Aquarium Mare Nostrum

What Aquarium Mare Nostrum does

Aquarium Mare Nostrum, operating commercially as Planet Ocean Montpellier, is a single-site aquarium and planetarium attraction located within the Odysseum cultural and commercial complex in Montpellier, France. The venue offers an immersive exploration pathway combining marine biology exhibits, including a Carcharhinus plumbeus (sandbar shark) display, with a planetarium programming evening astronomy sessions. It serves a primarily consumer audience of families with children segmented by age band (mini-explorateurs under 4, junior explorers 5-12, and general explorers 13+), supplemented by school groups, organized leisure-center visits, and corporate or employee-committee bookings.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer commercial model. Core revenue streams are general-admission ticket sales (purchased online via tickets.planetoceanworld.fr or on-site), separately ticketed astronomy sessions (via a Secutix-powered portal), the on-site M\u00e9moires d'Explorateur retail boutique, and the Emeraude Caf\u00e9 food-and-beverage outlet. Marketing is delivered through a multi-channel mix spanning Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, email newsletter, and TripAdvisor, with a 2-hour average visit time recommendation and operations running daily 10h-19h with last admission at 17h30.

The company is privately held and operates as part of the Aspro Parks leisure-attraction network, with co-location partnerships with Klepierre (Odysseum) and the Montpellier metropolitan authority (Montpellier 3M), plus a Qualit'Tourisme certification through Tourisme Occitanie. Headcount is reported at 7 employees, and no revenue figure is publicly disclosed. The legal name on records is Planet Ocean Montpellier, with Aquarium Mare Nostrum listed as a prior trade name.

Name

Aquarium Mare Nostrum

Legal name

Planet Ocean Montpellier

Website

https://aquariummarenostrum.fr

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Aquarium Mare Nostrum (DBA Planet Ocean Montpellier) operates a single aquarium and planetarium attraction in Montpellier, France, serving families, school groups, and corporate clients through ticketed visits and on-site retail and dining.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aquarium and Planetarium Visitor Attractions

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAJAEAE

Zoo & Aquarium Parks (Ticketed Wildlife Attractions)

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Theme Parks, Water Parks & Family Entertainment Centers

Keywords

• Public aquarium attractions
• Marine life exhibits
• Planetarium astronomy sessions
• Family leisure entertainment
• Educational visitor attractions

Headquarters

HQ city

Montpellier

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. General Admission Tickets: Visitors pay for entry tickets to explore the aquarium and planetarium exhibits. Tickets can be purchased online or at the venue.
2. Astronomy Session Tickets: Separate ticketed evening astronomy events held at the planetarium facility
3. Retail (Mémoires d'Explorateur Boutique): On-site gift shop selling merchandise to visitors
4. Food & Beverage (Emeraude Café): On-site café serving food and beverages during operating hours

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Aquarium Mare Nostrum, operating as Planet Ocean Montpellier, runs a single-location public aquarium and planetarium visitor attraction in Montpellier, France. It sells timed admission tickets for self-guided visits through its marine life exhibits and immersive exploration trail, separate ticketed evening astronomy sessions at the planetarium, and provides on-site dining at Emeraude Café and merchandise at the Mémoires d'Explorateur boutique. The attraction also offers tailored group programs for school groups, leisure centers, and corporate/employee committees.

Product overview

Planet Ocean Montpellier is an aquarium and ocean exploration center offering a unified visitor experience. The core offering consists of immersive exploration pathways through marine environments, supplemented by astronomy sessions, dining facilities, and a retail boutique. The venue serves various visitor segments including families with young children (mini-explorateurs under 4, explorers juniors 5-12), general explorers (13+), school groups, and corporate clients through specialized programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• General Admission Tickets
• Séances d'Astronomie (Astronomy Sessions)
• Mémoires d'Explorateur Boutique
• Emeraude Café
• Group Visits and Educational Programs (Scolaires, Centres de loisirs, Groupes d'adultes)
• Corporate and Employee Committee Events (Professionnels & CE)

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 2 hours recommended visit time

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Aspro ParkscoreOthersPart of the Aspro Parks network, a major European operator of leisure and aquatics attractions. Affiliation provides brand credibility and network benefits.
• Montpellier 3M (Métropole de Montpellier)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Montpellier metropolitan authority. Odysseum location positioning indicates strong local government support and strategic alignment.
• Tourisme OccitanieminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional tourism promotion partnership with Qualité Tourisme Occitanie certification, supporting regional tourism marketing initiatives.
• Odysseum (Klepierre)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocated within the Odysseum cultural and commercial complex managed by Klepierre, a major European shopping center operator. Strategic co-location partnership.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Nausicaá: Large public aquarium in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France, focused on marine life education and ocean conservation. Direct competitor for French aquarium visitors and a benchmark for planet ocean Montpellier's exhibit programming.
• Aquarium de Paris: Major aquarium located in the Trocadéro gardens in Paris. Comparable as a French ticketed aquarium serving families, school groups, and tourists with similar revenue mix of admissions and on-site retail.
• Oceanogràfic: Largest aquarium in Europe, located within the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia, Spain. Comparable as a large-scale European aquarium destination with marine exhibits and educational programming for families.
• Océanopolis: Aquarium and ocean discovery park in Brest, France, with similar family and school group positioning. Comparable in combining marine exhibits with educational experiences for regional French audiences.
• Cité de la Mer: Marine-themed attraction in Cherbourg, France, featuring aquariums and underwater exhibits. Directly comparable as a French regional ticketed attraction combining marine education with visitor entertainment.
• Marineland: Marine animal park in Antibes, France, combining aquarium exhibits with marine mammal shows. Comparable as a French ticketed marine attraction targeting families and tourists on the French Riviera.

Broad incumbents

• SEA LIFE: Global chain of aquariums operated by Merlin Entertainments. Comparable as an established branded aquarium chain providing the competitive benchmark for ticketed marine attractions across Europe.
• Pairi Daiza: Large zoo and aquarium complex in Belgium, operated by a major European leisure group. Comparable as a broader leisure destination combining wildlife, aquarium, and family entertainment experiences across multiple sites.
• ZooParc de Beauval: One of France's most-visited zoos, featuring significant aquarium and marine exhibits. Comparable as a flagship French leisure attraction with similar educational and family positioning.

Others

• Aspro Parks: European operator of leisure parks, water parks, and aquariums that owns Planet Ocean Montpellier. Relevant as the parent group context for benchmarking exhibit investment, group strategy, and portfolio-level performance.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCJ-bcacf-lNSJs2KA9G9c4Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/PlanetOceanMontpellier
• Instagraminstagram.com/planet_ocean_montpellier
• TikToktiktok.com/@planet_ocean_montpellier
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aquarium-mare-nostrum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Aquarium Mare Nostrum