The Barcelona Aquarium is located on Moll d'Espanya del Port Vell off the Ronda del Litoral in Barcelona, Catalonia, and directly on the waterfront. The aquarium opens at 9:30am all year round, but its closing times vary according to the seasons; check the website before planning your trip. Admission to the Barcelona Aquarium is 17€ ($24) for adults and 12 ($17) for children. Tickets are available for online purchase.
The Barcelona Aquarium opened in September of 1995, and has had over 14 million visitors since then. It contains 35 tanks that hold 11,000 animals of 450 different species. It is the top aquarium worldwide for the study of Mediterranean wildlife. Fourteen of its tanks are devoted to showcasing natural Mediterranean habitats such as the cave and crevice community and Neptune grass community.
There are 7 tanks devoted to coral reef and other tropical communities at the Barcelona Aquarium. You can also view their Miniacuaria, small, well-labeled tanks that allow you to see the finer details of complex aquatic communities that may go unnoticed in a larger tank. On the other hand, the Oceanarium is an enormous tank with an 80 meter clear glass walkway underneath it. You can view sharks, morays, and many species of fish as if you were walking on the ocean's floor.
The Barcelona Aquarium is devoted to educating the public on the wonders of the sea. It offers on and offsite school activities and all visitors to the aquarium can visit Explora!, an interactive space that allows you to look, listen, and feel different Mediterranean habitats.