Haus des Meeres

Unique repurposing of a WWII leftover.

A rainy day in December was perfect reason to be inside checking out the aquarium. It is located inside a ten story flak tower. The tower with its 11feet thick walls were used by the Luftwaffe to defend against air raids and serve as a raid shelter for thousands of locals. Demolition is too expensive and a risk to the neighborhood.

Starting on the first floor, you work your way up through various underwater, reptile and jungle exhibits. There is truly more to see than you expect from the building size. The shark tank is three stories. The three story jungle has a full glass wall. Near the top there is a couple of rooms of war relics that are available to view during limited times. Some of the items were incredibly preserved. The rooftop offers a full restaurant and bar with a fabulous view, and on good days, and outdoor viewing area. It took all morning to see all the exhibits. After walking up, we walked back down the ten flights to make sure we didn't miss a thing.

No fear, there is a central elevator. But some stairwells have art and other information you don't want to miss.

It seems that Haus des Meeres is easily the most fun aquarium experience I have ever visited. The set up shows how dedicated the museum is to the quality of the exhibits and their educational value, particularly for children. The museum rightfully focuses on the need to preserve ocean habitat which makes visiting the museum shop where microfiber toy animals are plentiful - fibers that are known to apparently adversely affect sealife. The views from the rooftop restaurant and wraparound balcony are impressive. The vertical layout of the museum is ingenious.

This place went beyond my expectations. Lots to see and to be impressed by. I'm not a big fan of zoos in general because I consider animals are much better in their natural habitat... kids will love it. The 360 degree view on the top floor is worth it as well.

Wow what a place for Children and Adults with a fun outlooki. Spending time with monkeys, birds and flying bats was amazing and fun, not least they were all humanesque and tame. The fish and snKes were outstanding in colour and beautifulness.

If you can visit the cafe on the 11th floor, a truly fantastic view of Vienn on crisp Autumn afternoon just as the sun was setting.

Just a small walk from the U3 metro station Neubaugasse, lays the Haus Des Meeres, a.k.a "Aqua Terra Zoo." I always wanted to go here, so one day when I was babysitting I jumped on the opportunity to bring the kids with me!

This is quite a cool place. When you enter, you walk through their small gift shop, then to the cashier where you pay for tickets (for us- 14.90 Euro per adult, per child, 6.90 Euro). On your right there is a large fish tank with the top uncovered and a sign that says you can pet the fish! It was such a nice surprise to be able to get the opportunity to touch one. These fish will swim up to kiss your hand -- just make sure you wash your hands afterward!

There are five floors at this attraction and over 10,000 animals. There is also a cafe on the fourth floor that feature sodas, juices, coffees and snacks and around the corner a play area with games and drawing supplies.

One of my favorite areas in the Haus Des Meeres was the tropical zone where the air is warm and humid like a jungle, and colorful birds fly around freely while bats sleep upside down.

There is also a crocodile exhibit where cute furry monkeys hang out.

Then in another section, incredible anacondas are behind glass windows, as well as sea horses and jellyfish.

On their website you can check out animal feeding times, so if you want to watch sharks getting fed for example, make sure you check the times beforehand.

I will not spoil a lot for you, but this is definitely a great place to take the kids, and yes, even if you want to go by yourself it is also cool.

Additional Info can be found on their website.

What a surprise! Amazing aquatic life, reptiles, apes, bats and much more just steps off Vienna's main shopping area.
Have been there twice, and finally got an annual pass for EUR 39.
I am looking forward to going to the tropical garden in the winter : )
This place has it all: roof-top cafe, amazing views over Vienna to all sides, free climing on the side of the building, historic background information of the building, and of course its great abundance of acquatic and land-based animals.
I recommend a visit after 5pm as the anaconda starts to get restless for food. Making eye contact with this massive snake (must be 5 meters long) with only a thin glass panel between you and wide gaping fangs is quite exhilerating! The aquarium operates as well a breeding station for seahorses.
A big highlight is the tropical garden. Before closing time, the bats start to get active - a real fun time to be had watching them munch on fruits and vegetables and swishing right past you on the quest for more food.
As of August 2016, there is construction for an additional tank undergoing. Its completion will make this place even more awesome.
Highly recommended for locals and visitors alike!

I went to the Haus des Meeres for the first time today to get some winter exercise (lots of stairs if you choose them) and to see what Vienna has to offer in terms of an indoor "Zoo". I was impressed with the diversity of the animals and fish and it was a nice surprise to find open areas with birds and monkeys as well. The smell of the place leaves a lot to be desired, but that is what you get with humidity and lots of water and animals. It wasn't busy since it was a Tuesday morning and I was happy to not run into too many school groups, only two while we were there. I suspect it is really uncomfortable with too many groups or on a busy weekend. Most of the walkways and the steps are a bit narrow for a lot of people at one time. The highlight of the place is definitely the top floor terrace and its views. Unfortunately we wanted to eat lunch in the Sky cafe but didn't realize that they don't have a fulll kitchen. They only offer a large drink menu and very little in the way of snack foods and small things like crepes and toast sandwiches. The place really could benefit from a full restaurant. As far as baby/kid friendly goes, it is a great place. There are plenty of bathrooms and changing stations. There is an elevator if you choose to bring a stroller and the installations and tanks are at perfect heights for kids to see. Just don't let them touch the railings where the birds and monkeys are! Gross!

Wonderful Place!!!