L'Aquàrium de Barcelona

What L'Aquàrium de Barcelona does

L'Aquàrium de Barcelona is a marine aquarium and visitor attraction located at Moll d'Espanya del Port Vell in Barcelona, Spain. Founded in 1995 and operated by Aspro Ocio S.A.U. (a private company within the Aspro Parks Group, with the portal owned by ASPRO PARKS S.L.U.), the facility describes itself as the world's largest Mediterranean-themed aquarium. Its physical infrastructure comprises approximately 6 million liters of water across multiple tanks, including the Oceanarium (the central exhibit at ~4 million liters and 5 meters depth) and the Planeta Aqua hall, housing nearly 11,000 organisms from approximately 450 Mediterranean and tropical species, plus a 24-individual Humboldt penguin colony. Operational technology includes a water filtration system cycling 6 million liters every 90 minutes, over 150 distinct daily animal feed menus, and sustainable infrastructure (photovoltaic installation covering up to 15% of consumption, aerothermal systems, variable flow pumps, LED technology) yielding over 21% energy savings. A dedicated Marine Conservation Laboratory (Laboratori de la Mar) is integrated into the visitor route for public-facing species breeding and research, and the facility is certified as a Mediterranean Marine Conservation Centre (CCMM).

The business operates a direct-to-consumer model selling one-time admission tickets (adult €28 online / €30 at box office; reduced rates for children, seniors, and persons with disabilities), family and friends packs, premium experiences (shark cage diving €175, certified shark dive €300, "sleeping with sharks" overnight €90, marriage proposals, aquarist-for-a-day €65, Premium Pass guided tours €60), annual membership ("Carnet de soci"), themed birthday parties for children aged 3–12 (€30–€35 per child), school and educational group programs (minimum 15 participants), corporate venue hire of the Planeta Aqua hall (150 seated / 250 cocktail) and 600 m² terrace (capacity 450), and on-site retail. Distribution is fully owned — own online ticketing platform (tickets.aquariumbcn.com) and physical box office at the venue, with a dedicated reservations department handling groups, corporate, and educational bookings by phone and email. The customer base is highly diversified across domestic and international tourists, families with children, school groups, corporate event clients, and annual members; the facility operates 365 days per year and is presented in Catalan, Spanish, English, and French.

Strategic positioning combines a 30+ year heritage with active modern investment, including the May 2026 launch of the immersive digital welcome experience "The Underwater City" featuring Gaudí-inspired visuals and the 2025 30th anniversary "Solidary Bath" event. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. The business sits within the Aspro Parks Group's leisure portfolio, with no third-party investment, private equity, or public listing identified for the operating entity.

Name

L'Aquàrium de Barcelona

Legal name

ASPRO PARKS S.L.U.

Website

https://aquariumbcn.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

L'Aquàrium de Barcelona operates the world's largest Mediterranean-themed aquarium at Port Vell, serving tourists, families, school groups, and corporate clients across ticket sales, premium shark experiences, memberships, events, and education programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Aquarium Attractions

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130), Museums (712110)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks) (THAAAIAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Whale Watching & Marine Mammal Tours (THAAAIAC)

Keywords

• Marine aquarium exhibits
• Animal encounter experiences
• Marine conservation education
• Corporate event venues
• School educational programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Madrid

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. General admission tickets: One-time day tickets for general aquarium entry, sold online and at the box office. Children pay from age 3. Discounts available for children, seniors (65+), and people with disabilities.
2. Premium experiences and activities: Paid add-on experiences including shark cage diving, shark diving (for certified divers), sleeping with sharks (overnight for children), shark encounters, marriage proposals underwater, Premium Pass guided tours, birthday parties, aquarist-for-a-day programs, and summer camp activities. Each experience has a separate price point.
3. Membership / Carnet de soci: Annual membership program offering benefits such as 10% discounts on birthday parties, sleeping with sharks (€81 instead of €90), and other member-only promotions.
4. Corporate events and venue rental: Evening and private venue hire of Planeta Aqua hall and terrace for gala dinners, corporate events, cocktail receptions, presentations, and product launches. Capacity up to 450 people. Underwater product presentation option available.
5. Birthday party packages: Themed birthday party packages for children aged 3-12, including activities, food, cake, invitations, and admission. Prices vary by day of week.
6. School and educational group programs: Structured educational visits and workshops for school groups (minimum 15 people). Includes age-appropriate experimental workshops, guided tours, and overnight programs such as 'Sleeping with sharks'. Teacher guides and educational resources provided.
7. Retail / gift shop: On-site gift shop offering aquarium merchandise. Members receive 10% discount on shop products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

