Polaria
Photo: Own work — CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Polaria is an Arctic experience center and the world’s northernmost aquarium, located in Tromsø, Norway. It features interactive exhibitions, aquariums with Arctic marine life, and daily seal feeding sessions.
Planning your visit
Polaria is the world's northernmost aquarium, in Tromsø well above the Arctic Circle, and its building is designed as a stack of ice floes pushed onto the shore by the sea.
The bearded seals are the draw, with daily feeding and training sessions where the keepers explain the animals' adaptations — they are Arctic natives, and the sessions are informative rather than performing tricks.
The aquariums hold cold-water species from the Barents Sea, including a touch pool, and a panoramic cinema shows films on Svalbard and the northern lights.
The exhibitions cover Arctic ecology and climate change, which in Tromsø is not abstract — the region is warming several times faster than the global average, and the changes to sea ice and species distribution are documented locally.
It sits on the harbour front. Allow ninety minutes. Bookable options combine it with the Polar Museum. Current availability is listed below.
Before you book
Where is Polaria?
Polaria is in Tromsø, Norway. The map on this page marks its exact location.
How long should I allow for Polaria?
Allow ninety minutes. That is the time the collection itself takes at an unhurried pace, before any queue.
What are the opening hours of Polaria?
EVERY DAY 10:00 – 17:00. Hours change on public holidays, so check the official site before travelling.
Do I need to book Polaria in advance?
Guided tours run to a fixed schedule and small group sizes, so they are usually booked ahead.
