Milan Aquarium Re-opens

On April 1, four thousand people visited L’Acquario Civico di Milano (Milan Aquarium) to celebrate the institution’s 100th anniversary and grand re-opening following three years of extensive renovations.

The aquarium not only has marine life from all over the world, but also highlights many native fish from Italian freshwater sources and the surrounding seas. The large area dedicated to Mediterranean marine life contains many pools of various sizes to allow visitors to observe fascinating species which may often be overlooked due to their understated appearance. The Museo della Pesca is now able to put its extensive collection of historical objects used by fisherman in northern Italy on continuous display.

Ocean REEF is a major sponsor of the Milan Aquarium. The divers in the interactive dive show are outfitted with a complete system of Ocean REEF gear, including the Neptune Space full face mask and Alpha Pro Professional to communicate with each other and visitors. The aquarium’s Oceanographic Institute will also be using Ocean REEF equipment in their open water research.

The Aquarium’s first incarnation was at the International Exposition of 1906 in Milan. The “Pavilion of Fish” proved so popular that the aquarium remained an attraction and expanded its exhibits to illustrate the different habitats of fish, the tools for studying marine life, and the beauty of the seabed. Since this time the aquarium’s masonry façade has become a city landmark. The aquarium’s library is also an important source for oceanic studies in Italy.