Gdynia Aquarium

The Gdynia Aquarium, operating since 1971, is housed in a modernist building from 1938, located on the Southern Pier in Gdynia. It was built to showcase the fauna and flora of aquatic and semi-aquatic environments. The facility is divided into seven thematic halls, including sections dedicated to the Baltic Sea, coral reefs, the Amazon, and animals living at the water-land interface. The Aquarium features 68 tanks inhabited by over 1,500 organisms from about 250 species, with a total water volume exceeding 140 tons. The history of the Aquarium dates back to the 1920s, when the Marine Fisheries Laboratory was established in Hel and began collecting natural specimens. The laboratory evolved into the Marine Station, and after relocating to Gdynia in 1938, the building was adapted for museum purposes. After the war, reconstruction began, and in 1971, the Oceanographic Museum was opened. In 2003, it was renamed the Gdynia Aquarium, and since 2005, the facility has held the status of a zoological garden. The Gdynia Aquarium is one of the most frequently visited tourist attractions in the region, attracting over 400,000 visitors annually. Its mission extends beyond displaying aquatic organisms to include raising environmental awareness and education. It offers educational programs for various age groups, tailored to the needs of people with disabilities, and organizes special events to build a community interested in the protection of aquatic environments. In 2019, the Gdynia Aquarium received EU funding for expansion, which by 2021 will add new tanks and a modern educational space. In 2015, the Aquarium introduced the concept of Ocean Literacy in Poland and has been enhancing the accessibility of its exhibits for international visitors, including through an electronic guide available in three languages. The facility actively uses social media to promote issues related to aquatic environments.