There are a lot more things to do in The Netherlands aside from discovering Dutch culture, history and attractions. If you're looking to get up close and personal with some aquatic animals, the Dolfinarium in Harderwijk can make for a memorable adventure. The marine mammal park is the largest in all of Europe and dissertation thesis these receives about 700,000 visitors per year, making it a popular tourist attraction. Having opened its doors in 1965, the park opens Annually in the spring and closes for the year in the fall, using the winter season to carry out maintenance and exhibit upgrades.
Top Dolphinarium Attractions
The park is broken up into different areas, each of-which highlight a marine mammal. These area’s (and animals) include:
- Harbor porpoises
- Bottle nosed dolphins
- Crabs, lobsters and fish
- Rays, sharks and more large fish
- Sea lions
- Walruses
- Harbor and grey seals
One of the most popular exhibits is the Dolphins Delta which offers an area where dolphins can be observed underwater by a 60-meter glass wall. The park holds many shows featuring its animals. Dolphinarium hosts daily shows with its dolphins, sea lions, walruses, sea otters, harbor porpoises, sharks and rays. The park also offers a special breakfast with the dolphins program and also features programs with dolphins designed for children with autism and Down syndrome.
Location, Hours and Admission
As we Noted in the opening Dolphinarium is open spring through fall and closes for the winter season. It also opens from December 26 through January 8 for a special holiday-themed experience. Regular hours are 10 am to 5 pm in the spring and fall, and from 10 am to 6 pm during the summer months.
The park is located at
Beach Boulevard East 1,
3841 AB Harderwijk
Netherlands
and can be accessed by car, train or bus. For Those self-parking, the price is €8,50. Tickets start at €15 per person online, or €22,50 at the door. Group discounts are also available.
For more information check the
website