The French Riviera is famous for its glitz and glamour as well as a spectacular blue coastal ocean. The gewel in the crown is Monte Carlo and the Principality of Monaco. Steeped in history, the magic of the Cote d'Azur is something you have to experience first hand.
One of the most interesting facts about Monaco is its commitment to the environment and the work Prince Albert has done with the Monaco Oceanographic Museum, also known as the Jacques Cousteau Museum.
Musée Océanographique
Located right on the waterline with spectacular panoramic views, the museum is also home to the Mediterranean Science Commission. The institute provides advice on issues related to the Mediterranean sea ecosystems, that is both neutral and authoritative. Through its network of scientists and organizations involved in marine science, the institute can quickly detect changes to the oceans and alert governments and others who must take action.
The museum itself has a vast array of displays, historic articles and of course the aquarium. A Unique part of the museum is the exhibition of "Oceanomania" which is known as the biggest collection of marine world curiosities.
From the highly colorful tropical zone to the spellbinding charm of the Mediterranean section, the Oceanographic museum invites you to observe the underwater world in all its authenticity. The one hundred or so pools, ranging in size from 100 to 450,000 liters, are home to several thousand fish specimens, more than 200 species of invertebrates and around one hundred species of hard and soft corals.
The historical section
The Shark section of the Musée Océanographique is hoping to overcome the bad reputation that sharks depict in movies. The Shark being a much less lethal killer than jellyfish (50), mosquitoes (800,000) or road accidents (1.2 million), sharks kill fewer than 10 people per year.
Essential for the health of ecosystems, sharks are now under threat. Each year, more than 100 million sharks are killed by man. To raise the awareness to the general public about their protection, the Musée océanographique has chosen to appeal to the emotions of the people by creating a whole section on sharks, and bringing people closer to them than ever before.
The most spectacular part of the museum are the aquariums, which are host to tropical sea fish, Mediterranean sea fish and a shark lagoon.
With so much on display, its ideal to take your time and understand how the various tanks have been separated and their importance.
