Aquário de Ubatuba

What Aquário de Ubatuba does

Aquário de Ubatuba is a privately held marine aquarium and edutainment attraction located in Ubatuba, São Paulo, Brazil. Founded in 1996 by oceanographer Hugo Gallo Neto, it operates as Brazil's first private aquarium and houses approximately 700 animals across roughly 130 species in 21 enclosures, including sharks, penguins, seahorses, jellyfish, rays, and reptiles. The core offering combines recreational visitation with an environmental education program that has reached over 3 million visitors cumulatively and subsidizes more than 10,000 public school children annually through teacher-training partnerships.

The company monetizes through three primary streams: ticket sales at the physical venue (open daily 09:00-22:00), the Aqualoja e-commerce merchandise store selling branded apparel, accessories, toys, and home goods priced from R$29 to R$219, and educational programs delivered to schools and conservation partners. It also operates a wholly-owned Terramare subsidiary that commercializes aquarium design and construction capabilities, and runs the affiliated Instituto Argonauta NGO focused on marine conservation and animal rescue. Underlying technology includes the 2017-launched Tour Virtual multilingual mobile app and a 2025 environmental DNA (eDNA) research partnership with Bio Bureau Biotecnologia for non-invasive species monitoring, alongside a newly inaugurated Environmental Education Space at the University of São Paulo's CEBIMar marine biology center.

The go-to-market model is direct-to-consumer via a single-site retail attraction with an integrated e-commerce channel, complemented by community-led education (free public school visits contingent on teacher training) and event-driven marketing through the annual Semana do Mar (Sea Week). Customers are segmented primarily into tourists and families (regional and international visitors to the São Paulo coast) and educational institutions (public and private schools); conservation partners and research institutions form a tertiary segment. The business is founder-controlled (legal entity Argonauta Comércio e Serviços Oceanográficos Ltda., CNPJ 00.643.743/0001-80), operates without external institutional capital, and reported between 51 and 100 employees.

Name

Aquário de Ubatuba

Legal name

Argonauta Comércio e Serviços Oceanográficos Ltda.

Website

https://aquariodeubatuba.com.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Aquário de Ubatuba is Brazil's first private aquarium, founded in 1996 in Ubatuba, São Paulo. It operates a 21-enclosure marine attraction with 700+ animals across 130 species, serving tourists, families, and public schools through ticket sales, an e-commerce merchandise store, and environmental education programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aquarium and Marine Wildlife Attraction

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections) (THAJADAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Zoo & Aquarium Parks (Ticketed Wildlife Attractions) (THAJAEAE), Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks) (THAAAIAH), Aquaculture Health, Biosecurity & Veterinary Services (AFAEAAAK)

Keywords

• Marine aquarium exhibits
• Environmental education programs
• Marine wildlife attractions
• Aquatic conservation services
• Marine biodiversity education

Headquarters

HQ city

Ubatuba

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Admission fees for aquarium visitation. Open daily from 09:00 to 22:00 with varying operational hours seasonally.
2. Merchandise (Aqualoja): E-commerce store selling branded merchandise including clothing (t-shirts, baby look, hoodies), accessories (hats, bags, bracelets, earrings, necklaces), toys (plush toys, puzzles, games), home items (mugs, kitchenware, decorations, thermal bottles), books and stationery. Offers free shipping over R$299.90, payment in 12 installments, 5% PIX discount, 30-day exchanges.
3. Educational Programs: Revenue from school group bookings, teacher training programs, and educational partnerships. Free admission provided to public school students upon teacher completion of training.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Aquário de Ubatuba operates a public marine aquarium in Ubatuba, São Paulo, Brazil, featuring 21 enclosures with over 700 animals of approximately 130 species including sharks, penguins, seahorses, jellyfish, rays, and reptiles. The aquarium offers daily ticketed visitation combined with environmental education programs, school group bookings with subsidized/free admissions for public school students, teacher training, and animal rescue services. Supporting revenue comes from Aqualoja, an e-commerce merchandise store selling branded apparel, accessories, toys, home goods, and books with marine themes.

Product overview

Aquário de Ubatuba operates as a marine aquarium attraction offering edutainment experiences focused on marine biodiversity education and conservation. The facility houses 21 enclosures with over 700 animals across approximately 130 species. The core offering includes interactive attractions such as the Ocean Tank, Contact Tank, Amazonian Tank, Jellyfish exhibit, Seahorse exhibit, Penguin exhibit, Reptiles exhibit, and Marine Life Museum. Supporting offerings include Aqualoja, an e-commerce merchandise store selling branded apparel, accessories, toys, home goods, and books featuring marine themes. The institution also provides environmental education programs, school visit subsidies, teacher training, animal rescue services, and hosts conservation campaigns. A mobile Tour Virtual app was launched in April 2017 providing interactive visitor information in Portuguese, English, and Spanish.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Aqualoja: E-commerce merchandise store selling aquarium-themed products including clothing, accessories, toys, books, and home goods with ocean and marine life motifs.

