Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

Oceanopolis is a scientific culture centre (CCSTI) dedicated to the discovery of the oceans, located in Brest, Brittany. Opened in 1990 under the impetus of two CNRS researchers, Éric Hussenot and Jean-Paul Alayse, it is the result of an aquarium-museum project designed to enhance the ecosystems of the Iroese Sea. The first pavilion, designed by architect Jacques Rougerie in the shape of a crab, opened in June 1990 as La Maison de la Mer, attracting 500,000 visitors from its first year.

In 2000, Oceanopolis expanded with two new pavilions (polar and tropical), transforming the site into an ocean discovery park. The Temperate Pavilion, renamed the Brittany Pavilion in 2017, highlights local biodiversity, while the polar and tropical pavilions explore extreme ecosystems. In 2013, an otter trail was added, sheltering endangered species as part of European conservation programmes.

From its creation onwards, Océanopolis integrates a scientific dimension with the Laboratory of Marine Mammal Studies (LEMM), founded in 1989 to study grey seals and large dolphins in Brittany. The centre also participates in international coral programmes (SECORE, CORALZOO) and in 2023 the Océanolab, a research space open to the public. Managed by Brest metropolis via the company Brest in sight (formerly Brest) the site starts in 2023 a major renovation (Metamorphosis), budgeted at 34 million euros.

Recognized for its approach combining scientific rigour and accessibility, Océanopolis received in 2023 a Victoire de la Bretagne and saw its founders, Éric Hussenot and Jean-Paul Alayse, honoured by the Grand Prix of the French Institute of the Sea in 2018. The centre, a member of AMCSTI, collaborates with institutions such as Ifremer, IRD or the National Museum of Natural History, strengthening its role in the extension and preservation of marine environments.

With 1 million litres of seawater and 1,000 species presented, Océanopolis is distinguished by its innovations, such as the Abyss Box (2012), the first pressurized aquarium reproducing the abyssal conditions at 1,800 meters depth. The park also offers temporary exhibitions, free conferences (available online since 2009) and a cultural program to raise public awareness of ocean issues.

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