Cretaquarium

A dive in the Mediterranean marine world awaits you in the Cretaquarium. come and meet more than 2500 individuals of fish and invertebrates, approximately 200 Mediterranean species, in numerous tanks of varying size that represent underwater Cretan landscapes such as the unique rock formations of Matala or the sea beds of Vai. 

From the big hunter sharks to the tiny seahorses, the sensational jellyfish and the colorful rainbow wrasse, the variety of Mediterranean marine species is pronounced with background the various representations of their natural biotopes.

Discover the connection between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea with its tropical species.

Explore the various touch screen information points and learn more about the life of our Mediterranean inhabitants.  Explore the interior of our tanks and obtain a different viewpoint through our underwater remote-control cameras.

Some very small organisms, such as larvae, phytoplankton, zooplankton, eggs, are visible by means of gigantic screens that the visitor will be able to manipulate without difficulty.

The Cretaquarium, part of Thalassocosmos, one of the biggest building complexes in the  Mediterranean devoted to marine science, technology and recreation, belongs to the HellenicCenter for by reading research (HCMR).

The HCMR aquarium in Crete  is situated in the place now called Thalassocosmos, site of the HCMR marine science and aquaculture institutes, a meeting point where science, discovery and recreation are equally accessible. The aquarium has therefore been designed to serve the needs of a wide range of visitors and user groups

Inside the aquarium, there is a designated visitor capacity of 300. The aquarium is open every single day of the year, including public and religious holidays. Since the opening of the aquarium in December 2005, there have been more than 100,000 visitors.

Up to four thousand marine organisms will be introduced into the aquarium where they will spend their lives within specially designed and constructed tanks containing 1.6 million litres of seawater, and visible to the public through 300 m² of glass or transparent acrylic materials. Overall the building covers 5000 m², including the backstage and technical support areas.