The Ozeaneum is one of Europe's finest marine museums, designed by Behnisch Architekten and opened in 2008. The building — a cluster of white geometric volumes on the harbour waterfront — won the World Building of the Year award. Inside, twelve large tanks recreate Baltic, North Sea, and deep Atlantic ecosystems. The Baltic section is particularly strong, showing the seasonal changes in a relatively shallow, low-salinity sea.
The herring school tank — hundreds of fish moving in coordinated flashes — is mesmerising. The shark tanks are impressive in scale. The museum also covers the scientific understanding of the ocean, climate change, and deep-sea exploration. Allow at least two hours. It draws well-deserved visitor numbers.