The Rhodes Aquarium or Rhodes Hydrobiological Station is located at the northern edge of the city, next to the large beach of Elli.
When was the Rhodes Aquarium built?
The aquarium was built during the Italian occupation between the years 1934-1936 and in 1937 it was named "Reale Instituto di Ricerche Biologiche di Rodi", which means the Royal Institute of Marine Biology of Rhodes.
After the liberation and integration of Rhodes island in the Greek state, it was renamed the Hellenic Hydrobiological Institute and continued to operate under the supervision of the Academy of Athens. Today it operates as a Museum, Aquarium, as well as a Research Unit and belongs to the National Center for Marine Research.
What is the purpose of the Rhodes Aquarium?
The main purpose of the Aquarium is to preserve and expose living and not leaving organisms of the Mediterranean. More than 200,000 visitors a year admire many rare and interesting species of the marine world.
It also operates as a research unit with responsibility in the maritime area of the Dodecanese and with researches that cover the whole spectrum of the science of Oceanography. It also includes a remarkable scientific library.
The Greek Ministry of Culture has characterized the Aquarium building as a historical monument and an excellent example of "International Style" architecture.