Red tiles and green trees, blue sea and clear skies
Golden beaches and ochre rocks
The cherry blossom rain of early spring falls onto the crystal-clear sea
A gentle breeze rustles the lush green branches of the trees
The classical architecture nestled within looks even more vibrant
This is Qingdao Aquarium
The lively little creatures inside bring endless joy to visitors
The aquarium has also become one of the must-visit spots for travelers in Qingdao
Time flies, did you know?
Qingdao Aquarium is 85 years old this year!
Lauded by Mr. Cai Yuanpei as “the best in our country,” Qingdao Aquarium
began construction in January 1931 and was completed in February 1932
It is China’s first aquarium designed and built by Chinese people
The ticket price for Qingdao Aquarium and Qingdao Underwater World is 130 yuan. We can enjoy a 20-yuan discount by purchasing tickets through the Meituan app on our mobile phones. Students with valid student IDs get a 50% discount.
Take Metro Line 3. Starting from the train station, after two stops you’ll arrive at Huiquan Square Station. Exit from Exit C, then walk west for about 8 minutes to reach the Qingdao Aquarium and Qingdao Underwater World.
Qingdao Aquarium (Fantasy Jellyfish Palace)
Following the recommended visiting order, the first venue is Qingdao Aquarium (Fantasy Jellyfish Palace).
The exterior walls, built with thick red granite, echo the red rocks by the sea. Above the crenellated wall is a two-story watchtower-style building with a hip-and-gable roof adorned with bluish-purple glazed tiles. The main entrance faces Huiquan Bay, with steps leading up on both sides, further highlighting the grandeur of the architecture. The color scheme of the aquarium blends perfectly with the surrounding environment. Qingdao Aquarium adopts a classical Chinese fortress-style national architectural design, which is quite different from the German-style buildings of the same period—it’s hard to believe this is an old building constructed by the Chinese.
On August 12, 1930, Cai Yuanpei attended the 15th annual meeting of the Chinese Science Society held in Qingdao. Together with Li Shizeng and others, he advocated for the establishment of a Chinese Marine Research Institute in Qingdao and resolved to first build Qingdao Aquarium. Wang Guiyun, one of Qingdao’s top ten bibliophiles and former deputy director of the city museum, wrote in “Cai Yuanpei Advocates for the Construction of Qingdao Aquarium”: “Thanks to Cai Yuanpei’s efforts, it was decided that the Academia Sinica, Peking Research Academy, Navy Department, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Industry and Commerce, and Ministry of Agriculture and Mines would each allocate 2,000 yuan as subsidy funds for the construction of the aquarium.”
With the funding secured, construction of Qingdao Aquarium began in January 1931, was completed in February 1932, and officially opened on May 8. On that day, Cai Yuanpei traveled specially from Nanjing to deliver a congratulatory speech. Starting from the 9th, Qingdao Aquarium opened to the public and began exhibitions. The aquarium housed over a hundred species of aquatic life, totaling more than a thousand individuals—an incredible feat under the conditions of the time.
Today, after several renovations, Qingdao Aquarium has become the first professional jellyfish exhibition hall on the Chinese mainland—the Fantasy Jellyfish Palace.
Now, let’s immerse ourselves in these wonderfully diverse soft-bodied creatures!
Speaking of jellyfish, these magical aquatic animals, I think many of you must have mixed feelings—both love and fear.
You love them for their adorable and silly appearance, but fear them because the more colorful they are, the more toxic they tend to be, and touching them without knowing better could really “hurt” you.
But in the underwater world, you don’t have to worry at all. After all, separated by thick acrylic, they have zero chance of threatening us!
All you need to do is hold your phone, capture the beautiful moments of their graceful swimming, or strike a cute pose and take adorable photos with them. After all, there are thousands of fascinating jellyfish from around the world here, with so many species it’s enough to dazzle your eyes.
Ocean Science Museum
As your kids grow up, they often start asking lots of scientific questions. Like where sharks live, how the ocean formed, or why submarines can work underwater. You can find the most authoritative answers to these questions in the Ocean Science Museum. It’s a mysterious treasure trove aimed at showcasing marine science, marine culture, and science education, spreading marine knowledge through various exhibits—and you can only unveil its mysteries by making a reservation.
Watch the waves crash—different water densities create varying buoyancy for the little ball~ Experiencing this ocean "physics lesson" firsthand leaves a deeper impression~~
How is seawater desalinated? This simple desalination device can help you understand the principle.
Here, you can also learn how submarines dive and surface. Both kids and adults can have fun and gain knowledge at the Ocean Science and Technology Museum~
Marine Mammal Pavilion
After exiting the Dreamy Jellyfish Palace, walk down the stone path along the seaside. Enjoying the caress of the sea breeze and the sway of spring cherry blossoms, you’ll unknowingly arrive at the adorable Marine Mammal Pavilion.
