Aquarium des lagons Nouméa Nouvelle-Calédonie

What Aquarium des lagons Nouméa Nouvelle-Calédonie does

The Aquarium des Lagons is a public aquarium located at 61 Promenade Roger Laroque, Anse Vata, in Nouméa, New Caledonia. Operated since 2008 under the 'Syndicat mixte Aquarium de Noum\u00e9a et de la province Sud' — a mixed syndicate combining municipal and Province Sud government ownership — the institution showcases the marine biodiversity of New Caledonia's lagoon, which fronts the world's second-largest continuous coral reef system. Core assets include public exhibition tanks displaying corals, turtles, sharks, rays, and tropical fish, alongside a dedicated turtle care center and nursery facility.

Scientifically, the aquarium is the only institution in the world to have successfully reproduced nautilus in captivity, and its team contributed to the discovery of coral fluorescence. It operates a sea turtle rehabilitation center treating 15-30 injured turtles per year and has financed and conducted annual reef inventories at 6 stations near Noum\u00e9a since 2014 as part of the R\u00e9seau d'Observation des R\u00e9cifs Coralliens (RORC). The facility underwent major renovation work on tanks 8 and 23 in 2020.

Revenue is generated primarily through a diversified direct-to-consumer admissions model. The product suite includes general admission, evening nocturnes, yoga sessions, child workshops (Petits Soigneurs, Aqua Folies), behind-the-scenes tours, turtle watching excursions, the full-day Turtle Experience, and donations supporting the turtle care center. Ticket prices are denominated in CFP (Pacific Franc) and range from 2,000 CFP for standard evening events to 20,000 CFP for week-long children's workshops. Distribution is via on-site box office, the eTicket.nc platform, and tourism-information partnerships with SudTourisme. Operations are supported by a core team of approximately 9 staff plus outsourced services for cleaning, security, gardens, and communications.

Name

Aquarium des lagons Nouméa Nouvelle-Calédonie

Legal name

L'Aquarium de Nouméa

Website

https://aquarium.nc

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Aquarium des Lagons is a public aquarium in Nouméa, New Caledonia, showcasing the marine biodiversity of the local lagoon. Operated by a mixed municipal-provincial syndicate, it generates revenue primarily through admission tickets, evening events, school programs, and turtle-focused excursions, serving tourists, families, school groups, and marine conservation partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Aquarium and Marine Education Services

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (487210)

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), Reef, Island & Coastal Ecotours (mangroves, lagoons, sea caves) (THAAAIAE)

Keywords

• Public aquarium exhibits
• Marine conservation education
• Sea turtle rehabilitation
• Guided wildlife tours
• Children's nature workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Nouméa

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Admission Tickets: Daily entrance fees for visitors with tiered pricing for adults, children, students, seniors, and families. Main revenue stream for the public aquarium.
2. Special Events and Nocturnes: Evening special events with themed entertainment, including Halloween, Christmas, turtle-themed nights, and seasonal celebrations with additional ticket revenue.
3. Activities and Workshops: Paid activities including yoga sessions (2000 CFP), Petits Soigneurs vacation workshops (20,000 CFP/week), behind-the-scenes tours (3000 CFP), and Turtle Watching excursions.
4. Donations: Voluntary donations accepted, particularly for turtle care center funding. Note that aquarium is not eligible for standard patronage/mécénat tax deductions.
5. Boutique and Retail: Managed by SPL Agence d'attractivité Sud Tourisme - souvenir shop selling branded merchandise and aquarium-related items.
6. Experience Programs: Premium experiences such as turtle release expeditions (18,000 CFP) and Aventure Tricots Rayés outings (8,500 CFP).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Aquarium des Lagons is a public marine aquarium that sells admission tickets and modular paid experiences to visitors, showcasing the biodiversity of New Caledonia's lagoon. Its core offerings include daytime general admission, educational guided tours, behind-the-scenes technical visits, children's vacation workshops, evening themed nocturnes, yoga sessions, turtle watching excursions, and a sea turtle rehabilitation program supported by donations.

Product overview

The Aquarium des Lagons is a public aquarium in Nouméa, New Caledonia, presenting the marine biodiversity of the New Caledonian lagoon. The offering consists of core general admission visits combined with a modular activity program. Core products include day admission and online ticketing via eTicket.nc. Add-on modules encompass educational experiences (guided tours, behind-the-scenes tours, school programs), wellness activities (yoga sessions), children's programs (Petits Soigneurs workshops, Aqua Folies), special events (nocturnes, turtle watching, special celebrations), and a donation program supporting turtle rehabilitation. The aquarium also operates a care center for injured sea turtles and conducts scientific research, notably achieving the world's first successful nautilus breeding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Aqua news: Newsletter of the Aquarium des Lagons
• Les Petits Soigneurs
• Aqua Folies
• Turtle Watching
• Aventure Tricots Rayés