L'Aquàrium de Barcelona operates a public marine aquarium at Port Vell in Barcelona, displaying Mediterranean and tropical marine life across themed zones (Oceanarium, Planeta Aqua, Tropical Seas, Explora children's zone). It sells general admission tickets, premium animal-encounter experiences (shark cage diving, certified shark diving, sleeping with sharks), educational programs for school groups, corporate event venue hire in the Planeta Aqua hall and terrace, themed children's birthday parties, and an annual membership program, supported by an on-site gift shop.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Planeta Aqua: Event venue within the aquarium featuring penguins, rays, piranhas and tropical fish; suitable for evening celebrations, gala dinners, corporate dinners, cocktail receptions with capacity for 150 diners or 250 for cocktails.
• Terraza
• Oceanari
• Centre de Conservació Marina del Mediterrani (CCMM)
• Laboratori de la Mar
• Feeding Times
• Premium Pass

Products and services

• General admission tickets Day-pass access to the aquarium at Port Vell, Barcelona, for individual visitors and families visiting Mediterranean and tropical marine exhibits. Sold online and at the box office; children from age 3 pay, seniors 65+ receive discounts, and people with disabilities pay a reduced rate (companion free if disability degree ≥65%).
• Shark cage diving experience Two-hour shark cage diving experience for ages 8 and above, no diving certification required. Priced at €175 per person and includes an instructor, a technical diving course, equipment, observation from an underwater platform, and free admission for one accompanying person.
• Certified shark dive experience Two-hour scuba dive in the Oceanarium for certified divers aged 10 and over, with a maximum of 4 participants per session. Priced at €300 per person and includes a dive with instructor, scuba equipment, breakfast, one-day diving insurance, and free admission for the participant plus two companions.
• Sleeping with sharks (overnight experience) Overnight aquarium experience for children aged 8–12, held on Fridays from 19:30h to 10:00h, with a minimum of 10 participants. Priced at €90 per child (€81 for members) and includes two counselors, dinner, breakfast, a guided tour, the "Shark Investigators" night game, technical area tour, and insurance.
• Themed birthday party packages 2.5-hour themed pirate-adventure birthday party for children aged 3–12 at the aquarium. Priced at €30 per child Monday–Thursday and €35 per child Friday–Sunday, including invitations, counselors, photo, adventure game, menu, cake, postcard, gift, two free adult tickets, 20% discount on additional adult tickets, and 10% shop discount.
• Aquarist for a Day program Saturday program (9:30h–15:30h) for children aged 8–14 to work alongside aquarium educators and biologists. Priced at €65 per participant and includes lunch at the cafeteria (pasta with Bolognese sauce and chicken fingers, ice cream), a certificate, and a souvenir photo.
• Premium Pass guided tour Exclusive approximately 1.5-hour personalized guided visit for groups of 1–12 (minimum 4 persons, prior reservation required). Priced at €60 per person, children under 5 free; includes guided tour of the main exhibit and technical area, access to Planeta Aqua and Explora! children's zone, and a souvenir photograph.
• Annual membership (Carnet de soci) Annual subscription program (Carnet de soci) providing members with ongoing benefits such as 10% discounts on birthday parties, reduced sleeping-with-sharks rate of €81 instead of €90, 10% off gift shop purchases, and other member-only promotions.
• Corporate event venue hire (Planeta Aqua & Terrace) Evening and private hire of the Planeta Aqua hall (capacity up to 150 seated / 250 cocktail) and adjoining 600 m² terrace (up to 450 people) for corporate gala dinners, cocktail receptions, presentations, and product launches. The two spaces can be combined and offer an underwater product-presentation option.
• School and educational group programs Structured age-appropriate educational visits and workshops for school groups (minimum 15 people) at infant, primary, and secondary levels, plus summer-camp and overnight programs such as "Sleeping with sharks." Includes guided tours, experimental activities, teacher guides, and educational resources, booked through the reservations department.
• Underwater marriage proposals Bespoke underwater marriage-proposal experience at the aquarium, organized through the commercial booking channel ([email protected] / +34 93 221 74 74).
• On-site gift shop On-site retail store selling aquarium-branded merchandise and gifts to visitors. Members of the Carnet de soci receive a 10% discount on shop purchases.

