Behind the Scenes Tour of the Rotterdam Aquarium in the Netherlands By Theo 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 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
View from the restaurant and reception room
View from the restaurant and reception room - another view
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
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