This is the 19 May à Boulogne-sur-Mer that the Nausicaà's new wing whose museographic journey is an invitation to an incredible "Journey on the high seas by recreating the ecosystem of Malpelo, a Pacific island 500km off the coast of Colombia. The highlight of this extension, still designed by Jacques Rougeriethe historic architect of the Centre National de la Mer since it opened in 1991, consists of a gigantic aquarium tank containing 10,000 m3 of water, the equivalent of 4 Olympic-size swimming pools. " We doubled the surface area of Nausicaà but quadrupled the volume of water. It took a month and a half to fill the tank before thousands of fish could be acclimatised." explains Stéphane Hénard, the site's aquarium manager.
With its new status as 1st European aquarium and 4th worldwideNausicaà hopes to cross the million visitors milestone compared with 600,000 in 2017. Its management is particularly keen to develop the MICE business thanks to a new amphitheatre A 300-seat meeting and conference centre with a backdrop of a 20-metre-long, 5-metre-high bay with 20,000 fish swirling around it, including a pair of manta rays and a dozen hammerhead sharks. As the seating is retractable, this fascinating spectacle can also be admired during gala dinners (for 400 people) or private cocktails (up to 750 guests).
Attracting companies from the Ile-de-France and Brussels regions
" Nausicà already hosts around thirty events a year, from small seminars for 40 people to large parties for several hundred, but we are counting on this facility to change dimension and attract companies from the Paris region and nearby Belgium. Nausicaà now offers a complete range of facilities" says Anne Demilly, Marketing and Business Development Director.
In addition to the possibility of taking a private tour of the exhibits or even behind the scenes of the complex in the company of caretakers, Nausicaà offers the following services 5 other unusual spaces for dinners and cocktails (for up to 1,000 people), again with amazing aquariums as a backdrop, as well as two work rooms equipped with an interactive stage (180 people) and a second amphitheatre (110 seats). " To spice up our events, we can call on a network of speakers, marine personalities such as sailors or members of the Blue Society, to talk about the conservation of marine species.adds Anne Demilly. In addition to a selection of partner caterers, Nausicaà has increased its traditional catering capacity with the creation of a second catering outlet overlooking the vast entrance hall, which can also be used for private functions in the evening.
As part of its drive to boost its events business, Nausicaà is hoping to benefit from the opening of a new liner-like complex nearby in 2019-2020, comprising a Palais des congrès a modular hall with seating for 500 to 3,000, and two hotelsa 3* and a 4* with a thalassotherapy centre.
