The “Submerged Forests by Takashi Amano” exhibition is one of the most popular in Lisbon. Just look at the fact that it has been at the Lisbon Oceanarium for over 10 years, when it was originally only supposed to stay there for three.
The world’s largest nature aquarium has been visited by approximately 7 million people over the years, making it one of the most popular exhibitions, not only inLisbon but throughout the country.
How long will it be open?
On view at the Lisbon Oceanarium through the end of next September (2026), the exhibition “Submerged Forests by Takashi Amano” presents, in an “artificial” space, tropical forests and their various aquatic ecosystems.
Created by the renowned Japanese aquarium specialist (aquascaper) Takashi Amano, this exhibition will immerse you in an incredible experience where you can contemplate nature in its purest state of balance.
The aquarium, which is 40 meters long and holds 160,000 liters of freshwater, also contains four metric tons of sand, 25 metric tons of volcanic rock from the Azores , and 78 tree trunks from Scotland and Malaysia.
As for marine life, at the “Submerged Forests” exhibition you’ll also be able to admire more than 10,000 tropical fish, representing 40 species, and 46 types of aquatic plants.
As if that weren’t enough, to further enhance your experience, musician Rodrigo Leão composed a 13-minute melody exclusively for this exhibition, which you can listen to as you “dive” into the depths and tranquility of this underwater beauty.
Who was Takashi Amano?
Takashi Amano was a landscape photographer born in 1954 who passed away in 2015, the same year he installed his largest project in Lisbon, at the Lisbon Oceanarium.
He has traveled through various forests around the world, capturing the very essence and balance of nature in its untouched state.
He became known to everyone as the master of freshwater aquariums through his creation of planted aquariums, the well-known nature aquariums.
He stood out for the artistry with which he recreated nature down to the tiniest detail, blending Japanese gardening techniques with the wabi-sabi concept—an aesthetic approach centered on the imperfection of objects.
Fun facts about this aquarium
When it was installed at the Lisbon Oceanarium in 2015, artist Takashi Amano — a global pioneer in aquascaping — already knew that everything would change quickly, with the plants growing rapidly to take over various corners of this enormous aquarium.
In order to keep the artist’s legacy alive and in perfect harmony, this is the aquarium at the Lisbon Oceanarium that requires the most maintenance; 8,500 hours have already been spent tending to this ecosystem to preserve its natural appearance, particularly regarding the plant arrangements in the beds for each species.
Cleaning is another extremely important factor in maintaining the aquarium’s balance; it is carried out by aquarists and a “team” of Amano shrimp and Siamese algae eaters, which are animals that feed on debris and algae.
Exhibition statistics
One of the most fascinating facts about this exhibition is that it has already been seen by 7 million people, but there are many other incredible statistics:
- It is the world’s largest nature aquarium, measuring 40 meters in length and containing 160,000 liters of freshwater.
- It is one of the longest-running living exhibitions in Lisbon, having been on display for over 10 years.
- It features 10,000 living organisms, including 40 species of tropical fish and 46 species of aquatic plants.
- More than 8,500 hours of diving have already been spent on its maintenance.
- The exclusive music composed by Rodrigo Leão is 13 minutes long.
Useful information:
Location: Lisbon Oceanarium, on the D. Carlos I Esplanade
Date: daily, through September 30 (2026)
Tickets: between €15 and €25 (includes admission to the entire oceanarium)
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