Oceanopolis — Aquarium in Brest

Oceanopolis and its collection

Oceanopolis is an aquarium in Brest, France.

It is a public facility owned by the metropolitan authority and run by the mixed-economy company Brest'aim, which took that name on 1 January 2025. It belongs to AMCSTI, the national scientific-culture network.

History

The idea was shared from the early 1980s by the marine biologist Éric Hussenot and the oceanographer Jean-Paul Alayse, both CNRS researchers, who set out a formal proposal paper arguing the case from the ecosystems of the Iroise Sea. They persuaded Pierre Maille, head of the Finistère council and mayor of the city, to fund it, and the centre has been open since 1990.

Animals and collection

Animals on show include Le poulpe commun, l’hippocampe à museau court, la raie pastenague à points bleus, la langoustine and le homard Européen.

Exhibits

Its exhibits include Pavillon Tropical, Pavillon Bretagne, Sentier des loutres, Cité des Océanautes and Océanolab.

Things to do

Things to do include Our summer 2026 activities and Kids' birthday parties in Brest.

What the venue says

• backstage tours
• Pause déjeuner
• La Cité des Océanautes est accessible aux personnes en situation de handicap.
• L’espace a été imaginé pour que les mobiliers supportant les dispositifs de médiation soient accessibles aux personnes à mobilité réduite se déplaçant en fauteuil roulant.
• Une plateforme élévatrice permettra à tous d’accéder à l’Agora, au centre de l’espace.
• les dispositifs vidéo contiennent des sous-titres rendant ces contenus accessibles aux personnes malentendantes.