Products and services

• Aquarium Admission Tickets Daily admission tickets for visiting the aquarium facility with access to 21 enclosures showcasing marine biodiversity. Targeted at tourists, families, and individual visitors to Ubatuba.
• Aqualoja Online Store Online retail store selling aquarium-branded merchandise including clothing, accessories, toys, home goods, and books with marine life themes, targeting aquarium visitors and marine life enthusiasts across Brazil.
• School Group Educational Programs Group bookings for educational visits to the aquarium, including free teacher training and subsidized/free admission for public school students. Targeted at primary and secondary schools seeking environmental education experiences.
• Tour Virtual Mobile App Interactive mobile application for aquarium visitors providing species information, habitat details, and educational content during the visit. Available in Portuguese, English, and Spanish.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3+ million visitors over 29 years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CEBIMar/USP (Centro de Biologia Marinha da Universidade de São Paulo)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Technical-scientific partnership for new Environmental Education Space (12x12 meters) providing immersive educational experience with observation tanks, aquariums, plankton station, and educational materials about coastal and marine ecosystem research and conservation.
• Bio Bureau Biotecnologia LTDAcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 October 2025Environmental DNA (eDNA) research partnership for one-year species monitoring study. Technology allows species identification through water samples without capture, providing precise biodiversity portraits. First results expected within three months.
• Instituto ArgonautacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1998Non-profit NGO founded by Aquário de Ubatuba directors in 1998. Focused on coastal and marine conservation, marine fauna rescue and rehabilitation, environmental education, and solid waste management in marine environments. Publishes beach litter bulletins for North Coast municipalities.
• Terramare Consultoria, Projeto e Construção de Aquários LtdacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompany created by Aquário de Ubatuba specializing in aquarium design and construction. Responsible for architectural and technical projects including water filtration and circulation systems. Developed CEBIMar/USP environmental education space.
• Projeto TAMARminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing conservation partnership for sea turtle protection and marine conservation. Joint beach cleanup activities and environmental campaigns.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• AquaRio: Brazil's largest marine aquarium, located in Rio de Janeiro. Directly comparable as a Brazilian for-profit public aquarium offering similar marine exhibits, edutainment, and educational programs, but at a significantly larger scale in a major urban tourism market.
• Aquário de São Paulo: Major public aquarium in São Paulo city showcasing diverse species with a strong conservation and education mandate. Comparable as a Brazilian private aquarium targeting families and school groups with similar edutainment positioning.
• Oceanogràfic Valencia: Europe's largest aquarium, part of the City of Arts and Sciences complex in Valencia. Comparable as a flagship marine biodiversity attraction with strong research, conservation, and educational programming.
• Oceanário de Lisboa: Large public aquarium in Lisbon, Portugal, focused on marine biodiversity and ocean conservation. Comparable in mission, exhibit style, and educational programming, and serves Lusophone and South American tourism audiences with similar edutainment model.
• Nausicaá Centre National de la Mer: Large public aquarium in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France, with marine conservation and education as core mission. Comparable as a publicly oriented aquarium combining exhibits, citizen-science engagement, and environmental advocacy.

Broad incumbents

• SEA LIFE (Merlin Entertainments): Global chain of aquariums operating across multiple countries under Merlin Entertainments. Comparable as a ticketed aquarium experience targeting families and tourists, but operates a multi-site, branded portfolio model rather than a single flagship site.
• Monterey Bay Aquarium: Iconic US nonprofit aquarium with global brand recognition in marine conservation and education. Comparable in mission and edutainment depth, and a benchmark for integrating research, conservation NGO work, and visitor experience.
• Georgia Aquarium: One of the world's largest aquariums in Atlanta, with broad marine collections and large-scale visitor operations. Comparable as a major ticketed aquarium operator, though at materially larger scale and with broader species portfolio.

Others

• Instituto Argonauta: Brazilian marine conservation NGO founded by Aquário de Ubatuba's leadership. Ecosystem-adjacent partner doing marine rescue, rehabilitation, and beach cleanup along the São Paulo North Coast, with overlapping mission and operational team.
• Projeto TAMAR: Long-standing Brazilian sea turtle conservation program and existing Aquário de Ubatuba partner. Ecosystem-adjacent peer in marine conservation, education, and public engagement along the Brazilian coast.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/aquaubatuba
• Instagraminstagram.com/aquariodeubatubaoficial
• Xx.com/AquarioUbatuba

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Aquário de Ubatuba