Aquário de São Paulo

What Aquário de São Paulo does

Aquário de São Paulo is a private for-profit themed aquarium and leisure attraction operating since 2006 in the Ipiranga neighborhood of São Paulo, Brazil. It was the first fully themed aquarium in Latin America and currently houses approximately 3,500 animals representing 250 species across thematic sectors including the Amazon, Pantanal, Indonesia, Australia, Patagonia, and a 1-million-liter saltwater shark tank. The core offering is admission-based visitor experience organized around themed attraction sectors and animal exhibits, supported by a multidisciplinary team of 40+ oceanographers, veterinarians, and biologists.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer go-to-market with monetization layered across seven streams: tiered admission tickets (adult promotional R$150 / full R$300, child R$120, senior/teacher/PCD R$100, Monday special R$120), on-site parking (R$60), two premium add-on attractions (Mermaid Dive R$20, Jurassic Aquarium R$15), three F&B outlets (self-service Fragata Restaurant, Aquário Café, Pier 15 burger bar), the AquaKids Buffet birthday-party venue, dedicated Schools Department programs, and a corporate/excursion sales channel. The legal entity is EXPOAQUA - EXPOSIÇÃO DE AQUARIO DE SAO PAULO LTDA, and the institution holds an AVCB fire-safety certification valid through November 2028 plus a current municipal operating license.

Beyond paid experiences, Aquário de São Paulo maintains a five-front Conservation Program with eight institutional partners (including AMPA, Mantas do Brasil, Meros do Brasil, Instituto Tamanduá, SAVE Brasil, Seahorse Project RJ, Giant Otter Project, and Universidade de Mogi das Cruzes) covering ex-situ species management, research partnerships, conservation education, and sustainability. The Schools Department runs monthly environmental campaigns for a network of 16+ São Paulo private schools, and the company participates in industry associations ADIBRA, EARAZA, and ALPZA. Distribution is purely domestic, focused on the São Paulo metropolitan area, with all sales flowing through the company-owned e-commerce platform (lojadoaquariodesp.com.br), on-site box office, or direct sales channels (phone, WhatsApp, contact forms).

Name

Aquário de São Paulo

Legal name

EXPOAQUA - EXPOSIÇÃO DE AQUARIO DE SAO PAULO LTDA

Website

https://aquariodesp.com.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Aquário de São Paulo is a private themed aquarium in São Paulo, Brazil, operating since 2006 and housing ~3,500 animals across 250 species. It sells admission tickets, on-site dining, premium attractions, birthday parties, and school group visits to families, schools, and corporate groups in the São Paulo metro area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Aquarium & Themed Leisure Attraction

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Zoo & Aquarium Parks (Ticketed Wildlife Attractions) (THAJAEAE)

Keywords

• Themed aquarium exhibits
• Marine animal displays
• Environmental education programs
• Aquatic conservation programs
• Leisure attraction visits

Headquarters

HQ city

Ipiranga

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Sale of admission tickets to individual visitors and families, with tiered pricing for adults, children, seniors, PCD visitors, and teachers. Full-price and promotional rates available.
2. Food & Beverage: On-site dining via Fragata Restaurant (self-service), Aquário Café (snacks and drinks), and Pier 15 (burgers and quick meals). Revenue from on-site food and beverage consumption.
3. Parking: Official on-site parking sold exclusively at the venue for R$60 per vehicle.
4. Premium Attractions: Additional fee attractions including Mermaid Dive (R$20) and Jurassic Aquarium (R$15), sold at the venue.
5. Birthday Party Packages (AquaKids Buffet): Private themed birthday party bookings including exclusive space, guided tours, themed decoration, and catering. Booked via contact form, phone, or WhatsApp.
6. School Visit Programs: Educational school visits and campaigns coordinated through the dedicated Schools Department. Schools and NGOs book group visits via an online scheduling form.
7. Corporate & Excursion Group Bookings: Customized packages for companies and tour groups, with special rates and dedicated contact handled by the corporate/excursion department.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Aquário de São Paulo operates a themed public aquarium and leisure attraction in São Paulo, Brazil, displaying approximately 3,500 animals across 250 species in themed sectors representing ecosystems such as the Amazon, Pantanal, and Patagonia. The core offering is admission access to these exhibits via tiered ticketing (adult, child, senior, PCD, teacher, and Monday specials), complemented by on-site dining, the AquaKids birthday party venue, premium add-on attractions, and structured educational programs for schools.