Products and services

• Aquarium Visit / General Admission Standard daytime entry to the Aquarium des Lagons to explore marine exhibits featuring New Caledonia's lagoon wildlife including fish, turtles, sharks, rays, corals, and dugongs. Designed for individual tourists, families, and walk-in visitors.
• Online Ticketing / Billetterie en ligne Online ticket reservation system powered by eTicket.nc for purchasing day tickets, special events, nocturnes, and activity bookings. Available to individual consumers and visitors.
• Nocturnes (Evening Events) Special evening events from 18h to 20h30/21h featuring themed animations, games, activities, and marine life observation after regular hours. Themes include Turtles, Dugongs, Giant Sea Creatures, Sharks and Rays, and Coral Spawning. Open to individual visitors and families.
• Behind-the-Scenes Tours / Visite des coulisses Exclusive access to technical areas, care zones, quarantine areas, and nursery. Guided visits reveal how the aquarium operates, including tank systems, turtle hospital, and scientific projects. Maximum 10 persons, 3,000 CFP per person.
• Les Petits Soigneurs (Kids Vacation Workshops) School holiday workshops for children ages 7-12, where participants become junior caretakers learning about marine animal care, feeding, and aquarium operations. Sessions run 8h-11h30, priced at 20,000 CFP per week.
• Yoga à l'Aquarium Weekly Saturday morning yoga sessions held inside the aquarium from 8h to 9h, priced at 2,000 CFP, including aquarium access after the session. Various yoga styles offered including Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin, and specialized sessions.
• Turtle Watching / Observation des tortues Guided observation sessions at Roche Percée beach in Bourail to witness sea turtle nesting and hatching. Organized November to February, with evening sessions (20h-1h) and morning emergence sessions (5h-7h).
• Aqua Folies / Wednesday Workshops Wednesday pedagogical workshops for children featuring marine-themed activities, games, and educational animations on various sea creatures and topics.
• School Visits / Visites scolaires Educational programs for school groups aligned with curriculum objectives, offering guided tours and specialized activities for primary and secondary students.
• Donations / Faire un don Online donation system to support the aquarium's marine turtle care center and educational/sensitization programs. Donation amounts of 1,000, 5,000, or 10,000 CFP available.
• Special Events & Private Hire Private hire for events including Christmas celebrations, Halloween parties, mystery games, carnivals, and corporate events with themed entertainment at the aquarium.
• Guided Tours / Visite guidée Guided tours of the aquarium with an animator, offering in-depth 1-hour visits in small groups of 15 people, rich in information and anecdotes about marine life.

Quantifiable outcome

• 15-30 sea turtles rescued and rehabilitated annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Aquarium de BiarritzcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022Sister aquarium partnership signed February 1, 2022. The convention of twinning/jumelage enables sharing of technical expertise, scientific knowledge, and best practices. Biarritz contributes its multi-activity positioning and international reputation while Aquarium des Lagons shares its unique research capabilities including nautilus breeding and coral research.
• Association Bwärä Tortues MarinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner for turtle watching excursions and marine turtle conservation efforts. Manages the Centre d'Accueil Tortues (CAT) at Roche Percée, Bourail during nesting season.
• SPL Agence d'attractivité Sud TourismecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDelegated management of the aquarium boutique/retail shop to this local tourism agency. Partnership formalized in November 2023 deliberation.
• SRC Nouméa SailingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth sailing association partnership for environmental education and community outreach. Association promoted activities at aquarium with ticket revenue supporting their programs.
• Province Sud (Direction de l'Environnement)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMain governmental partner providing funding and administrative support. Finances turtle watching operations and reef monitoring initiatives. Operates under the mixed syndicate 'Aquarium de Nouméa et de la province Sud'.
• Zone Côtière Ouest (ZCO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative committee for turtle watching operations at Bourail site, working alongside Bwärä Tortues Marines association.
• Agence Concept SARLminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunication services provider for 2026-2027 period, selected through public procurement process.
• Bio Qualité Services SARLminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCleaning and janitorial services provider for 2026-2027 period, selected through public procurement process.
• Jardi'Ideal SARLminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPark and garden maintenance services provider for 2026-2027 period, selected through public procurement process.
• GPS Sécurité SARLminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSecurity and surveillance services provider for 2026-2027 period, selected through public procurement process.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Monterey Bay Aquarium: Renowned research-driven public aquarium with deep conservation, rehabilitation and ocean-education programs; comparable in scientific mission (turtle/otter/seabird rehab, reef research) and nonprofit governance, though at much larger scale.
• Oceanogràfic (Valencia): Largest aquarium in Europe, focused on the world's main marine ecosystems; overlaps in coral/turtle/reef exhibits and conservation programming but operates at materially larger scale with research credentials.
• Sea Life (Merlin Entertainments): Global chain of branded aquariums with overlapping ticketed marine exhibits, school programs and premium experiences; relevant as a broad incumbent benchmark for pricing and product breadth rather than as a scientific peer.
• Nausicaá – Centre National de la Mer: France's largest public aquarium and a national ocean education center; comparable as a large-scale public aquarium combining marine conservation, education and premium visitor experiences, but at substantially greater scale and visitor throughput.

Regional players

• Kelly Tarlton's Sea Life Aquarium: Auckland-based public aquarium combining marine exhibits with sea turtle and shark conservation programs; comparable Pacific-region aquarium with similar species mix and tourism-dependent economics.
• Cairns Aquarium: Public aquarium in tropical Queensland focused on the Great Barrier Reef ecosystem; directly comparable in reef/coral/turtle programming and ecotourism positioning, though operating in a different geography.

Direct peers

• Aquarium de Paris: Indoor public aquarium operated as a delegated public service (similar public/private hybrid model) with comparable ticketing, school programs and add-on experiences; relevant benchmark for the French-speaking urban-aquarium segment.
• Aquarium de Biarritz: Sister public aquarium and direct twinning partner since February 2022; comparable in mission (marine education, conservation), public-establishment operating model and multi-experience product mix (nocturnes, workshops, behind-the-scenes tours).
• Mare Nostrum – Aquarium de Montpellier: Mid-sized French public aquarium with a similar Mediterranean marine-life exhibit model, school programs and special-event programming; comparable in scale and visitor offering profile.
• Aquarium de La Rochelle: Long-standing French regional public aquarium with broad marine exhibits and educational programming; comparable in size, mission and visitor demographic mix to the Nouméa aquarium.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Aquarium.Des.Lagons.Nouvelle.Caledonie
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aquarium-des-lagons-noum%C3%A9a-nouvelle-cal%C3%A9donie

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Aquarium des lagons Nouméa Nouvelle-Calédonie