The Tropical Aquarium is a unique historical site. It offers a fascinating voyage in space and time to discover a mysterious colorful world that has always attracted us, as is demonstrated in art and mythology.
The Aquarium Tropical is currently closed for renovation and accessibilty work until March 2021.
The Tropical Aquarium was created on the occasion of the Colonial Exposition of 1931 to show the public the aquatic fauna of the colonies.
First with its integration into the Museum of Colonies, and later the Museum of Overseas France, the Aquarium followed the latter’s destiny.
In 1960, it was attached to the French Ministry of Culture.
The renovation of the Aquarium was undertaken in 1985: all the installations prior to 1968 were completely revamped, introducing current techniques while preserving the historic aspect of the site.
These improvements made it possible to adopt a new policy for the acquisition of animals with very specific requirements for water quality. The new specimens were chosen according to the information they could provide, especially for young visitors, in the context of the Aquarium’s educational mission.
The collection numbers some 15,000 animals and 750 species, but these figures continually vary depending on reproduction, mortality, exchanges with other public aquariums, purchases and gifts.
In order to facilitate the visit, the tanks have been grouped to illustrate precise themes:
Other semi-aquatic vertebrates, such as crocodiles and turtles, are examples of the evolution of tetrapods.