Product overview

Aquário de São Paulo is a themed aquarium and zoo offering visitor experiences through themed attraction sectors, animal exhibits housing approximately 3,500 animals across 250 species, and related services. The core offering includes admission tickets with various categories (adult, child, senior, PCD, teacher, and Monday specials), supplemented by add-on experiences such as the Aqua Kids Buffet birthday party venue, Fragata Restaurant self-service dining, Aquário Café snacks, and Pier 15 burger bar. Additional paid attractions include Mermaid Dive and Jurassic Aquarium. The institution also provides educational programs for schools, conservation initiatives, and corporate/group tour packages. The aquarium is organized into themed sectors representing ecosystems including the Amazon, Pantanal, Australia, Indonesia, Patagonia, and marine environments featuring a 1-million-liter shark tank.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Aquakids Buffet: Birthday party celebration space within the aquarium featuring a themed environment for children's parties.
• Restaurante Fragata
• Aquário Café
• Pier 15

Products and services

• Aquarium Admission Tickets Tiered admission tickets providing full access to themed aquarium exhibits (including the Polar Bear exhibit) for individuals and families. Categories include Adult (R$150 promotional / R$300 full), Child ages 2-12 (R$120), Senior 60+ (R$100), PCD (R$100), Teacher (R$100), and Monday-only special (R$120).
• Themed Attraction Sectors Immersive themed exhibit sectors including Submarine, Shark Tank (1 million liters of saltwater), Airport entry, Carp Lake, Indonesia sector, Australia sector, Amazon Igarapé, Patagonia, Pantanal Alligator Lagoon, and Pirate Ship. Included with general admission.
• Animal Exhibits Housing approximately 3,500 animals representing 250 species, including mammals, fishes, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and invertebrates across themed sectors. Included with general admission.
• AquaKids Buffet Birthday Parties Private themed birthday party venue within the aquarium, offering themed decoration options, guided tours with educators, reserved private space, and catering services for children's celebrations.
• Fragata Restaurant Self-service restaurant with healthy food options including meats, salads, fish, and pasta. Open Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
• Aquário Café Café offering snacks, sweets, ice cream, coffees, juices, and soft drinks for quick refreshments during the visit.
• Pier 15 Snack bar serving freshly prepared burgers and quick meal options.
• Mermaid Dive Premium Attraction

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 3,500 animals representing 250 species from around the world
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers16 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

