The Story Behind the Haus des Meeres Building
The Bunker in the Heart of Vienna
The building housing Haus des Meeres stands apart from other marine museums because it was originally constructed to serve as an anti-aircraft defense tower during World War II. This fortified tower rises to a height of 47 meters and once housed radar to detect enemy planes. Other similar fortified defense towers were scattered throughout the city, forming Vienna’s protective shield against aerial bombardments (there’s another tower in Augarten Park in the second district). After the war, the building temporarily served as a hotel/hostel and then as a fire station.
Haus des Meeres began operating while the fire station was still active in the building. Initially, there were a few small exhibits on the upper floors, but over the years, the museum expanded to include exhibits on all floors of the building. For its expansion, the building underwent renovations, and additional wings were added. Today, the museum boasts 10 floors and a large rooftop terrace offering panoramic views of the entire city.
Good to know: On the 10th floor, there’s an exhibit related to World War II, which can only be visited on weekends (by prior arrangement).
In 2007, Haus des Meeres opened Austria’s largest aquarium, holding 300,000 liters of water, and it has been home to several sharks ever since. Besides aquatic animals, you can also see crocodiles, venomous snakes, lizards, tropical birds, and monkeys.
This is what the Haus des Meeres Animal Exhibits look like
Sections of Haus des Meeres and What You Can See
- Aquariums with Tropical Fish: In this section of the museum, you’ll discover a vast array of tropical fish, some from lakes and others from the open sea. These aquariums feature piranhas, neon fish, sharks, seahorses, lionfish, clownfish, and more. You’ll also find colorful and beautiful coral reefs.
- Aquariums with Mediterranean Fish: These aquariums host a variety of fish and other marine animals such as octopuses, lobsters, starfish, sea urchins, eels, and more.
- Tropical House: This area combines marine animals like sea turtles, crabs, and various fish with birds, monkeys, and bats. The animals in this section are within arm’s reach, but it’s important to remember that feeding them is strictly prohibited.
- Crocodile Park: An exhibit featuring these formidable creatures. This area houses various crocodile species, as well as tamarin monkeys and a diverse collection of birds.
- Terrarium: This exhibit features many types of snakes, including constrictors and highly venomous species. Additionally, you’ll find lizards, chameleons, and turtles.
This is what the Tropical House looks like
Additional Essential Information for Your Visit
Opening Hours:
Open daily! The aquarium complex is open from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing.
The Café Sharky is open daily from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
The restaurant on the 11th floor, offering city views (Restaurant 360 OCEAN SKY), is open from 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM (until 2:00 AM on Fridays and Saturdays). You don’t need to purchase an entrance ticket to the Haus des Meeres to dine at this restaurant.
Live Cameras:
If you’d like to watch the aquariums live and perhaps even see sharks in real-time, you can view the Haus des Meeres webcams. The broadcast quality isn’t exceptionally high, but you can get a glimpse of the various aquariums. Click here to watch.
Ticket Prices:
- Adults: €23.50
- Children (6-15): €9.80
- Small children (3-5): €6.50
Purchase tickets online from the Haus des Meeres website.
How to Get to Vienna’s Haus des Meeres?
Getting there is easy using Vienna’s public transport. There are several options:
- Bus: Bus lines 13A and 57 stop near the museum. Get off at the “Haus des Meeres” stop.
- Underground (U-Bahn): The orange underground line (U3) stops at Neubaugasse station. Get off at this station and walk about 2 minutes to the entrance of Haus des Meeres.
If you’re arriving by private car, you can park at the WiPark car park on the nearby Windmühlgasse street. Visitors to Haus des Meeres receive a discount at this car park. You can get a discount voucher at the Haus des Meeres ticket counter.
Address: Fritz-Grünbaum-Platz 1, 1060 Vienna
Map:
After enjoying your visit to Haus des Meeres, you can take a pleasant 5-minute walk to the Mariahilfer Straße shopping street. This street offers numerous shopping opportunities, as well as cafes and restaurants. If you’re interested in shopping, you can find comprehensive information about all of Vienna’s shopping options (not just Mariahilfer Straße).
Alternatively, you can stroll towards the Museum Quarter and visit interesting museums such as mumok, the Leopold Museum, or the ZOOM Children’s Museum. You can find all the necessary information for visiting the MuseumQuartier.
