Europe’s First Major Shark Exhibition Opens in Barcelona
CosmoCaixa Barcelona is hosting, for the first time in Europe, a major exhibition on sharks developed by the Australian Museum. Titled Sharks. Guardians of the Ocean, the display features 10 life-size replicas of iconic species including the great white shark, hammerhead shark, and the prehistoric Helicoprion. The exhibit also includes a full-scale megalodon jaw, recreated shark skin, and an authentic great white shark tooth. Visitors can experience a 360-degree simulated view from the perspective of a hammerhead shark, offering an immersive insight into how these animals perceive their underwater world. The exhibition uses installations and interactive elements to trace the evolution of sharks over 450 million years, highlighting their survival through five mass extinctions and their existence long before dinosaurs.
Debunking Myths and Highlighting Conservation
The exhibition addresses widespread misconceptions about sharks, emphasising their intelligence and ecological importance. According to research cited from Washington State University, some species such as tiger and great white sharks have relatively large brains and show signs of complex behaviour, challenging the idea that they are primitive predators. One-third of shark species are currently threatened with extinction, primarily due to industrial fishing, according to a 2025 study by UC Santa Barbara published in Fish & Fisheries. The research found that over half of sharks caught in fisheries are taken incidentally and later discarded, with high mortality rates even after release, ranging from 30% to 65% for species like smoothhound sharks.
Nearly one-third of sharks are threatened with extinction globally, mostly as a result of fishing.
The exhibit presents conservation tools and current research, urging public awareness and responsibility. It stresses that while sharks inspire fear, they face far greater threats from human activity, particularly overfishing and habitat degradation.
What This Means for Visitors
The exhibition is now open at CosmoCaixa Barcelona and will remain on display for the coming months. It offers educational value for school groups, families, and marine science enthusiasts. Interactive components make it accessible for younger visitors, while scientific content supports deeper engagement for adults and researchers. No advance booking is mentioned in the primary source, but visitors are advised to check beteve.cat for updated entry details, opening hours, and any scheduled guided activities.
Primary sources: askdruniverse.wsu.edu, news.ucsb.edu. Reported by beteve.cat, betevé.
