Who we are

The Aquarium of Ubatuba is a private venture, founded in February 1996 by a group of oceanologists.

Since its opening, the Aquarium has already received thousands of people who have been able to absorb knowledge and be educated about the importance of preserving the marine environment and the richness of its biodiversity.

Having as its main aims – education and research related to conservation of the environment, the Aquarium of Ubatuba was the first private aquarium in the country to open to the public having also been a pioneer in several areas such as:

• It was the first in the country to introduce the concept of touching tanks, where visitors can touch animals with the assistance of a monitor, and learn more easily concepts of biology and conservation;
• Set up the first jelly-fish aquarium of Brazil that enchants tourists and teaches a little more about these animals that fascinate everyone;
• The Aquarium of Ubatuba maintains agreements with 110 teaching and research  institutions to conduct training courses and joint research;
• The Aquarium of Ubatuba was a reference and later, through the company Terramare, was able to apply the idea elsewhere in the country. In this way, aquariums already open to the public or being planned like those in Aparecida/SP, Oceanário de Aracajú/SE, Aquário da Bacia do Rio São Francisco em Belo Horizonte/MG, Aquário de Rio das Ostras/RJ, Aquário do Parque Escola Sabina em Santo Andre, Aquário do Pantanal em Campo Grande/MS e Oceanário Brasil em Rio Grande/RS counted on the support of the technical staff from the Aquarium of Ubatuba and the company Terramare.

Oceanologist Hugo Gallo Neto, founder and executive director of the Aquarium of Ubatuba, says that ‘environmental education is a priority in the Aquarium of Ubatuba, for here we apply the concept of “edutainment” (edu – from education, and tainment – from entertainment) allowing visitors while they are enjoying their tour, to learn and value and respect our aquatic and marine biodiversity.

In this way, the founder of the project believes to be contributing through environmental education and practical work towards the knowledge, appreciation and consequent conservation of the coastal and fresh water environments in the country.

The oceans cover more than 70% of the surface of our planet and extensively contribute to the existence and propagation of life, including one of the most elaborate ones: the human.

Properties of sea water provided and still provide the means by which life can evolve.

In preserving the seas many of the keys to the planet’s survival can be found.

Life came from the sea.