Maremma's Aquarium
Mondo Marino

Aquarium Mondo Marino is Tuscany's newest and largest aquarium. Located between Massa Marittima and the Gulf of Follonica in beautiful Maremma.

As a non-profit organisation, you won't find a huge multi-million dollar complex with daily shows and restaurants, but what you will find is a well laid out aquarium built to aid scientific study, education and the conservation of our marine world. It does so in a friendly and relaxed environment that is perfect for a couple of hours trip out for adults and toddlers alike.

The photograph above is of a Paguro - hermit crab that I took a liking to!

 

The video

 

 

Information in both Italian and English

Don't worry if your Italian language skills don't stretch as far as reading scientific information, as the aquarium information boards about the different marine environments and species there are written in both Italian and English. (Thank goodness!)

Mondo Marino is divided into three principle sections:

• Mediterraneo (costa tirreniche) - Mediterranean Ocean
  
  
• Oceano Indopacifico (Coste sudafricane ed indonesiane) - Indian and Pacific Oceans
  
  
• and the Mondo degli Squali - the world of sharks.

The research activities of the aquarium are particularly focused on the white shark and there is a permanent shark exhibition. The staff will let you know when they are about to feed their two Blacktip Reef sharks - small shark species, thank goodness! - so that any children in your party, and you! can watch if you want to.

Some of the smaller tanks hold interesting little creatures such as the Skunk cleaner shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis), the Fire shrimp (Gamberetto di fuoco - Lysmata debelius), the Snapping shrimp (Gamberetto pistola - Alpheus gen.), and Anemone crab (Granchio porcellana - Neopetrolisthes maculatus).

The resident fish and marine life isn't static, with new additions added throughout the year, so even if you happen to have visited before, you can nearly always be assured of seeing something new on your next visit. The aquarium recently had a nautilus pompilius from the Pacific West Ocean: a splendid specimen to see so close.

 

Aquarium Events

Every Wednesday and Friday at 16:00 hours during the feeding of the Squali Pinna nera (Carcharinus melanopterus) - Blacktip Reef Shark - the biological staff will provide information about the biology of the shark and the importance of their protection.

The Barracuda in the tank often get to the food quicker than the sharks!

 

Opening times and organised tours

The principle, Dr. Micararelli, is happy to arrange and lead organised tours of the aquarium for groups and schools. Please contact him in advance (web address below).

Mondo Marino is open the whole of the year:

Spring and summer: 1 April to 30 September everyday from 10:00 to 19:00.

Autumn and winter: 1 October to 31 March
everyday from 09:30 to 12:30 and 14:00 to 18:00.

Closed on Mondays.

Open on "giorni festivi" (national holidays etc) with the exclusion of Christmas Day 25 December.

 

Ticket prices

0 to 3 years of age	Free
3 to 14 years of age and over 65 years of age	Euros 4,50
14 to 65 years of age	Euros 6,00
Family of four ticket: two adults and two children under 14 years of age	Euros 17,00
Family of four: two adults and two children over 14 years of age	Euros 21,00

 

Aquarium Mondo Marino
Via della Cava
Valpiana
Massa Marittima (Grosseto)

Tel: +39 0566 919529
www.aquariummondomarino.com

 

 

Aquarium Location Map

Note: The map below didn't include the aquarium at the time I first wrote this page as the satellite hadn't passed over this rural part of Tuscany for some time, but it is there now!

View a larger map of Aquarium Mondo Marino