Vienna Zoo to Build Largest Visitor Aquarium in Austria

(eap) Vienna Zoo (Tiergarten Schönbrunn) has announced the largest construction project in its history, which will kick-off next year: in a construction period of 2.5 years, a new visitor aquarium will be built, scheduled to open in 2028. “With the new species conservation aquarium, we want to create a place that shows fascinating and endangered habitats and that at the same time raises awareness for their protection,” explains zoo director Stephan Hering-Hagenbeck. In addition to various species of fish, sharks and jellyfish are also to move into the water tanks. Aquariums are a popular attraction at many zoological gardens: Eva Landrichtinger, Secretary General of the Austrian Ministry of Labour and Economy and the owners representative of the Schönbrunn Zoo Society, emphasises: “Innovation is essential in order to maintain our position as the world’s leading zoo. The new conservation aquarium will inspire visitors with the magic of the underwater world and at the same time continue the zoo’s success in protecting endangered species.”

Visual Haibecken © Tiergarten Schönbrunn According to Vienna Zoo, the conservation aquarium will become the largest of its kind in Austria with a total water volume of three million litres. A highlight of the new aquarium will be a shark tank, which will extend over several floors and hold 2.35 million litres of water alone. There will also be an Amazonas tank and a tropical coral reef. The approximately 4,000-square metre-aquarium will be built on the site of the existing one right next to the “Hietzing” main entrance. During the construction period, the inhabitants of the aquarium will move into a newly built aquatic research centre. The zoo has invested around 4.2 million euros into this centre in order to breed and research rare aquatic animals.

By the way: Don’t miss our special feature about "Animal Welfare, Sustainability & Entertainment – Marketing Strategies of Modern European Zoos" in your next EAP magazine issue (to be published on Nov 4th)! ■