Address: Moscow, VDNKh
Opening date: 2015 year
Coordinates: 55 ° 49'58.9 "N 37 ° 37'07.8" E
Content:
Popular entertainment for children and adults is officially called the Center for Marine Oceanography and Biology. This is a place where visitors can see a fascinating show of marine animals, look at underwater inhabitants from all over the world, swim with good-natured dolphins and visit the interactive exhibition "Jaws".
View of the Moskvarium facade
How the aquarium was created
Although the capital is called the port of the five seas, the metropolis is located far from the sea coast. For a long time, young Muscovites could see oceanariums and dolphinariums only during their holidays at domestic and foreign sea resorts.
In 2013, when the city's program for the improvement of VDNKh was launched, it was decided to build a large oceanarium on the territory of the exhibition center. The construction of the Moskvarium took two years, and in the summer of 2015 it became available to Muscovites and tourists.
The Metropolitan Aquarium is considered one of the largest in Europe. On an area of 53 thousand square meters. m, several aquariums and pools have been installed, the volume of which is 25 million liters of water. They contain over 12 thousand marine animals and fish. A closed water supply and microclimate system has been created inside the premises, and to maintain the salinity of the water, the employees of the aquarium use 80 tons of sea salt every month.
The auditorium in the Moskvarium
Wonders of the underwater world
The aquarium, one of the most visited areas of the aquarium, allows you to observe fish and marine animals from different parts of the world. There are 80 aquariums of different sizes with fresh and salt water, in which more than 600 species of exotic fish live.
In the Aquarium, you can see the relict nautilus, cayman crocodile, walruses, Baikal seals, South American sea lions, sharks, octopuses, moray eels, starfish, turtles, jellyfish and crustaceans. In addition to fish and marine animals, freshwater and marine plants, colorful corals and sea anemones are placed in containers with water.
The exposition stretches for 600 m, and children have the opportunity to see marine life at arm's length. Near each aquarium there are multimedia displays with information about all animals and plants. A real encyclopedia of the World Ocean!
It is very interesting to watch the feeding of the inhabitants of the Aquarium. Many visitors gather on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 2 pm to see sharks and shark rays feeding. Large predators take food from divers' hands.
Freshwater predatory fish arapaima are fed on Tuesday and Thursday at 14:00. To look at the formidable inhabitants of the Amazon, you need to come to the "Flooded Forest" of the Aquarium. Like sharks, arapaims deftly snatch food from divers' hands.
Seals receive their food from Tuesday to Sunday. During lunch, these cute animals follow the commands of the trainers and amuse the audience. Funny hedgehog fish Diodons and ball-like arotrons are fed on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 13:00. It is noteworthy that all visitors to the Aquarium can watch the feeding of marine life for free.
Interactive zone
Sea animals show
One of the most popular shows for children in Moscow is shown every day in the Moskvarium. Black Sea bottlenose dolphins, beluga whales and predatory black-and-white killer whales take part in the circus musical. A fascinating show lasts 1 hour and 20 minutes and runs without intermission.
Together with dolphins
One of the parts of the oceanarium is occupied by the modern Swimming Center with Dolphins. It consists of seven swimming pools, where anyone can have a good time in the company of funny animals. You can swim alone or with friends in the pool, where there are one or two dolphins. Children from 3 to 8 years old, as well as adults who are insecure in the water, are accompanied by a trainer in the pool.
Shark in Moskvarium
Exhibition
Children are always interested in the large abode of the oceans - sharks. Those wishing to learn more about marine predators love to go to the interactive exhibition Jaws, which tells about the world of sharks and other predators of the sea. Exhibition halls occupy 500 sq. m and are located on the 2nd level of the oceanarium. They feature large interactive projections, exhibits from the Paleozoic era and a virtual reality attraction.
Once here, visitors "find themselves" on the seabed and have the opportunity to see the bloodthirsty sharks in all details and follow their behavior. Children are greatly impressed by the jaw of the megalodon, an extinct species of shark that inhabited the oceans of the Earth about two million years ago. The exhibit with giant teeth reaches a height of 3 m.
Excursions, games and workshops
You can travel around the Aquarium with small children on your own, but for schoolchildren it is better to order an educational excursion. The Moskvarium staff are experienced guides. They are able to adapt to the age of the listeners and their interests, so that children are never bored!
Crocodile in Moskvarium
Tours around the Aquarium are conducted for small groups of up to 3 people, as well as for entire school classes. They start every hour and last 50 minutes. During the "underwater" trip, children will learn about the fish of the tropical seas, underwater inhabitants of the polar latitudes, sturgeon fish, seahorses and crabs. All excursions are paid separately from entrance tickets.
In addition to excursions, lectures, quest games, educational programs and master classes are held in the aquarium every day from 10.00 to 18.00. Children from 5 to 7 years old attend the "Sea for Kids" classes, elementary school students get acquainted with the secrets of the World Ocean, and high school students are told about the mysteries of marine biology, sea monsters, and also read author's lectures about marine mammals.
Like the lecture halls, the aquarium has quests for children of all ages. A team game dedicated to the secret of the pirate treasure is being played with kids 4-7 years old. For older children, quests have been created, during which they meet with a mysterious pirate, complete many tasks and get to know the inhabitants of the Aquarium.
Master classes are organized for children over 5 years old. Experienced teachers teach them how to make small paintings out of wool and colored sand, create a mini greenhouse, paint T-shirts and baseball caps, arrange photo frames and make bright toys.
Souvenir for a child
It will be interesting for preschoolers to get a set of cognitive games, which are called "magic suitcase" here. This is a nice reminder to visit the aquarium. The suitcase contains a colorfully decorated traveller's passport, children's coloring pages, several games, stickers and items for children's creativity.
Useful information for visitors
The Oceanarium is open every day from 10.00 to 22.00. The last visitors to the Aquarium are allowed one hour before closing.
Coral fish
To visit the aquarium, tickets are sold for adults and children from 3 to 12 years old. Children under 3 years old are admitted to the Moskvarium free of charge, and children under 14 years old can only be accompanied by adults. Families with a child can benefit from discounted rates. Birthday people who came to the Water Show or the Aquarium on their birthday receive a 15% discount on the ticket.
Tickets are bought at the box office and on the website of the aquarium. You cannot book tickets in advance. Separate tickets must be purchased for the Aquarium, Swimming Center and Water Show.
There are no luggage storage facilities in the aquarium. Unnecessary items can be left in the wardrobe along with outerwear. A comfortable environment for the movement of adults and children in wheelchairs has been created inside the premises.
In the aquarium, it is allowed to photograph and shoot amateur videos, including using a tripod. In the Aquarium area, amateur photographers are asked not to use a flash.It is strictly forbidden to feed animals and fish, as well as throw foreign objects or food into the water.
How to get there
The Oceanarium is located on the territory of VDNKh, next to the Cosmos pavilion. It is easy to walk from the Vystavochny Tsentr monorail station or VDNKh metro station to the Moskvarium. Those traveling with small children can drive up to the desired place on the routes that run through the territory of VDNKh.
