The Museum of Natural History is located in the centre of Venice, on the Grand Canal. An aquarium housing fish from the reefs is already in place.
Location of the Museum in Venice
The Fondego dei Turchi (which houses the new aquarium) is not far from the Rialto Bridge in the centre of Venice. It is well signed and easily walkable, but perhaps the most interesting way to reach it is by ‘Traghetto’. This service uses the traditional gondola to ferry tourists (and Venetians) across the Grand Canal for a fee of 50 cents (much cheaper than hiring a gondola!). The one you want is from San Marcuola to the Fóndaco dei Turchi.
Marine Aquarium
The 5,000 litre aquarium has most of the fifty or so species of fish that live on the reefs that separate the lagoon from the Adriatic. This is one of the three ways to look at fish in Venice, the other two being in the wonderful fish-market and on your plate in the superb restaurants!
Seafood in Venice
It should not come as a surprise to find that a city surrounded by the sea offers some of the best seafood in the world. Mantis Shrimps appear in most seafood starters, and then again in many ‘second plates’ with spaghetti or tagliatelle. The best ‘third plate’ for a marine biologist is, of course, grilled fish – usually at least three species, and always including sea-bass and sea-bream.
Travel in Venice
Because the city has no traffic or hills walking is a pleasure (outside the peak tourist season!), and tourist tickets for the ‘Vaporetti’ are relatively cheap (currently 30 Euros for 72 hours unlimited travel). With a combination of these two modes of transport the whole city is easily accessible, and the islands and Lido can be explored. The only tiring bit is the bridges – there are thousands of steps to be negociated. Every time you cross one of the narrow canals you will have to climb up the steep stone steps, and calves will ache after a busy day of sight-seeing.
Arriving by Boat
It is possible to fly into Marco Polo Airport on the mainland and get a boat out to Venice itself, and this must be the most romantic and interesting way to arrive. There is also a mainline railway station in Venice, and a road-bridge which allows access by bus or coach. Once there, of course, it is all boats or ‘Shanks’s pony’, and it is remarkable how quickly one forgets about traffic (this can be dangerous on return to the Italian mainland!).
Whatever other tourist activities are contemplated it is a ‘must’ for all marine biologists to visit the natural history museum and ‘mess about in boats’!
Social Science Education 