Quantifiable outcome

• 6 million liters of water filtered every 90 minutes
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Anèl·lides – Serveis ambientals marinscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 October 2025Collaboration on beach cleanup events (Sant Sebastià Beach, October 2025) and the 'Save the SeaHorse' project focused on research, conservation, and awareness of seahorse populations along the Catalan coast. Anèl·lides contributes marine environmental expertise; L'Aquàrium contributes scientific and educational outreach. Seahorses are key indicators of coastal marine ecosystem health.
• Fundació BCN Port InnovationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 August 2024Collaboration on the BCN Sotamar project, presented together with America's Cup Event Barcelona. The project involves marine research and conservation activities in the waters around Barcelona, aligning with the America's Cup sailing event.
• America's Cup Event BarcelonaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 August 2024Collaboration on the BCN Sotamar project alongside Fundació BCN Port Innovation. The project was presented at L'Aquàrium de Barcelona and focuses on marine research and coastal conservation connected to the America's Cup sailing event in Barcelona.
• Barcelona City Council (Ajuntament de Barcelona)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on a beach cleanup event at Sant Sebastià Beach on October 2, 2025, together with Anèl·lides. The initiative was part of L'Aquàrium de Barcelona's ongoing commitment to marine conservation and public awareness about protecting oceans.
• AIZA (Associació Ibèrica de Zoos i Aquaris / Iberian Association of Zoos and Aquariums)coreOthersMember of AIZA, the Iberian Association of Zoos and Aquariums. L'Aquàrium participates in AIZA conservation commitments including the pledge to conserve 50 threatened species. AIZA logo displayed on the aquarium's website footer.
• WAZA (World Association of Zoos and Aquariums)coreOthersMember of WAZA, the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums. WAZA logo displayed on the aquarium's website footer as part of the membership section.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Georgia Aquarium: Georgia Aquarium is one of the world's largest aquariums, offering premium dive experiences, group bookings, and educational programming at a scale and visitor-experience sophistication that benchmarks L'Aquàrium's premium offerings.
• SEA LIFE (Merlin Entertainments): SEA LIFE is a global chain of aquariums operated by Merlin Entertainments, providing a broad incumbent benchmark on visitor experience design, pricing, and educational programming across multiple geographies.
• Monterey Bay Aquarium: Monterey Bay Aquarium is a leading marine conservation-focused public aquarium with strong educational programming, premium experiences, and sustainability branding that mirror L'Aquàrium's CCMM designation approach.

Direct peers

• Nausicaá (Boulogne-sur-Mer, France): Nausicaá is a major public marine center on the French coast offering shark exhibits, immersive experiences, and extensive educational programming, making it a directly comparable European public aquarium operator.
• Acquario di Genova: Acquario di Genova is one of the largest aquariums in Italy, located in a Mediterranean port city, offering marine exhibits, school programs, and ticketed experiences comparable to L'Aquàrium de Barcelona's model.
• Oceanogràfic (Valencia): Oceanogràfic in Valencia is the largest aquarium in Europe and the most direct Spanish peer, operating marine exhibits at a similar scale with comparable shark and Mediterranean exhibits, premium experiences, and school programs.
• Oceanário de Lisboa: Oceanário de Lisboa is a large public oceanarium in Lisbon with a single massive central tank and similar Mediterranean/Atlantic marine exhibits, ecosystem storytelling, and educational programming targeting families and tourists.
• Loro Parque (Tenerife): Loro Parque is a major Spanish zoological and marine park in the Canary Islands offering aquarium experiences, dolphinariums, and premium animal encounters on a similar visitor-experience and educational model.

Regional players

• Zoomarine (Portugal): Zoomarine operates a marine-themed park on the Iberian Peninsula combining aquarium exhibits with dolphin interactions and family attractions, comparable to L'Aquàrium's family and school programming.

Emerging players

• Marineland Antibes: Marineland Antibes is a French marine park currently undergoing transition; historically offered dolphin, shark, and aquarium experiences in the Western Mediterranean market, providing a regional comparison for marine visitor attractions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/l'aqu%C3%A0rium-de-barcelona

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 L'Aquàrium de Barcelona