In 1964, local hobbyists obtained official permission to restore a part of Piran’s Fishing School – the former municipal customs house right next to the town’s fishing harbor. They equipped it with several tanks.

Over the years, the aquarium expanded and now hosts more than 140 animals. Many of them are native to the Slovenian waters of the northern Adriatic -- including the sea around Piran itself. They range from various species of fish to various kinds of sea urchins, sponges, squid, and octopuses. Some of the animals from the aquarium have even been featured on Slovenian postage stamps. The aquarium isn’t limited to animals; the tanks contain various different types of algae that play an important, but often overlooked role in the marine ecosystems.

Beyond the tanks, the museum features a photographic exhibition of animals in the Slovenian stretch of the Adriatic. Meanwhile, visitors with an interest in archeology can examine the remains of a church that once stood on the spot, and was named, appropriately enough, after St. Nicholas, who was a fisherman himself. The remains were discovered by chance during a thorough renovation of the aquarium a decade ago.

Unlike most such institutions, the Piran Aquarium even allows visitors a look behind the scenes during feeding times. Twice a week, visitors can take part in the preparation of food and then observe the feeding process from behind the aquarium’s tanks. The aquarium may be small, but it has turned its size to its advantage by providing a more personal experience – in the heart of Piran’s Old Town.