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 aqaurium 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 half-day trip out for adults and toddlers alike.

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

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 in three principle sections:

• Mediterraneo (coata 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! - that are there 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).

And they have a nautilus pompilius from the Pacific West Ocean: a splendid specimen to see so close.

Aquarium Events

Every Wednesday and Friday at 16:30 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.

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:

Summer: 1 June to 30 September
Everyday 10:00 to 13:00 and 15:00 to 21:00

Winter: 1 October to 31 March
Tuesday to Sunday 10:30 to 12:30 and 14:00 to 18:30

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

Ticket prices

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

Tel: +39 0566 919529
www.aquariummondomarino.com

Aquarium Location Map

Note: The aquarium wasn't built at the time that this satellite image was taken, but it is there!

View a larger map of Aquarium Mondo Marino