A great advantage of living in a city like Berlin is the large amount of different activities the city has to offer. If you like animals for example, you can choose between two large zoos and one aquarium. Especially in the winter it can be great to visit an aquarium because it’s indoor and warm. After a couple of aquariums have closed their doors in the last years, the largest and most popular one remains: The Aquarium Berlin at Zoologischer Garten.
Three floors of fascinating species in Aquarium Berlin
The Aquarium Berlin was built in 1913 as part of the zoo in the west of the city. This indoor location offers visitors three floors with more than 800 different species.
- The ground floor is dedicated to fish. In 250 fish tanks you can see jellyfish, sharks and other fish in all sizes and colours. Some of the fish are more than 2 meters long and very impressive.
- The first floor shows visitors the world of reptiles. It’s a lot of fun to try and find the hidden geckos or chameleons. If you liked the Natural History Museum, you will love this floor too.
- The second floor shows visitors all sorts of curious creatures. From poisonous frogs to a colony of ants and a black widow spider.
A great activity for kids
The aquarium is also a great activity for kids. Kids generally love animals. Our 4 and 8 year old children had a great time. Especially the second floor is great because it can be very challenging to find the small animals. It’s easy to make a little game out of this. There are also a couple of educative stations where children can also get involved. All in all the Aquarium Berlin can easily keep children entertained for 1,5-2 hours.
Practical information
When you are planning to visit the Aquarium Berlin, you might want to know some practical information in advance. You came to the right place, have a look below:
Ticket prices
An entrance-ticket to the Aquarium Berlin costs from 16€ when you book online (25€ at the ticket booth). Children between 5-15 years pay 7.50€ and smaller children can access for free. Most people buy a combination ticket for both the Zoo and the Aquarium because this only costs justs a bit more and you can see so much more animals. All information about tickets can be found here.
How to get there
The Aquarium Berlin is located within walking distance of the station Zoologischer Garten. You will first see the entrance of the Zoo itself and you also have to buy your tickets here. Then you can either walk through the zoo to get to the aquarium or if you did not buy a combi-ticket you can walk about 400 meters to get to the entrance of the aquarium.
Opening Hours
The Aquarium Berlin is open every day of the year from 9 in the morning till 6 in the evening. The last admission is at 5 o’clock so make sure you reach the entrance before that. The only exception to the rule above is Christmas Eve: On the 24th of December the Aquarium closes at 2PM.
Frequently asked questions + Practical Information
How much time do I need for a visit of the Aquarium Berlin?
You should plan a stay at the Aquarium Berlin of about 1.5 – 2 hours. There are three different floors and obviously it depends how carefully you read all descriptions of the animals. It’s great that there are some spots to sit down and observe the animals.
What is the best time to visit the Aquarium Berlin?
Looking for the best day and time to visit the Aquarium Berlin? The best days are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The best time is early in the morning (e.g. 9:00-11:00) or late in the afternoon (e.g. 16:00-18:00). As long as you visit the Aquarium during the week, any time is fine but during the weekends you want to avoid visiting between 11.00 and 15.00.
Is there a restaurant to eat something during my stay?
On the first floor of the Aquarium Berlin you can find a cafeteria. They offer a variety of food and drinks and also have about 10-15 tables for people to sit. If you plan to visit the Aquarium during lunch-time, I would definitely recommend testing the food here.
Is there another aquarium in Berlin?
The Aquarium Berlin is the only big aquarium in the city. Sea Life Berlin at Alexanderplatz closed its doors in December 2024 and the AquaDom was destroyed in 2022. So if you want to see fish, sharks and jellyfish in Berlin, the Aquarium Berlin at Zoologischer Garten is the place to go.
Our rating + summary
We have compared the Aquarium to activities like Little Big City, Labyrinth Children Museum and the Tierpark Berlin. Although it’s not the cheapest activity, it’s a lot of fun and if you choose a combination ticket with the Zoo you will easily spend half a day in both attractions.
Our summary in a nutshell:
Fun for kids 2-6 Years: 8/10
Fun for kids 6-10 Years: 8/10
Fun for parents: 8/10
Price: Acceptable (from 16€)
Expected time: 1.5 hours
Overall rating: 8/10
