Princess Lalla Hasnaa, President of the Mohammed VI Foundation for Environmental Protection and Patron of the Alliance of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (the Decade of the Ocean), visited , Wednesday, the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco.
This visit is part of the activities of the Princess on the occasion of her participation in the 3rd dialogue of foundations for the decade of the Ocean, which opened earlier today in the principality.
Upon her arrival at the famous Museum, Lalla Hasnaa was welcomed by Robert Calcagno, Director General of the Oceanographic Institute, Albert I Foundation, Prince of Monaco, with whom His Royal Highness had a discussion, in particular on the Mediterranean project of the institute. .
During this exchange, Calcagno presented to the Princess the history and missions of this emblematic Museum, which annually welcomes 600,000 visitors, as well as the actions of the Oceanographic Institute in the protection and preservation of the seas and oceans and the marine life.
He also praised his commitment and that of his foundation both in Morocco and in Africa.
Subsequently, Lalla Hasnaa visited the Museum’s Salon d’honneur where she followed a presentation on Prince Albert 1st of Monaco and on exchanges between the principality and Morocco since the time of Prince Albert 1st, as well as on the first part of the ”Polar Mission” exhibition, which presents the explorers of the poles.
She then visited the aquariums at the lagoon level, one of the largest aquariums in the museum, and learned about various critically endangered species, before going to the wings presenting Mediterranean and tropical species.
In the Museum’s reserves, the chief aquariologist presented her with the different missions of this space (hospital, nursery, coral farm and species transfers), before going to the “Monaco and the Ocean” space where she took note of the actions to protect and preserve the environment carried out from the exploration and study of the oceans by Prince Albert I, to the missions carried out within the framework of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation.
The Princess’s visit ended with the discovery of Oceanomania, the largest cabinet of marine curiosities in the world, and an immersion at the two poles.
Built on the side of the mythical rock of Monaco, the Oceanographic Museum was created by Prince Albert I. With world-renowned know-how, the Museum presents more than 6,000 specimens.
From the ornamentation of the facades to that of the rooms, everything in the architecture of the Museum evokes the marine world. Since its inauguration on March 29, 1910, this Temple of the Sea, of which 6,500 m2 are open to the public, has established itself as an international benchmark for making the oceans known, loved and protected.