Océanopolis, the marine science discovery park, is a museum space entirely devoted to the marine world, which makes up 75% of the planet's surface!
Don't miss this fabulous attraction if you're passing through Brest, at the far end of Brittany: on a visit of 3 hours or more, you can discover 3 very different worlds, polar, tropical and temperate, and see 1,000 animal species, represented by some 10,000 individuals in 68 aquariums and ponds!
To begin with, head to the polar marine world: here, you'll find penguins, seals, giant crabs and anemones, from the Arctic and the Antarctic, two worlds that are both similar and very different. Seals swim around an iceberg or rest on the ice. The giant crabs come from Japan, while the anemones and starfish are of an impressive size. Be amazed as you come face to face with a naturalised polar bear or an elephant seal!
The tropical department is the realm of sharks, the real lords of the place, multi-coloured fish and corals. Six different species live alongside rays and groupers. Sixty species of coral inhabit their own dedicated aquarium, illustrating the marine biodiversity of New Caledonia and the Australian coral reef. Stop in the tropical greenhouse, and discover the mangrove and the plant species that thrive in a wet environment.
Then it's back to our local area, in the temperate pavilion: this is dedicated to the treasures of Brittany and its ecosystems. Seals of the Iroise Sea, algae, jellyfish, shrimp, life to the rhythm of the tides...
To conclude their tour of Océanopolis, visitors can venture onto the otter trail and admire otters from Europe and the Pacific.
