Univali Oceanographic Museum Tickets

Why Visit the Univali Oceanographic Museum?

The ocean and its depths continue to be a great mystery to humanity. Countless species remain unknown to many. With the aim of bringing some of these sea creatures to light and showing their fascinating evolution, the Univali Oceanographic Museum (MOVI) was created in 1987 by the University of Valle de Itajai. A must-visit at Balneario Piçarras!

When it first opened, the museum's collection was only used for research and educational activities, but it generated so much fascination that by the end of 2015, it was open to the public. Currently, it showcases thousands of objects categorised in seven different thematic areas.

MOVI is currently one of Brazil's four main natural history collections, and it holds the largest oceanographic collection in the Americas and the third largest in the world. Amazing, right?

What to See at MOVI

The exhibition in the Univali Oceanographic Museum takes up over 1000 square meters (about 10800 square feet), with more than 1400 exhibited pieces in seven areas, colour coordinated by theme:

• The Blue Wing - The emergence of life and the history of humanity's relationship with the sea: this room focuses on the origins of life, showcasing fossils from each geological era of our planet.
• The Red Wing - Marine invertebrates: coral and sponge skeletons are exhibited here. This wing also features live animals in aquariums.
• The Green Wing - Cartilaginous fish: this room displays a wide variety of sharks and rays. You'll see unique specimens, including terrestrial, oceanic, deep-sea, and endangered species.
• The Brown Wing - Bony fish: this section features specimens from the main families of bony fish, where you can admire the variety of shapes and adaptations within each group.
• The Gray Wing - Marine reptiles: although marine reptiles are divided into 14 species, the MOVI collection mainly exhibits sea turtles.
• The Beige Wing - Marine birds: this area consists of a comprehensive display of all penguin species.
• The Black Wing - Marine mammals: this exhibition begins with the history of whaling and its commercial exploitation, a practice that was carried out in Santa Catarina. Additionally, you can see various species of dolphins, whales, sea lions, and seals from South America, as well as manatees that inhabit the northeast of Brazil.
• Sensory experience room: in this room, you'll have the opportunity to touch different specimens of preserved marine animals. You'll be able to see the texture of rays, sea lions, seahorses, sharks, among others.

Opening Hours

The Univali Oceanographic Museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 2 pm to 6 pm. Final admission is at 5:30 pm.