The largest aquarium in Italy and one of the largest in Europe, Genoa's is part of a massive waterfront "Edutainment" center that could take days to explore fully.
Built in 1992 to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the voyage of native son Christopher Columbus, the aquarium teaches about marine animals of all kinds, showing them in largely natural environments.
The biosphere, an eye-catching steel-and-glass globe structure designed by foremost Italian architect Renzo Piano, contains a tropical garden. In the garden are exhibits telling about these fragile and endangered ecosystems.
