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Found in all the world's seas, the jellyfish intrigues and fascinates. But watch out, you might get burnt !

Find out more about what lies beneath the surface, all the way down to the farthest depths of the ocean.

On Wednesday, 26th of July 2023, Nausicaá, the Centre National de la Mer (National Sea Centre) in Boulogne-sur-Mer welcomed its 20 millionth visitor.

This year, Nausicaá is taking you on a journey to discover the mysteries of the abyss

This annual season pass gives you unlimited access to Europe’s largest aquarium, plus a host of exclusive benefits for 365 days!

Do you speak polar? What is the difference between pack ice and icebergs? Here are a few definitions to help you understand the cryosphere.

Nausicaá, an aquarium with a mission.

By visiting one of our restaurants or shops, the crew will be delighted to accompany you.

More than 80 states gathered at the United Nations in New York have already signed the international treaty on the protection of the high seas.

A unique project for an immersive experience.

Check out the full schedule of our festive Christmas events from the 1st of December to the 7th of January.

These reef-building corals play a part in creating coral reefs.

Nausicaá invites you to discover ideas for activities on the Opal Coast and the Hauts de France region

In the Boulogne area, and all along the Opal Coast, water sports are legion.

You have come to Boulogne-sur-Mer with your family to visit the largest aquarium in Europe: Nausicaá. What else is there to see on the Opal Coast?

This bird from South Africa is a sociable, gregarious and loyal bird that can stay with its partner for life.

The Aldabra giant tortoise is the largest land tortoise.

At the time of All Saints' there are two weeks of holidays for kids and teenagers, middle-school and high-school students.

Set out to discover the giants that inhabit the High Seas thanks to a unique Augmented Reality device

Educational and awareness-raising tools

Using aquaculture to combat marine litter.

This Amazonian colossus is a fearsome predator that is not afraid of being bitten by piranhas.

Some jellyfish, such as Turritopsis dohrnii, have the ability to regenerate.

The arowana is an Amazonian fish, a predator that can jump out of the water to catch its prey. It is popular in Asia and is associated with the dragon.

This lizard can be recognised by the size of its tail, which is about three times larger than its body. It lives in rice fields, tall grass, clearings and on the edge of tropical forests.

The Atlantic cod is found on sandy or rocky seabeds. It can be recognised by its barbel.

The Atlantic lookdown lives in groups and has the particularity of playing with the light reflected on its silvery body so that it can hide from its predators.

This unique fish from the mangroves can live out of the water and jump on the mud or walk on the sand. Its eyes, located on the top of its head, give it a very wide field of vision, like a periscope.

The Atlantic nurse shark has an extremely acute sense of smell which enables it to find its prey hidden in the seabed. It gets its name from the way it feeds by suction, reminiscent of babies feeding.

The Atlantic pygmy devil ray lives on the high seas. It has two cephalic fins that it uses to direct plankton towards its mouth.

Are they the same animals, the same species or are they different?

This jellyfish can be recognised by its blue-tinged umbrella speckled with white spots. It is also known as the "floating bell" and is not considered to be dangerous to humans.

20% off your admission ticket with the Nausicaá annual season pass!

The ballan wrasse is a fish with a bulky body and fleshy lips. It lives mainly in rocky areas.

This fish is elegant both in terms of the shape of its body and its colours. It can be recognised by its three vertical black stripes and white spots.

Spend an exceptional hour witnessing what goes on behind the scenes every day between the aquariological handlers and the fish of the High Seas.

BentiX is an innovative ROV underwater drone project incubated at Nausicaa's Blue Living Lab in 2022.

Explore the region differently!

The big roughy Gephyroberyx japonicus lives off the coast of Japan at a depth of between 320 and 660 metres.

Off the coast, beyond the territorial waters, lies the high seas.

In 2018, an ambitious initiative for the ocean was launched.

Bioluminescence, an example of how life has adapted to conditions on the deep seabed.

More than 20 births since 2009.

What a strange animal the seahorse is!

Baby starry smoothhounds were born at Nausicaá on the 8th of May 2021.

Little undulate rays, also known as undulate skates, have been born at Nausicaá.

A penguin and an undulate ray have just been born at the Centre national de la Mer

Since 2009, more than 50 blackchin guitarfish have been born here.

A first for the centre in 2022!

Baby epaulette sharks born at Nausicaá.

A first in Europe: leopard sharks born at the end of 2021.

The first zebra sharks were born at Nausicaá in 2020.

