Tropical Aquarium of the Palais de la Porte Dorée

The Aquarium Tropical is a public aquarium in the basement of the Palais de la Porte Dorée, at 293 avenue Daumesnil on the edge of the Bois de Vincennes in Paris's 12th arrondissement. It keeps more than 300 species in over 80 habitats, from reef fish to Mississippi alligators. It suits families with young children, and visitors under 26 enter free.

The Art Deco palace was built for the 1931 Colonial Exhibition to designs by Albert Laprade with Léon Jaussely and Léon Bazin. Carved reliefs cover the façade, and the Salle des Fêtes inside has large frescoes. The aquarium was installed in the basement for the exhibition to present the aquatic life of the French colonies, and it has run ever since. The upper floors now house the Musée national de l'histoire de l'immigration, which shares the building.

The aquarium describes more than 300 species living in over 80 different environments, plus a terrarium for turtles. Freshwater and marine displays from tropical regions include coral reef fish, sharks, rays and species from rivers and lakes, with panels on habitats and conservation. A separate 135-square-metre area houses alligators from the Mississippi. Clownfish, skates, electric fish and piranhas live elsewhere, and four trails cover reproduction, feeding, habitat and defence.

A ticket costs €12 (€9 reduced), and a combined ticket with the immigration museum €16 (€13 reduced). Everyone under 26 enters free, as do job seekers and visitors with disabilities and a companion; each visitor needs a ticket, even when entry is free. Book a timed slot online at weekends and in school holidays, when family events are often held.

The aquarium opens Tuesday to Friday from 10:00 to 17:30 and at weekends from 10:00 to 19:00. It is closed on Monday and on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December. Last entry is an hour before closing, so start a weekday visit by 16:30. Weekday mornings are calmest. Allow an hour to 90 minutes. Lifts serve the aquarium and the museum, and there is a café, a shop and a cloakroom.

Metro line 8 and tram T3a both stop at Porte Dorée, directly outside, and buses 46 and 201 serve the same stop. There is no car park on site. The Bois de Vincennes begins about 300 metres away, with Lac Daumesnil about 500 metres away. The Paris Zoological Park is about 1.5 kilometres east and the Château de Vincennes about 3 kilometres, which can turn the visit into a day in the east of the city.