Milano’s Civic Aquarium occupies the sole surviving pavilion from the 1906 International Exposition. Its aquatic-themed Art Nouveau exterior turns a scientific institution into a visible part of Parco Sempione, linking civic education with the design culture of its age.
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The sea life is announced before you reach the tanks: aquatic forms and a Neptune fountain decorate the building’s exterior. Milan’s Civic Aquarium was built for the 1906 International Exposition, held to mark the opening of the Simplon Tunnel.
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UpgradeQuick facts
- The aquarium opened in 1906 for Milan’s International Exposition.
- It is the only surviving pavilion from that exposition.
- Sebastiano Locati designed the building in Liberty style.
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