The Aquarium in Rijeka
Biological diversity is among key criteria for determining the abundance of life forms and the value of the natural heritage of an area. It is defined as diversity of organisms in time and space. In the sea it is reflected in the abundance of living communities (biocenoses), and the number of floral and faunal species. The benthic biocenoses of the Adriatic have a clearly Mediterranean character, which is only natural considering the interrelatedness of the entire Mediterranean area. These biocenoses also have some specific characteristics that have developed during the geological history of the Adriatic, and are still developing under the influence of various factors, such as the relative isolation of the sea and ecological conditions. The Adriatic is one of the most researched seas. Scientific research of its depths dates back into the 18th century discovering about 8000 kinds of fish and the invertebrates. Some competent estimates suggest the existence of 4000 more species. Northern Adriatic is, with it geomorphologic characteristics and specific abiotic conditions, the center of formation of endemic species, and the area containing rare and endangered Mediterranean communities of coraligen, photophilic algae and marine flowering plants.

The species in the biological communities are interdependent. The extinction of only one species can lead to a degradation of the entire community. Preserving biological diversity is a prerequisite of harmonious functioning of nature.
The Aquarium, the multimedia display of the Natural History Museum in Rijeka gives you a chance to dive in and discover the wealth and beauty hiding below the sea surface. It also informs you about the need to preserve and protect the submarine world. Given is the biocenoses overview from the most shallow part of the mediolittoral zone to the blue depths of the circalittoral. The pools are the copies of parts of sea bed with submarine world characteristic for the depths they represent. The Aquarium offers the experience of sea depths through underwater photography, sounds of the ocean, the movie and interactive research of over 300 species of marine flora and fauna. In the most concrete way it teaches those interested in it, about the secret life of the fish, invertebrates, algae and marine flowering plants.

The display builds on the idea dating back to 1867 when J. R. Lorenz presented Giovanni de Ciotti, the Mayor of Rijeka, with a design of the Natural History Museum in Rijeka. An aquarium open to the public was envisaged within the Museum. The idea came to life in 1884 when the Governo marittimo palace, designed by architects Zamboni and Hubert, (today the Port Authority building) was built. In its left wing on the ground floor the Hungarian Biological Fishing Station in Rijeka, headed by Viktor de Gauss Garady, established a museum and an aquarium with 36 pools with marine animals and other exhibits, as well as a laboratory. Viktor de Gauss Garrady was a professor at the Nautical Academy, active in the field of fishing industry, particularly the biology of shrimps. The museum and the aquarium operated in that building until 1918. In 1904 near Bagno-Furdo-Ilona in Školjić, Edoardo Castiane's aquarium was constructed and opened for public, with 6 pools with fresh, and 12 with salt water. Along with Rijeka, which was Hungarian at the time, the development of the aquariums intensified in the Austrian part of the coast, in Rovinj and Opatija, where together with the Erzherog Ludwig Victor Bad and the Stephanie Hotel the Opatija, an aquarium was built in 1911. The Opatija Aquarium was built by the Aquarium Verein Abbazia society. The building was designed by professor P. Veesenmayer who was the Aquarium manager. After World War II, namely in 1947, Mario Rossi opened an aquarium in the Natural History Museum in Rijeka. In 1953 the Aquarium had 17 fresh water pools with 160 fish and amphibians, and 12 marine pools with 195 species of fish and crabs. The aquarium was the only one in the country open to the public. In late 1950s the idea was entertained of building a big Adriatic Aquarium at Delta. The Fishing station in Rijeka commissioned engineers Kolacio and Sila to design the building. The Ministry of Culture of the Socialist Republic of Croatia proclaimed the construction of the Adriatic Aquarium to be one of the four institutions of interest to the city. The second design for the Aquarium at Delta was drawn up in the Vincek Architectural firm, Zagreb, the investor was to be Stari grad municipality. In 1962 in the Natural History Museum a high school practicum with two aquariums with fresh and salt water was opened for public. The third preliminary design of the big aquarium at Delta dates back to 1964. It was commissioned by the Fishing station and the Natural History Museum in Rijeka. The long list of projects not realized leads us to 2001 when the Natural History Museum in Rijeka, as a part of the Multimedia Aquarium Display, selected by Marin Kirinčić, designed by architect Boris Cimaš, put up for display 3 big biocenological aquariums to point to the need of building a representative marine aquarium in the city that, considering its administrative, traffic, cultural and tourist importance, surely deserves such an aquarium.

We believe that all lovers of the depths of the sea will enjoy the display, hoping that those who have yet to grow to love them, will upon the visit to the Museum.