A Behind the Scenes Tour of the Rotterdam Aquarium in the Netherlands

Behind the Scenes Tour of the Rotterdam Aquarium in the Netherlands

By Theo Wyne

Original to Aquarticles

A two meter reef shark hoping to be fed (behind the scenes view)

In late October 2007 I received a personal tour of the Rotterdam Aquarium located in the Netherlands (also referred to as Holland). My Dutch host Nico (see: Interview with Nico and Frank) arranged the tour and for that I am very grateful.

The tour was made up of two parts - a regular tour of the aquarium and a behind the scenes tour.

Part One - A Regular Tour of the Rotterdam Aquarium

The entrance to the Rotterdam Aquarium

Entrance prices (note: exchange rate was One Euro $ = $1.50 US in late 2007)

The Rotterdam Aquarium boasts one of the largest marine displays in all of Europe. Over the years it has expanded several times, keeping up with other famous European aquariums in terms of tank size, tank number, and variety of fish displayed. Its largest tank known as the Oceanarium holds over one million gallons. I began my tour of the aquarium by first moving through the public display areas. The aquarium follows a "geographic discovery theme" that roughly traces Charles Darwin's famous voyage on the HMCS Beagle.

The aquarium displays follow the theme outlined in the map above

Visitors begin by viewing fish from the North Sea near Holland, move south across the Atlantic to the Caribbean, then south again along the coast of South America to the Falklands; then it is around the tip of Argentina and along the west coasts of South and North America. The final display is set up to mimic the marine life of the Northern Californian coast.

Visitors begin their tour of the aquarium by seeing creatures from the Noordzee (North Sea)

A North Sea display aquarium

Moving on to the more tropical waters of the Caribbean Sea

A Great White Shark model

A walk-through tunnel below the main million-plus liter tank

Million-plus liter tank, dozing shark

Million-plus liter tank, ray and shark

Million-plus liter tank, another view

The interactive "education room" at the aquarium

Various phytoplankton (algae) and zooplankton being raised to feed fish in the "education room"

A smaller reef tank with clownfish and anemones

Various tanks set up in the "education room"

Seahorses - bred on location

A beautiful nudibranch

Shark egg cases ("mermaid's purses"); one can watch the shark embryos squirm about inside the egg casing

Main display tank - moray eels

Another photo of sea horses bred on site

Reef wall with soft corrals

Ray tank

Ray tank - second view

Inside reef/estuary themed tank

Inside reef/estuary themed tank - another view

Moving on the Falkland Islands display

Entrance to the penguin display

Penguin display

A replica of the HMCS Beagle (sailing vessel that Charles Darwin sailed on during his famous expedition)

HMCS Beagle - another view

One of the few land-based exhibits (Galapagos Islands)

California (USA) coastal display

California (USA) coastal display - another view

San Francisco wharf display

California sea lion display

Tidal pool display - Coastal California

Part Two - A Behind the Scenes Tour of the Rotterdam Aquarium

The main filtration room for the Rotterdam Aquarium

The main filtration room for the Rotterdam Aquarium - another view

Reception room and restaurant popular for weddings; the room
has a panoramic view of the large showcase million-plus liter aquarium

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View from the restaurant and reception room

View from the restaurant and reception room - another view

View above the main million-plus liter aquarium

A shark hoping to be fed

Top view of a large sea turtle

One baby sea horse bred on site at the Rotterdam Aquarium

More phytoplankton and zooplankton being raised to feed baby fish and invertebrates

Top secret coral breeding in left background...!

One of the Rotterdam Aquarium's marine biologists hard at work

A mural made by local Dutch school children graced my exit of the Rotterdam Aquarium