The Oceanário de Lisboa is Lisbon’s big aquarium, built on the riverside at Parque das Nações for Expo 98 and home to more than 8,000 animals and plants of about 500 species. It is open every day, 10:00–20:00 (last entry 19:00). Adult tickets cost €25.50–€29.90 depending on the time slot, with cheaper prices later in the day (as of October 2026). Allow 1½ to 2 hours. It’s an easy metro ride from the centre or the airport to Oriente station, and one of the best rainy-day and family options in the city.
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Tickets and tours for Lisbon Oceanarium
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What it is
The Oceanário opened in 1998 for Expo 98, the last world exhibition of the 20th century, whose theme was “The oceans, a heritage for the future”. Its original Oceans Building, set in the Doca dos Olivais on the Tagus, was designed by a Cambridge Seven Associates team led by the American architect Peter Chermayeff. A second building, the Sea Building, was added later. The aquarium is now owned by the Oceano Azul Foundation, a marine conservation foundation, and gets about a million visitors a year. It calls itself the most visited cultural attraction in Portugal.
What you’ll see
“One Planet, One Ocean”: the main exhibition
The heart of the building is a central tank of about 5 million litres that stands for the global ocean, with more than a hundred species swimming together: sharks, big shoals of fish and, if you are lucky, the strange, flat sunfish. You keep coming back to it through huge windows as you go round. Around it are four coastal habitats that seem to be part of the same body of water: the rocky North Atlantic, a kelp forest of the temperate Pacific, where the sea otters are the stars, a tropical Indian Ocean reef, and the cold southern seas.
That southern habitat reopened in September 2025 after about ten months of rebuilding. Now called the Southern Ocean (Oceano do Sul) rather than Antarctic, it has waves, a waterfall, nesting areas and an underwater section where you can watch the Magellanic penguins dive up close.
Forests Underwater by Takashi Amano
A 40-metre “nature aquarium” by the late Japanese aquascaper Takashi Amano: a quiet, dimly lit underwater garden with more than 10,000 tropical freshwater fish of 40 species and 46 species of aquatic plants. Many adults find it the most beautiful room in the building.
How to visit
Hours and prices from the official Oceanário website, as of October 2026:
- Hours: daily 10:00–20:00, last entry 19:00. On 24 and 31 December 10:00–19:00 (last entry 18:00); on 25 December and 1 January 11:00–20:00.
- Tickets by time slot (adult 13–64 / child 3–12 / 65+): 10:00–11:30 €29.90 / €17.70 / €19.90; 12:00–15:30 €27.70 / €16.60 / €18.80; 16:00–18:30 €25.50 / €15.50 / €17.70. Children under 2 go free.
- Flexiticket: €41 per adult for one visit on any day within seven days, if your plans are uncertain.
- Where to buy: online at the official ticket shop, or at the ticket office on the day. Visitors with a certified disability of 60% or more go free, and their companion gets 60% off.
- Rules: photos are allowed, but no flash, other artificial light or selfie sticks. No outside food on the visit route.
- Lockers: 39 paid lockers in three sizes; large suitcases can’t be stored, so leave luggage elsewhere if you’re coming from the airport.
How long to allow and when to go
The official estimate is 1½ to 2 hours. Mornings are the most expensive slot; the late-afternoon slot (16:00–18:30) is the cheapest. Because it is open every day, including Mondays, it’s a good plan for the day when Belém’s monuments are closed, and a fine escape from rain or summer heat.
Accessibility and families
The whole route has ramps and lifts and is easy with a wheelchair or a stroller. There are baby-changing facilities, priority service for pregnant visitors and people with reduced mobility, and defibrillators on site. The restaurant (10:00–19:00) and a café (9:00–18:00) are on site for a break.
Getting there
Take the Metro red line to Oriente, which is also on the line from the airport, then walk a short way through Parque das Nações to the Doca dos Olivais. Oriente is also a main-line train and bus station. Carris buses 705, 708, 725, 728, 744, 750, 759, 782 and 794 serve the area, and there are several car parks nearby. The whole district is flat, with a long riverside promenade.
Combine it with
Ride the riverside cable car (Telecabine), which glides about 30 metres above the water along the promenade, and walk out towards the Vasco da Gama Bridge. Parque das Nações is also a handy place to stay with children or for an early flight. For the rest of the city, including Belém Tower, Jerónimos and the castle, see our Lisbon travel guide.
Oceanário de Lisboa FAQ
How much are Oceanário de Lisboa tickets?
As of October 2026, adults pay €29.90 for the 10:00–11:30 slot, €27.70 for 12:00–15:30 and €25.50 for 16:00–18:30. Children 3–12 pay €15.50–€17.70 and under-2s go free.
Is the Oceanário open on Mondays?
Yes. It opens every day of the year, 10:00–20:00, with shorter hours on 24, 25 and 31 December and 1 January.
How long does a visit take?
About 1½ to 2 hours for the main exhibition and Forests Underwater, according to the Oceanário.
Are there penguins at the Oceanário?
Yes. The Magellanic penguins returned in September 2025 to a rebuilt, larger habitat, the Southern Ocean, with an underwater viewing area.
How do I get to the Oceanário by metro?
Take the red line to Oriente and walk through Parque das Nações towards the river. The red line also runs from the airport.