Aquariums of Norway

Nature Interactive Map Projects

This interactive map helps you explore them geographically.

Polaria Aquarium — Tromsø

Polaria is the world’s northernmost aquarium. Its seals playfully train in the pool several times a day. The building is designed to resemble compressed ice floes, symbolizing the Arctic environment. Only Arctic species are displayed in the aquariums.

Atlanterhavsparken — Ålesund

Atlanterhavsparken is one of the world’s most spectacular landscape aquariums. It is not a classic “aquarium,” but rather a living slice of the ocean brought to the shoreline. The Atlantic tank is among the largest saltwater tanks in Europe. Atlanterhavsparken presents Norwegian marine species, and the animals and fish live in unfiltered water drawn directly from the sea at a depth of 45 m. The water quality always reflects the real conditions in the ocean at any given moment. The main Atlantic tank has no roof and is therefore illuminated by constantly changing natural daylight.

The aquarium grounds cover 30,000 m², while the indoor facilities span approximately 8000 m², making Atlanterhavsparken Norway’s largest aquarium complex. The main aquarium tank is 36 m long and 17 m wide, containing 4 million liters of unfiltered seawater. The panoramic viewing window is made of acrylic, approximately 26–26.5 cm thick and weighing around 30 tons. The panoramic opening itself measures 18 m in width and 4 m in height.

One of the most distinctive experiences is fish feeding directly from the divers’ hands.

More than 5,000 fish representing many different species live permanently in the aquarium. The complex also includes the largest outdoor seal pool in Europe, with direct exchange of seawater. In the touch pool, visitors can handle various marine creatures—such as sea cucumbers, crabs, starfish, sea urchins, and shells—and can also take part in crab fishing.

Bergen Aquarium — Bergen

Akvariet i Bergen is the oldest aquarium in Norway and at the same time the most visited in the country. Its concept is based on the idea that visitors can experience a journey through the North Sea, tropical oceans, and polar regions within a single hour.

The aquarium is not the largest, yet its total area reaches approximately 4,000 m². It is located about a 20-minute walk from Bryggen and the Fish Market. Situated right in the city center, directly on the fjord’s edge, the aquarium is part of the real coastal landscape. The fjord lies immediately adjacent, making this one of the most distinctive aquarium locations in Europe.

The aquarium is home to more than 200 species, displayed across 60 aquariums and one underwater tunnel. Tank volumes range from 500 to 150,000 liters.

One of the aquarium’s biggest family attractions is its penguin colony.
The sea lion show is not a circus performance, but a publicly demonstrated training session that serves as mental enrichment and enables daily health checks and veterinary care without stress.
For visitors with children, the touch pool is especially engaging, offering a safe way to encounter starfish and seashells up close.

Akvariet i Bergen is also the site of the first SuperDock prototype — a demonstration and research project. It proves that artificially designed underwater structures can not only exist, but also significantly enhance biodiversity in harbor areas. Urban ports, traditionally regarded as biologically inactive zones, can be transformed into functional marine habitats.
The structure provides shelter and living space for fish and other marine organisms. The aquarium allows visitors to observe how fish actively use this environment — for example, wrasse (leppefisk) seeking refuge from predators.
This underwater installation is referred to as “Norway’s first underwater fish hotel” — not for people, but as a new model of marine infrastructure, where ecology becomes an integral part of harbor design rather than an afterthought.

Lofoten Aquarium — Kabelvåg

The Lofoten Aquarium is focused on the Arctic and Lofoten marine ecosystem, with particular emphasis on species from the Barents Sea and the Norwegian Sea, as well as on Lofoten’s unique role in the globally significant migration of cod (skrei), which has shaped the region’s economy and culture for centuries.