Welcome to Galway Atlantaquaria

Engage, Educate And Inspire

Ireland’s largest native species aquarium. Visit us and discover the diversity of life in our oceans, rivers, lakes and canals.

blue fish 2x
Learn about the wonderful and varied species
and their habitats. Be inspired to play your
part in protecting our shared planet.
Atlantaquaria HiRes 19 home
OUR VENUE

VISIT GALWAY
ATLANTAQUARIA

A visit to Atlantaquaria is a great day out for visitors of all ages and guarantees a great day out for all the family. Find out more about all you need to plan your visit.

waves lines
Ticket Prices
Animals & Exhibits
Events
EXPLORE

From the sharks that swim in our seas to freshwater fish that glide along our rivers and under the surface of our tranquil lakes, not to mention the colourful and exotic creatures from warmer climates – there is so much for you to encounter on a visit with us.

ocean zone
square waves 2x

Ocean Zone

Get up close with the aquarium’s largest predators in the Ocean Zone, a deepwater exhibit that is home to Bream, Wreckfish, Bass, and Smoothhound, a common species of shark found in Irish waters. Wreckfish are often found in caves and shipwrecks and can live for over 70 years and reach almost 100 kilos! While Wreckfish and Sharks enjoy deeper waters and colder temperatures, Bream prefer warmer, shallower waters. 

Did you know?

With the current increase in ocean temperatures species like Bream have become more common in Irish waters.

LEARN MORE
square waves 2x

Octopus

The Octopus is an incredible animal, considered to be the most intelligent of all invertebrates – animals with no backbone – capable of exploring, understanding and remembering its environment. A master at camouflage, the octopus can hide in very small spaces which means that sometimes it can be difficult to spot! The Octopus is part of the Cephalopod family, which includes Squid and Cuttlefish.

LEARN MORE
waterfall
square waves 2x

Waterfall

Our freshwater exhibit is home to Perch and Rudd. Perch live in slow-flowing rivers and deep lakes and use the stripes on their bodies to camouflage themselves in the weeds. They ambush unsuspecting prey by unleashing a burst of speed. As a smaller species, Rudd prefers safety in numbers and is often part of a large shoal. A Rudd’s mouth points upwards which is how they like to feed, often taking its food from the surface of the water.

LEARN MORE
clownfish
square waves 2x

Clown Fish

Clownfish get their name from their bright orange colouring and white stripes. These colourful fish come from warmer, tropical ocean regions. They live near coral reefs which provide them with food, such as shrimp, shellfish and seaweed, and protection. To make them feel at home, we heat their seawater all year round. Clownfish can change from male to female. If the chief female in a family unit dies, the chief male will turn into a female to take her place!

LEARN MORE
biodiversity
square waves 2x

Tropical Zone

Our Tropical Zone has Stingrays, Cichlids and Red-Bellied Piranhas. Piranhas are native to the Amazon Basin in South America. They prey on aquatic and land animals and have razor-sharp teeth that cut into their prey with ease. Piranhas have a ravenous appetite when hungry, so we make sure to feed ours every day to keep them calm and relaxed.

LEARN MORE
ray pool 1
square waves 2x

Ray Pool

The Ray Pool is home to our Rays, small species of shark including Dogfish and large flatfish such as Turbot. The most common Ray in Galway Bay is the Thornback. The Ray’s skeleton is made of cartilage, not bone, and they lay eggs known as Mermaid’s Purses. Rays spend much of their time buried in the sand to hide from predators and to hunt for their prey. To allow them to breathe under the sand, they have a small hole – called a spiracle – behind each eye that helps give them oxygen.

LEARN MORE

EMBARK ON A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY AND
LEARNING WITH THE ATLANTAQUARIA TEAM.

DISCOVERY & LEARNING

WE WANT TO ENGAGE,
EDUCATE & INSPIRE.

Educating our visitors about marine and freshwater life by sharing our passion, knowledge and expertise. Our comprehensive discovery, investigation and learning programme offers formal and informal learning opportunities – both online and in-person – in a fun and engaging way.

From school tours to virtual classrooms to community events and corporate team building, there is something for visitors of all ages and abilities.

contact us
LEARN MORE
learn waves 2x
Aquarium Education
Educate and inspire
Marine and Freshwater
Ocean literacy biofacts
VIRTUAL TOUR

VIEW OUR VIRTUAL TOUR TO
ENJOY THE AQUARIUM AT HOME

Sit back and enjoy the virtual guided tours and ‘Think Tank’ Quiz.

LEARN MORE
Group 5334
Testimonials

What people are
saying about Our aquarium

Nice little place with lots of interactive elements for all ages.

Group 7282 3

Tom Nestor – Jan 2024

Such a lovely aquarium! We easily spent two hours in there looking at all the aquatic life. They’ve done a nice job of trying to make the exhibits mimic the creatures’ natural environments.

Group 7282 3

Sorcha Coombes– Feb 2024

DAILY EVENTS

What’s on today

Please ask at reception for a more detailed explanation of what’s on today.

PLAN YOUR VISIT
Atlantaquaria HiRfes 14 e1657792941739
Talks and Experiences

Our team plan a selection of small talks and engagements for the public each weekend, bank holidays, and during the school holidays. Topics usually focus on native species, conservation and animal adaptions. We are also here to stop and chat and answer your questions. Visitors can also take part in self guided challenges such as scavenger hunts and Fishy Fun Quiz which is available at Reception. Talks are advertised at reception daily. For special events see here.

feeding fish
FEEDING Experiences

Our team provide a number of Feeding Experiences that the public can watch and explore. They include the feeding of our Freshwater animals and Exhibits, Our Big Fish Feeding Tour, which includes the Ray Pool and Our Small Fish Feeding Tour. Feeding Tours take place regularly, and are advertised at reception daily. Our Animal Team are also happy to stop and chat and answer your questions.

NEWS

Whats new at Galway Atlantaquaria

View ALL POSTS
Our Partners

Associated Organisations

3568163 381611 200Clayton Hotels Green Irish Road Trip Logo FA

WAW logo edit 2

CURIOUS MINDS

Back to Top