The Marine Mammal Pavilion was originally an open-air seal pool completed and opened to the public in 1966.
Here, you can see a variety of adorable marine animals, including South American sea lions, spotted seals, sea turtles, and penguins. They swim leisurely in the water, completely unfazed by the excited screams of visitors or the "click click click" of star-like photo-taking—come on, we’re used to being admired by thousands, okay?!
Slow-moving sea turtles, lively sea lions, gliding seals...
I pretty much gave up on taking photos—except for the slow-motion sea turtles, the other animals won’t give you the chance to fumble with your camera before they dart away. So, video is the way to go (and no risk of blurry shots).
Marine Life Specimen Hall
Next comes the most "knowledge-boosting" part of the trip.
The Marine Life Specimen Hall is the most comprehensive museum of marine life specimens in China and the only specialized marine specimen museum in the country. Its collection includes specimens of various endangered and rare marine species, showcasing about a thousand rare marine life varieties.
#A "Dragon Tooth" with a Story#
In the late 1930s, when Japan occupied Qingdao, 5-year-old James A. Gilman fled to Britain with his father. Just before the ship set sail, he and his sister visited this museum and plucked the long-coveted "dragon tooth" from the mouth of a "dragon from Northeast China."
For over 60 years, the two children carried deep guilt in their hearts. Before she passed away, his sister urged him: you must return the "dragon tooth" to its original place.
On November 11, 2002, 70-year-old James and his wife came to the museum and solemnly returned the "dragon tooth" to Qingdao Aquarium, making amends for a mistake that had troubled them for 65 years.
#The Magical "Hair-Stone"#
In the biology hall, there is a one-of-a-kind "hair-stone" on display.
Dense, snow-white "hair" grows thickly on an oval-shaped stone, and its lifelike appearance surprises everyone who sees it.
It’s only after looking at the nearby description that you realize its real name is the giant umbrella alga.
In fact, they aren’t hair but the stems of a type of algae. This algae is called the giant umbrella alga. When alive, it attaches to rocks and has lotus-like green leaves. Its stems are calcified. This stone was also collected from the public in Qingdao by a collector in 1987 and then sent to Qingdao Aquarium.
The world’s largest living crustacean
#Giant Spider Crab#
The giant spider crab is also known as the "murder crab," but that’s actually a not-so-accurate "misunderstanding."
An adult giant spider crab can have a shell width of up to 30 centimeters, and when it spreads its sharp claws, they can measure over 3 meters—up to 4 meters at the longest. Such a massive size is truly astonishing.
Additionally, the giant spider crab has a scavenging habit and often feeds on the decaying carcasses of various sea creatures at the ocean floor. As a result, it has the colloquial English name "Dead Man Crab." When "Dead Man Crab" was translated into Chinese, it was mistakenly rendered as "murder crab," which then led to various tales of "murder crabs killing people."
#Tree-Climbing Expert, the Coconut Crab#
#Various Corals#
#Polar Bear#
Whale Pavilion
The only "narwhal" on display in China
Sperm whale
New Freshwater Biology Pavilion
In 2015, Qingdao Aquarium and the Qingdao Underwater World scenic area underwent renovation of the Freshwater Biology Pavilion. The new Freshwater Biology Pavilion added sculptural landscapes themed around Inca and Maya cultural elements in the central hall and surrounding areas. These humanistic landscapes enhanced the storytelling, fun, and mystery of the tour, while also naturally setting the stage for subsequent display scenes. The passageways formed by the humanistic sculptural landscapes wind around the exhibition hall, not only expanding the visiting space and improving visitor safety but also giving visitors the feeling of walking through a winding path into a hidden realm that suddenly opens up — achieving a dual effect of renovation.
Located on the second floor, the Amphibian and Reptile Exhibition Hall and the Temporary Exhibition Hall are highlights of this renovation. Through the upgrade, the display of amphibians and reptiles has been expanded, with new introductions of rare species such as green iguanas, red-eyed tree frogs, helmeted chameleons, and South American horned frogs, enriching and completing the exhibition sequence.
There are no animal performances here, because we are friends~
It seems animal performances have become a staple at zoos or aquariums, and you might be amused by the adorable and docile behavior of the little animals. But behind the performances, the very young animals that should still be nursing endure harsh training.
Did you know? Orcas have the intelligence of a 6-year-old child, yet they suffer from lung infections in aquariums. Due to stress, they constantly grind their teeth against the steel gates of their pools, wearing down their lower teeth completely and rotting the rest, exposing the pulp and causing immense pain.
Did you know? Dolphins can swim dozens of kilometers per hour, yet the narrow tanks in aquariums are nothing short of imprisonment for them, and being forced to perform goes against their natural instincts.
No living being should be deprived of the right to enjoy a free life, which is why Qingdao Aquarium and Qingdao Underwater World do not have cruel animal performances — simply because we are friends...
Get to know the ocean, starting here...