We had a great time in Copenhagen, and we had some great adventures with our kiddos. When researching the area before our trip, we were really excited to visit the Den Blå Planet, which is actually the National Aquarium, located right outside of the hubbub of the heart of Copenhagen. Even though it was a short drive from the city center, it felt like we were in a tranquil place like no other. Read on to find out how to plan a trip to this amazing aquarium.
Getting There
We had a rental car, so we decided to drive ourselves to the aquarium, but there are other options as well. We did pay 48DKK (about 8 USD) to park for the three hours we were in the museum. The parking was easy to find and we had no problem finding a space.
You can also take the Metro Line and get dropped off about 600 meters from the aquarium. You would take the M2 line.
You can also bike to the aquarium, as many Danish people do. We saw more people bike to the aquarium than any other method of transportation. It’s the way to get around Denmark and there is a biking path from the city center to the Den Blå Planet. You can lock your bike up outside in the bike lock area. It will take about 45 minutes for experienced bikers to get to the aquarium from downtown Copenhagen, maybe a little longer if you are at my level of biking expertise.
Another option for travel to the aquarium is the shuttle bus, which is free if you have a ticket to the aquarium. The shuttle runs from April to September and has many stops throughout in the city. Check out the shuttle schedule here.
Tickets and Hours
The aquarium is open year around every day of the year. The hours on Tuesday – Sunday are 10:00 – 5:00 PM, but Monday the aquarium is open from 10 – 9:00 P.M. We decided to go on a Monday and we loved being able to take our time and really explore every nook and cranny of the facility.
Tickets are 170 DKK (about 28 USD) for adults and 90 DKK (about 15 USD) for children. We thought that was a fair price given the activities and selection of sea creatures to see. If you buy a Copenhagen Card you can get into the aquarium for free with the purchase of the card. If you are planning on seeing multiple attractions and are staying for a couple of days, this may be the way to go. Check out the Copenhagen Card and all the attractions included in the card here.
Aquarium Highlights
First of all, the aquarium building is an architectural wonder. It is visually stunning to say the least. The building is also situated right on the water and has some fantastic bay views. Once you enter the building it is fairly easy to navigate, even if you only speak English. The building is a fan shape, and once you go through the ticketing area you are in the center of the fan. There are three distinct hallways that lead you through the different exhibits. They are labeled with a 1, 2, and 3. Being the type of people we are, we had to start at 1 and go to 3, but you can really start any place you like.
Before we get to the specifics of each area, I have to mention the electronic touch-screen displays. Each tank and exhibit has a large touch-screen next to it which gives you access to information about every type of aquatic life in the tank. The information on each creature, (which was available in English as well as Danish and a few other options) ranges from their habitat, behaviors, food, fun facts, and more. There are also pictures, and in many cases videos, highlighting particularly interesting behaviors, or other interesting information about each creature. I can’t begin to tell you how cool this was. We could have easily doubled our time in the aquarium if my husband had his way and read through every bit of information provided on these handy screens. We have visited aquariums all over the U.S. and have never seen such thorough and informative displays.
1 Northern Lakes and Seas Exhibit
The first exhibit focused on the animals and plant life that you would find in Northern Denmark. Our favorite part of this exhibit was the sea otter tank. The sea otters were quite playful and fun to watch, and the tank was stunning. We were there during a feeding time, and after surveying the crowd, the presenter was kind enough to do her presentation in English so we could understand.
After you check out the inside part of the exhibit, take a break and enjoy the outdoor views of the bay. There is a water play area with science and engineering interactive exhibits for the kids to grow their brains. There was also a playground for them to get some physical energy out. Visiting in June (when we attended the aquarium) made for perfect outdoor weather. The kiddos didn’t really want to go inside. They wanted to stay out there forever. Good thing the aquarium was open until 9 PM.
2 Tropical Lakes and Rivers
This exhibit focused on creatures you would find in rain forests and warmer regions. There was a really unique part of this area where you went in to a green house like room that was humid and misty. You could walk downstairs and see some of the larger freshwater fish. There is just something about seeing those large freshwater fish up close and personal.
3 The Ocean
This last room focused on the open ocean. There was a HUGE tank with sharks and other large ocean fish. We sat in the stadium seating and just took in that area for awhile. This was probably the most hands on of the exhibit halls because they had a lot of interactive information for the kids to play on and learn about.
In Conclusion
All in all it was a fantastic day at the aquarium. Like I said above, we spent about three hours there and we were very thorough, and we were able to see just about everything. (The aquarium was not crowded at all, probably because we went on a Monday and the hours were more spread out.) If you are visiting Copenhagen, and you have any interest in sea life, I would definitely recommend bringing the family to the Den Blå Planet Aquarium.
Please comment or email me with any questions you have about visiting. I would be happy to point you in the right direction. Don’t forget to check out our other posts from our visit to Denmark and follow our travel stories on social media.
* My family and I were invited as guests of Den Blå Planet Aquarium, but as always, all opinions are my own.
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