New exhibition 2024 : Journey into the Abyss

“We know less about the ocean floor than we do about the surface of the Moon: only a quarter of its surface has been mapped, and less than 5% has been thoroughly explored”

Nausicaá, the French national sea life centre in Boulogne sur Mer*, has opened a new permanent exhibition entitled ‘Journey into the Abyss’, to showcase this fascinating yet still little-known environment. This has been created in partnership with Ifremer ** 

Covering 180 m2 of exhibition space, with three new aquariums, visitors will be able to see at close hand five deep-sea species that are new to Nausicáa. These new creatures are; 

• Bathynomus doederleini, a carnivorous giant isopod found at depths of between 300 and 2,300 m in Southeast Asia.  
• The common anglerfish lives at between 20 and 1,000 m down. With its huge, flattened head, this fearsome hunter can extend its jaw and camouflage itself to catch its prey.  
• The Japanese spider crab is the largest crab in the world. It can grow to over 3.5 m in size with its legs extended. Living in the waters off Japan and Taiwan, it can be found at depths of between 50 and 400 m.   
• The boarfish lives at between 40 and 700 m down. It owes its name to its ‘pig-like’ snout. Its scales are dotted with little spines, which make them rough to the touch.  
• The name of the longspine snipefish refers to its long snout. It has been observed at depths of between 100 and 250 m. It feeds on crustacean zooplankton and spends a lot of time with its head down, looking for food, which it sucks in through its tubular mouth. 

The abyss is almost like another planet, home to undersea volcanoes, mountains and abyssal plains, hydrothermal vents and strange creatures shining in the darkness. Thanks to the 3D model provided by Ifremer*, visitors will be able to discover the Capelinhos hydrothermal vent site, located north of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, at a depth of 1,700 m and, around this installation, the unique and fascinating ecosystem in the depths. In addition, a huge fresco, almost 12 m in length, will introduce visitors to the adventure of exploring the deep seabeds and the evolution of vehicles and technologies, from 1872 to the present day.  

ENDS 

Notes for editors 

The new ‘Journey into the Abyss’ exhibition can be found in the ‘Journey on the High Seas’ tour at Nausicaá and is included in the entry fee. The entry fee for 2024 is €28.50 per adult (12yrs +) and €21.50 or children (3-12yrs). Concessions available for over 60s and registered disabled. The entire site is wheelchair and child pushchair friendly. Information boards and activities have English translations for all exhibitions. 

For full details, see: https://www.nausicaa.fr/en/my-visit/activities/journey-into-the-Abyss 

*Nausicaá is located 37 kilometres from Calais port (for crossings from Dover) and 33km from Eurotunnel, via the A16 autoroute, exit at junction 32 (toll free).  

Foot passengers travelling Dover to Calais can take a free shuttle to the train station (Calais Ville) and a train from Calais town to Boulogne takes 25- 32 minutes (dependent on number of stops) 

**Ifremer  https://en.ifremer.fr/  

Ifremer is the French research institute entirely dedicated to the oceans, which is this year celebrating 40 years of exploration, research, discoveries and commitment to our oceans. Ifremer is sharing its scientific and technical expertise with Nausicaá. 

Deep seabeds are the deep areas of the oceans which start at 1,000 m down. They make up 75% of the volume of our oceans. However, we know less about the depths than about the surface of the Moon. Only one quarter of their area has been mapped. In addition to being home to a great diversity of species (around 300,000 species and millions still to discover), the deep seabeds regulate the climate and mitigate global warming by storing huge quantities of carbon and absorbing heat. They also contain deposits of rare metals, such as copper, nickel, cobalt and manganese.