The new ARTIS Aquarium is set to open its doors in the summer of 2026. Behind the scenes, intensive work has been underway recently to plan the reopening of this historic building and bring the world of water to life.
Set amidst the historic Artis Zoo, the Aquarium offers a multi-layered underwater world. Once inside, visitors embark on a sensory journey of discovery. Visitors take a deep dive into amazing stories about the species swimming around them. You’ll have the unique opportunity to cast a fishing rod or explore the deep sea in a submarine. You’ll also discover first-hand that you’re made up largely of water, and you can drill into ice, create your own clouds and mix fresh and salt water.
Playful and intuitive interactions are interwoven with more narrative-driven and in-depth experiences, and even ethical dilemmas. Moreover, the interactions are designed in such a way that not only the player, but also visitors watching along over a shoulder, above the crowd, or on large screens, can fully follow and engage with the experience. This makes them particularly well suited for families and larger groups of visitors.
It was a unique challenge to develop interactive installations that are directly connected to the living underwater world in the Aquarium. Art, interactivity and the natural world come together to convey an urgent message. Our oceans, rivers and lakes are under pressure from pollution, global warming and overfishing. The installations not only highlight the vulnerability of this global network, but also showcase inspiring solutions and the absolute necessity of taking collective action for the climate.
Our director Wouter would love to tell you more about this project! Send him an e-mail at wouter.vanderzouwe@yipp.nl