The old port of Genoa was derelict for decades before architect Renzo Piano transformed it for the 1992 World Expo. The result is a large waterfront complex that contains the aquarium, the Neptune galleon, a science museum, an IMAX cinema, the Bigo (a distinctive crane-shaped structure with a panoramic lift), and several restaurants and bars. Piano, who grew up watching ships being loaded on these same docks, understood the industrial heritage of the port and kept much of the original warehouse and dock architecture intact.
The area is most atmospheric in the evening, when the lights reflect off the water and the crowds from the old city drift down to walk along the waterfront. The Bigo lift rises to 40 metres and gives excellent views over the port and the old city. In summer, the lower waterfront hosts an outdoor concert series.