Primorsky Aquarium

The aquarium opened in 2016 on Russky Island, part of the same development programme as the bridge and the federal university, in a building shaped as a curved white shell. It belongs to the Far Eastern branch of the Academy of Sciences and functions as a research facility as well as a display. The exhibits move from the evolution of life through freshwater systems - Baikal, the Amur - to the Sea of Japan and the northern Pacific, which is the strongest part: the cold, exceptionally productive waters off Primorye hold king crab, giant octopus, wolffish and kelp forests, and the tanks show them in local context rather than as a general tropical collection. There is a large tunnel tank and a tropical section. A dolphinarium operates on the site with performing cetaceans, which is a separate ticket and a practice many visitors now decline on welfare grounds.

The main sights

• The Sea of Japan tanks - king crab, giant octopus and kelp from local cold waters.
• The tunnel - a walk-through tank with the main open-water display above.
• The freshwater section - Baikal and Amur species in their own systems.
• The shell building - a curved white structure built for the 2016 opening.

When to go

All year. Three to four hours. Weekends and school holidays are crowded.

Practical notes

It is a twenty kilometre trip from Vladivostok with limited public transport. The building is large and the walk through it is long. A dolphinarium with performing animals operates on site; it is a separate ticket and captive cetacean shows are contested on welfare grounds. Labelling is largely Russian.

Nearby

Russky Island's forts and beaches are nearby; the Russky Bridge crosses back to the city.

Key facts