This very colourful fish lives among the sea anemones that protect it from predators. Juveniles can be distinguished from adults by the number of white stripes on their bodies.

The guitarfish is a cross between a ray and a shark. It likes to burrow into the sea floor and cover itself with sand.

It is one of the largest rays in the world and like other rays, it has a venomous spine on its tail.

The blue jellyfish appears on the coasts of northern Europe from May to September-October.

An open innovation platform created and hosted by Nausicaá, dedicated to a sustainable blue economy.

The snout-like mouth is reminiscent of a boar, which is where it gets its name from. It can stretch to catch small prey. It lives above rocky or sandy seabeds and can be recognised by its pink-orange colour.

Please complete the form below to pre-book your visit.
Our team is available Monday to Friday from 9am to 5.30pm, on +33(0)3 21 30 99 89 or by e-mail at resa@nausicaa.fr

The Ports of Boulogne-sur-Mer and Calais became the "Port Boulogne Calais" in 2015.

10 % reduction offered to yachtsmen who have an annual contract with the Boulogne-sur-Mer marina and for visiting yachtsmen mooring in the marina.

€7 instead of €11 for a combined Museum-Crypt ticket with your Nausicaá annual season pass!

And what if you completed your journey to the heart of the oceans with a cultural round-the-world tour at the Boulogne-sur-Mer Museum?

A resort with multiple facets! Both a city of art and history, and the Number One French fishing port, Boulogne-sur-Mer has a lot to offer.

This nocturnal red fish can be recognised by its large eyes. During the day, these soldierfish gather in large numbers in caves where they are protected from the light.

The summer holidays are just around the corner, and with them the prospect, for some, of seaside holidays and days on the beach.

Invite your teams into a majestic and exceptional setting

Discover the local farmers.

20% off your admission with the Nausicaá annual season pass!

Start a debate on the consequences of human activities on the planet.

Sea lions almost became extinct, but as a result of protective measures they are once more flourishing in the wild.

The Cape Gannet Morus capensis, which can be seen in The Open Sea, is a seabird, a "torpedo of the sky" that can dive into the ocean to capture its prey at speeds of up to 100 km/h.

The cardinalfish is a member of the Apogon family, just like the Banggai cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni).

Enjoy a personalised experience at Nausicaá

There are several hundred births every year at Nausicaá!

Overview of Nausicaá, new exhibitions, missions and commitments… The press kits contain all the information you may need in detail!

Area n° 13 on the "Mankind and Shores" tour

This is the clownfish from the film "Finding Nemo". It can be recognised by its 3 white stripes.

There are many births in the aquariological reserves of Nausicaá!

To entertain you while you learn, we invite you to colour in the animals featured in our centre.

This anglerfish Lophius piscatorius is the common anglerfish found on fishmongers' stalls under the commercial name of monkfish.

The common bluestripe snapper is found around coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific area.

Cuttlefish belong to the cephalopod family and have a distinctive tapered body. It is covered by a mantle that hides the calcareous inner shell, which is called the cuttlebone.

The common green iguana is native to subtropical America and loves to soak up the sun while perched on a branch.

The land hermit crab uses its 10 legs to move and cling to its shell.
Its right claw, which is larger, is used to block the entrance to its shell, which it changes when it becomes damaged or too small.

This jellyfish is a translucent bluish-white colour and is a type of plankton. It has a digestive system between its tentacles, light-sensitive organs, muscles, nerves and stinging cells that deliver poison.

You can see this animal in the film in the immersive exhibition "In the eye of the climate".

Twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays, concerts will be held in the Blue Bar from 6.30pm.

Une expérience musicale magique éclairée à la lueur de centaines de bougies devant le spectacle de la grande baie.

This year, Nausicaá is offering its Escales (Stopovers) season, a host of events to be enjoyed with family and friends

Preserving biodiversity is the focus of Nausicaá's mission.

Preserving species in their natural habitat

To consume the produce of the sea at home or in a restaurant without harming the oceans and biodiversity, follow Mr.Goodfish's advice!

Please give preference to using this form. You can also call us on +33 (0)3 21 30 99 99.

The convict blenny fish, whose body is similar to that of the eel, is found on coral reefs.

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Corail Artefact is an innovative project by Jérémy Gobé, incubated at Nausicaá's Blue Living Lab, to save coral reefs with lace and 3D printing.

This fish lives in well-synchronised schools of a few to several hundred individuals.

At the Blue Society Forum, which can be reached from the Nausicaá lobby

Build a colony of penguins in your own home!