Aquário Vasco da Gama

What Aquário Vasco da Gama does

Aquário Vasco da Gama is a public aquarium and museum located in Lisbon, Portugal, operated by the Direção Cultural da Marinha (Navy Cultural Direction), a division of the Portuguese Navy (Marinha Portuguesa). The facility sits within the Navy Sea Knowledge Center (Centro de Conhecimento do Mar), a cluster of six Navy cultural institutions that also includes the Navy Band, Navy Central Library, Frigate D. Fernando II e Glória, Navy Museum, and Navy Planetarium. Its offering consists of four integrated components: the main aquarium with marine life exhibitions, an associated museum with maritime collections, an educational "Learn More" program, and visitor activities including workshops and special events.

The aquarium serves tourists, families, and school groups visiting Lisbon, targeting both general cultural visitors seeking marine and maritime heritage experiences and educational institutions seeking structured curriculum-aligned programming. No underlying technology stack is publicly disclosed; the source material emphasizes the physical exhibits and educational content rather than any digital platform.

The business model is direct-to-consumer: revenue derives from ticket admissions sold online through the Navy Cultural Direction's centralized ticketing platform (bilheteiracultura.marinha.pt) and on-site at the Lisbon location, supplemented by event space rentals for external clients. Pricing is one-time per ticket, with a publicly available price list hosted on the Navy's website. The institution operates as a government state entity funded through public allocations alongside admissions and ancillary venue revenue, and does not have commercial shareholders, venture capital, or private equity ownership.

Name

Aquário Vasco da Gama

Legal name

Direção Cultural da Marinha

Website

https://ccm.marinha.pt

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Aquário Vasco da Gama is a Lisbon-based public aquarium and museum operated by the Portuguese Navy's Cultural Direction, serving tourists, families, and school groups with marine life exhibits, maritime heritage displays, and educational programming through ticket admissions and event space rentals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Aquarium & Maritime Museum

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine & Coastal Ecotourism (Diving, Snorkeling, Whale Watching) (THAAAAAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Public aquarium
• Marine education
• Maritime heritage museum
• Visitor attractions
• Educational programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Lisbon

HQ country

Portugal

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. Museum admission tickets: Visitors pay for admission to the aquarium and museum exhibits. Tickets are sold online through the Navy Cultural Direction's ticketing system.
2. Event space rental: The facility offers event spaces for rent, as indicated by the 'EVENT SPACES' section and cultural agenda featuring events throughout the year.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Aquário Vasco da Gama is a public aquarium and museum operated by the Portuguese Navy's Cultural Direction (Direção Cultural da Marinha), located in Lisbon. It offers visitors marine life exhibitions, maritime heritage museum collections, educational programs on marine biology, and interactive activities and workshops. Tickets are sold online through the Navy Cultural Direction's ticketing platform and on-site, with event spaces available for rent.

Product overview

Aquário Vasco da Gama is a public aquarium operated by the Portuguese Navy's Direção Cultural da Marinha (Cultural Direction of the Navy). The facility operates as a single unified attraction with multiple integrated sections: the main Aquarium (featuring marine life exhibitions), an associated Museum (with maritime collections), an educational 'Learn More' program, and visitor Activities. The aquarium is part of a broader network of Navy cultural institutions that also includes the Navy Band, Central Library, Fragate D. Fernando II e Glória, Navy Museum, and Navy Planetarium.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Aquário Vasco da Gama (Vasco da Gama Aquarium)

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Acquario di Genova: Italy's largest aquarium and one of the largest in Europe, located in Genoa. Comparable as a major European public aquarium with marine biodiversity exhibits, educational programs, and ticketed visitor experiences.
• Oceanário de Lisboa: Lisbon's flagship public aquarium and one of the largest in Europe, operated by a nonprofit foundation. Directly comparable as a single-location marine life attraction in Lisbon serving tourists, families, and school groups through paid admission.
• Oceanogràfic (Valencia): Largest aquarium in Europe, located within the City of Arts and Sciences complex in Valencia, Spain. Comparable as a flagship European public aquarium combining marine biodiversity exhibits with educational programming and ticketed visitor access.
• Musée Océanographique de Monaco: Historic public aquarium and oceanography museum in Monaco with a strong marine-research and educational mandate. Comparable as a single-location, education-led aquarium with strong institutional backing (linked to the Oceanographic Institute of Monaco).
• Zoomarine: Portuguese marine-themed amusement and animal park located near Albufeira, Algarve. Comparable as a Portugal-based marine life attraction combining exhibits, educational programming, and ticketed visitor experiences for families and tourists.
• Aquário de São Paulo: Brazilian public aquarium operated as part of a marine-themed cultural complex. Comparable as an urban aquarium-museum attraction offering marine exhibits and educational activities to families, schools, and tourists.

Broad incumbents

• National Aquarium (Baltimore): Major U.S. nonprofit public aquarium with a strong conservation and education mission. Comparable as a single-city, mission-driven aquarium combining marine exhibits, learning programs, and ticketed visitor experiences.
• Sea Life (Merlin Entertainments): Global chain of over 50 aquariums operated by Merlin Entertainments, including European sites in Spain, Italy, and the UK. Comparable as a multi-site marine life exhibition brand targeting families and tourists with ticketed admission and educational programming.
• Aquarium of the Pacific (Long Beach): Major U.S. nonprofit aquarium on the Pacific coast with exhibits, conservation programs, and educational programming. Comparable as a mission-driven public aquarium serving families, school groups, and tourists with paid admission.

Regional players

• Lisboa Zoo: Lisbon's principal zoological park, also a state-affiliated cultural attraction. Comparable as a Lisbon-based, family/education-focused visitor attraction competing for the same local tourist and family visitor segment in Lisbon.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aqu%C3%A1rio-vasco-da-gama

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Aquário Vasco da Gama