for a seated dinner. Seminars, receptions and team-building; quote requested via a form.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | no |
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photos permitted, flash forbidden, as the fish are sensitive to bright light. |
| Good to know | Average duration around 1 h 30 outside school holidays. No audio guide: species cards near the tanks and the free Aquazoom app are offered. Information in French, English and Spanish. Leaving the aquarium ends the visit. Behind-the-scenes and themed visits are offered. Dogs are prohibited, except guide dogs. |
