Aquarium de San Sebastián
Aquarium and oceanographic museum in the Palacio del Mar, with more than 31 tanks, a 360° tunnel oceanarium and the maritime history of the Basque Country.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Aquarium grew out of the Sociedad de Oceanografía de Guipúzcoa, founded on 19 September 1908 to promote the study of the sea and to improve fishing and navigation. The society set up a laboratory, a scientific bulletin and a fishing school, and took part in organising the Naval-Historical and Oceanographic Exhibition of 1913. On 22 September 1925 the foundation stone of the Palacio del Mar was laid, and it was officially inaugurated on 1 October 1928 with a visit by King Alfonso XIII.
From the beginning the building has housed the aquariums and an oceanographic museum with valuable heritage items that explain the maritime history of the Basque Country and San Sebastián: maritime trade, beach shipyards, Basque whalers, privateering and fishing, as well as an area dedicated to the Sociedad de Oceanografía itself. Expansion works completed in 1998 added a 360° tunnel and new tanks devoted to Atlantic and tropical fauna, and a final reform phase in 2008 reinforced the structure, opened a new entrance from the quay and built a lift between the harbour and the Paseo Nuevo.
In 2002 the Fundación Oceanográfica de Gipuzkoa was set up, which now manages the accumulated heritage. The more than 31 tanks are spread across a floor devoted to the Cantabrian Sea and the Atlantic and another with a tropical theme; the largest is the oceanarium, with more than 1,500,000 litres of water and more than 40 species, including five kinds of shark.
Highlights
- Oceanarium with a 360° tunnel, more than 1,500,000 litres of water and bull sharks
- More than 31 tanks of the Cantabrian Sea, the Atlantic and the tropics
- Oceanographic museum on Basque whalers, privateering and fishing
- Sharks fed live on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 12:00
- Historic Palacio del Mar building, inaugurated in 1928
Permanent exhibitions
- Los acuarios y el oceanario – More than 31 tanks spread across a floor devoted to the Cantabrian Sea and the Atlantic and a tropical floor, with an oceanarium of more than 1,500,000 litres crossed by a 360° tunnel.
- Museo oceanográfico – Space on the maritime history of the Basque Country and San Sebastián: maritime trade, beach shipyards, Basque whalers, privateering and fishing, and a tribute to the Sociedad de Oceanografía de Gipuzkoa.
- Founded
- 1928
- Operated by
- Fundación Oceanográfica de Gipuzkoa
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €16 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €12Students, people with disabilities, people over 65 and unemployed people (with accreditation). |
| Children & teens | €8free up to age 3 · Children aged 4 to 12. Free admission from 0 to 3. |
| Seniors | €12People over 65, with accreditation. |
| Visitors with disabilities | €12With accreditation. |
| Students & apprentices | €12With accreditation. |
| Groups | –Special rates for groups, with advance booking and a minimum number of visitors. |
| Families | €50Rate for large families, with accreditation. |
| Audio guide service | €3Free for people with accredited visual impairment. |
VAT included. There is a gift ticket, valid for one month from purchase, which can be bought at the ticket office or on the website. Reduced rates require accreditation; for unemployment, the DARDE document is accepted.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The facilities overcome changes in level with ramps, elevators and lifts, and there are no doors along the route except in the toilets. Audio guides are free for people with accredited visual impairment. Only accredited guide dogs are admitted.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 1.5 hrs |
|---|---|
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 3 |
| Family ticket | €50 · Rate for large families, with accreditation. |
- Family tours & workshops
The Aquarium runs family activities throughout the year, and the experience “Durmiendo con peces” (Sleeping with the Fish) lets families discover the marine world at night.
Getting there & parking
By car
No on-site parking at the museum.
Access via the port: the nearest car parks are the Boulevard and Okendo car parks, about 15 minutes on foot. Access via the Paseo Nuevo: there is a long-stay car park (OTA) next to the sculpture by Jorge Oteiza, about 3 minutes on foot.
Amenities & dining
- Museum shop
Museum shop. Eating is not allowed inside the Aquarium.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (ES, EU, EN, FR) |
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The duration of the visit depends on each person, but is usually at least an hour and a half. Visitors cannot come and go freely during the day. On weekends and public holidays there are usually no guided tours, although thematic visits are organised on certain dates. Audio guides with touch screens are available in Spanish, Basque, English and French. |
