Palais de la Porte Dorée: tropical Aquarium and Museum of immigration

Visit: Palais de la Porte Doree, 293 avenue Daumesnil, 75012 Paris France

The Palais de la Porte Dorée: three attractions under one roof
- Tropical Aquarium
- Musée national de l'histoire de l'immigration (National museum of the History of immigration)
- Palais de la Porte Dorée (Porte Dorée Palace)

The Palais de la Porte Dorée is an exceptional Art Deco complex located at the edge of the Bois de Vincennes and listed historic monument.

The Porte Dorée Palace was built for the International Exposition of 1931: its first vocation was to be a museum of the colonies, as witnessed in the frescoes, bas-reliefs and rooms of the palace.

The Palace enables to discover two cultural venues : the National museum of the History of immigration and the Aquarium tropical.

Tropical Aquarium

84 aquariums from 50 to 16,000 liters offer a real voyage through tropical oceanic and continental waters!

Since opening in 1931, the Tropical Aquarium showcases an entire range of tropical aquatic fauna. More than 15 000 animals representing 750 species inhabit its tanks: different freshwater and saltwater species of fish, corals, marine organisms, turtles and crocodiles.

Piranhas, seahorses, rays, unicorn fish, albino alligators, electric fish, clownfish, surgeonfish, are some of our stars familiar to visitors. But they are not the only ones!

Current exhibition : Water – from top to bottom - October 20, 2019 - August 18, 2019

An exciting travel going with the flow !

Museum of the History of immigration

Personal accounts, documents from the archives, photographs and artworks provide the basis for comparative views and disciplines to explore two centuries of immigration in a thematic tapestry featuring highpoints in France’s history from the 9th century onwards.

Current temporary exhibition: Paris-London, Music Migrations (1962-1989) : 12 March 2019 to 5 January 2020

Between the early 1960s and the late 1980s, a wealth of musical styles linked with successive waves of immigration transformed Paris and London into multicultural capitals. Paris-London. Music Migrations is an immersive, chronological exploration of three pivotal decades in the musical history of our two cities, showcasing the unprecedented melting pot of musical rhythms and the social and political evolutions, urban transformations and migratory flows which defined the era.

Practical Information

Tuesday to Friday 10 a.m. – 5.30 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Closed Monday

Every Wednesday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., from October 17, 2018 to January 16, 2019.

Last admission 45 min before closing


Duration: 1 hour

Visit: Aquarium Tropical de la Porte Doree, 293 avenue Daumesnil, 75012 Paris France

Admission Included


Duration: 1 hour