Beloved aquarium closes for 2-year overhaul; 180,000 annual visitors face extended wait

Reunion Aquarium’s doors closed this week in Saint-Gilles, marking the start of a major renovation that will keep the facility shut until the school holidays of December 2026. For the roughly 180,000 people who visit each year, the closure means a long wait before they can return to one of the region’s most visited public attractions.

The work is not cosmetic. Over its 26-year life since opening on March 14, 2000, the aquarium has accumulated critical infrastructure needs across its waterproofing systems, basin structures, electrical installations, and technical networks. Officials say the repairs are essential to guarantee visitor and animal safety and to extend the operational life of the facility’s systems by approximately 15 more years. Without this intervention, the public’s access to a functioning, safe aquarium would be at risk.

The aquarium, owned by the Western Territory (Territoire de l’Ouest), currently houses more than 2,000 animals, including 10 different species of sharks and rays. Protecting those animals during the transition has been a central concern. Pascale Bocchiardo, the aquarium’s manager and director, described the care taken to get to this point. “For an operation like this, you need courage and a competent team,” she said. “We’ve prepared everything as thoroughly as possible. We can say it’s been a success because we have had no animal losses, the animals are eating well, and there have been no injuries.”

The renovation will unfold in carefully sequenced phases. From mid-September through mid-December 2026, the aquarium stays closed as initial waterproofing work begins. Then, throughout 2027, the facility reopens to the public while technical studies continue in the background. Boris Vigne, director of works and heritage for the Western Territory, described that period as critical. “We are being supported by the aquarium’s technical director for transporting animals to other basins,” he said.

By 2028, the full program wraps up, with final work on technical networks and scenographic improvements complete. Those finishing touches carry a direct benefit for visitors: visible structural supports will be removed so that people feel fully submerged in the aquarium environment, a meaningful upgrade to the experience the public has known for more than two decades.

Meanwhile, the December 2026 reopening will bring new attractions alongside the renovated infrastructure. Seahorses being raised nearby will join the collection, and a dedicated room for colorful jellyfish species will open for the first time. Both additions are designed to broaden the aquarium’s appeal and give returning visitors something genuinely new to discover.

Irchad Omarjee, vice-president of the Western Territory, placed the project in its wider civic context. “The goal is to welcome many more people after these works, to have greater safety, and to ensure that the public continues to return to Saint-Gilles,” he said. The aquarium has welcomed more than 2 million visitors across its 26 years of operation, establishing itself as a significant part of the region’s cultural and educational life.

The total estimated cost of the renovation is 5,678,700 euros, a substantial public commitment to a facility that serves residents and tourists alike. Whether the redesigned aquarium can push annual attendance well beyond its current 180,000 figure will be the real measure of whether that investment paid off.