Italy
The Aquarium of Genoa is the second largest aquarium in continental Europe and one of the most popular tourist destinations in the city of Genoa. Built as part of the Genoa Expo, which honored the 500th anniversary of the voyage of Columbus, it features oceanic environments that would be found along the route across the Atlantic. The Aquarium of Genoa was one of the first major modern-style aquariums in Europe.
In 1992, the Genoa Expo was staged commemorating Christopher Columbus and his discovery of America. As part of the exhibit, the city built a huge aquarium with exhibits that paralleled the explorer’s route: the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, with a focus on conservation. The aquarium was kept open after the expo, with a major expansion in 1998.
The aquarium has 1.6 million gallons in various environments. These exhibits are somewhat unusual because of their focus on Atlantic area environments and lesser attention to the Pacific areas. One of the most worthwhile exhibits here is the Ligurian Sea, a part of the Mediterranean, because there are few other aquariums that boast fauna from this region.
The Aquarium of Genoa is located on a pier of Genoa’s ancient harbor in the city center, approximately ninety miles south of Milan. Hours vary throughout the year. As of this writing the cost of admission was not available. Web: www.acquariodigenevo.it (official website).
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