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Associação Amigos do Peixe-Boi (AMPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Friends of the Manatee Association (AMPA) to invest financial resources in research activities, environmental education, and conservation of the Amazonian manatee species (Trichechus inunguis). ASP funds blood analyses of animals to be reintroduced and monitoring belts for post-release tracking.
• Projeto Mantas do BrasilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the Mantas do Brasil Project to promote manta ray and ocean conservation through joint environmental education actions including theater, photo exhibitions, lectures, and films focusing on shark consumption and ocean pollution.
• Projeto Meros do BrasilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the Meros do Brasil Project for conservation of the critically endangered Atlantic Goliath Grouper through conservation education, research, technical species management exchanges, and collaboration in forming the species' first reproductive stock.
• Instituto TamanduácoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Instituto Tamanduá to generate knowledge about anteaters, particularly the northeastern Brazilian anteater population, supporting conservation strategies for the species and its mangrove habitat in the Parnaíba Delta region.
• SAVE BrasilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with SAVE Brasil (Society for the Conservation of Birds in Brazil) to encourage participation in the SAVE Friend Program for direct collaboration in Brazilian bird conservation, with member benefits and program promotion.
• Projeto Cavalos Marinhos RJcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Seahorse Project RJ to combine efforts for conservation of seahorses (Hippocampus reidi, H. erectus, and H. patagonicus) through joint environmental education, scientific dissemination, research, and collaboration with the Genetic Bank managed by the project.
• Projeto Ariranhas (Giant Otters Project)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the Giant Otter Project to facilitate clinical analyses of samples collected from animals in their natural environment, improving understanding of the health status of the giant otter population and enabling exchange of information and educational materials.
• Universidade de Mogi das Cruzes (UMC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical and scientific cooperation agreement with UMC for conservation of fish species in the upper Tietê River. UMC's Laboratory of Genetics of Aquatic Organisms and Aquaculture (LAGOAA) repopulates fish species in the Tietê, with joint environmental education initiatives and scientific dissemination activities.
• ONG Missão AmbientalminorOthersResponsible for executing composting of organic matter from animal maintenance areas. The resulting compost is reused as fertilizer in ASP's gardens, green areas, garden, and community initiatives, closing the natural nutrient cycle.
• Meiwa EmbalagensminorOthersPartner company responsible for collecting styrofoam packaging from the aquarium and sending it to a recycling facility for manufacture of construction products including frames, baseboards, decorative panels, and profiles.
• Cooperativas de reciclagem e catadores independentesminorOthersRecyclable waste collected by partner cooperatives or independent collectors from the neighborhood, ensuring return of materials to the production chain and supporting the circular economy. Recyclable materials from the animal welfare sector are reused for environmental enrichment and artistic department projects.
• ADIBRAminorOthersMember of ADIBRA (Associação Brasileira dos Parques e Empreendimentos de Lazer e Entretenimento), Brazil's association of leisure and entertainment parks and attractions.
• EARAZAminorOthersMember of EARAZA (European and Asian Association of Zoos and Aquariums), a regional association of zoos and aquariums.
• ALPZAminorOthersMember of ALPZA (Asociación Latinoamericana de Parques Zoológicos y Acuarios), the Latin American association of zoos and aquariums.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• National Aquarium: Major Baltimore-based aquarium operating across marine and terrestrial exhibits with strong educational programming. Comparable in mix of themed habitats, conservation positioning, and group-booking infrastructure.
• SeaWorld: US-based chain of marine-theme parks combining aquarium content with rides and shows. Comparable in aquatic-attraction core and multiple on-site monetization streams, though significantly larger scale.
• Georgia Aquarium: The largest aquarium in the Western Hemisphere, located in Atlanta. Comparable in collection size, conservation programming, and ability to attach premium F&B and event revenue to ticketed admission.
• Shedd Aquarium: Major Chicago aquarium with global marine and freshwater collection and conservation partnerships. Comparable in collection breadth and educational programming, with a similarly tourism-aligned audience.
• Ripley's Aquarium of Canada: Toronto-based aquarium and part of a multi-site aquarium chain. Comparable in ticketed admission model and themed-exhibit format, though with fewer regional/conservation education programs.
• Oceanogràfic: Europe's largest aquarium, part of the City of Arts and Sciences complex in Valencia. Comparable scale and thematic design, with broader institutional support and a larger attendance base.
• Monterey Bay Aquarium: Major US aquarium known for conservation research and educational programs. Similar in educational-programming focus and conservation-partnership depth, though with a more research-driven operating model.

Direct peers

• AquaRio: Brazil's largest aquarium in Rio de Janeiro, opened in 2016; uses a similar themed-habitat model with marine life exhibits, educational programming, and ticketed admission. Most directly comparable peer given shared geography, business model, and target audience.
• Oceanário de Lisboa: Lisbon-based thematic aquarium that pioneered habitat-based exhibit design. Closely comparable in concept (themed aquarium as primary format) and educational programming, though located in a different continent.

Regional players

• Mundo Marino: Argentina's largest marine park combining aquarium exhibits with dolphin and sea lion shows. South American regional peer with overlapping aquatic-attraction and ticketed-entertainment model, primarily serving the Buenos Aires market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/aquariosp
• Facebookfacebook.com/aquariodesp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aqu-rio-de-s-o-paulo

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 São Paulo