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JyllandsAkvariet, Thyborøn

Hands-on North Sea aquarium in Thyborøn, where you can touch sharks and crabs, dig for amber, and join seal and nature safaris along the wild West Jutland coast.

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JyllandsAkvariet in Thyborøn is a hands‑on North Sea and Limfjord aquarium where you get properly close to sharks, crabs, rays and flatfish. Touch pools invite you to feel shells and claws, kids can dive into a play submarine or hunt amber on an indoor sandy “beach”, and on select days you can help feed the animals. The aquarium also serves as a base for seal safaris, oyster trips and tractor-bus nature tours in the wild West Jutland landscape, making it an engaging stop in any North Sea itinerary.

A brief summary to JyllandsAkvariet

  • Vesterhavsgade 16, Thyboron, 7680, DK
  • +4597832808
  • Visit website
  • Duration: 1 to 3 hours
  • Mid ranged
  • Environment icon Indoor
  • Mobile reception: 4 out of 5
  • Monday 10 am-5 pm
  • Tuesday 10 am-5 pm
  • Wednesday 10 am-5 pm
  • Thursday 10 am-5 pm
  • Friday 10 am-5 pm
  • Saturday 10 am-5 pm
  • Sunday 10 am-5 pm

Local tips

  • Time your visit to coincide with shark and ray feeding sessions; staff-led feeds are usually scheduled on specific weekdays and add extra excitement to the touch pools.
  • Keep your entry wristband on, as it typically allows you to return multiple times over several days without paying again.
  • Dress in layers and bring a windproof jacket if you plan to combine the aquarium with outdoor safaris or amber hunts along the coast.
  • If you are travelling with a dog, ask about kennel or dog facilities linked to the aquarium so you can visit the indoor areas comfortably.
  • Accessibility is good, with level floors and low touch pools, but allowing extra time helps wheelchair users enjoy every exhibit without hurry.
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Getting There

  • Regional train and short walk from Lemvig or Holstebro

    From larger West Jutland towns such as Holstebro or Lemvig, take a regional train on the Lemvigbanen line to Thyborøn station; the journey from Holstebro usually takes about 1.5–2 hours, while Lemvig to Thyborøn is around 35–45 minutes. A standard adult single ticket typically costs in the range of 60–120 DKK depending on distance and ticket type. Trains are relatively frequent during the day but less so in the evening, so checking the timetable in advance is important. From Thyborøn station, expect an easy 10–15 minute level walk through the town to reach the aquarium, suitable for most visitors and pushchairs.

  • Car from Lemvig and the surrounding coast

    Travelling by car from Lemvig, expect a drive of around 30–40 minutes to reach Thyborøn along local roads that are generally flat and straightforward. From coastal holiday areas such as Vejlby Klit or Harboøre, the journey is often 20–30 minutes depending on your starting point. There is free parking around the aquarium’s entrance area and in nearby public car parks, and spaces are usually available even in busier seasons, though on peak summer days it can be wise to arrive earlier in the morning or later in the afternoon.

  • Bus from coastal holiday house areas

    During most of the year, local buses connect coastal holiday house areas around Harboøre and Vejlby Klit with Thyborøn, often running as feeder routes to the train line. Typical travel times range from 25–45 minutes depending on the route and stops. A single bus ticket for an adult is commonly around 30–60 DKK, with discounts for children. Services may be less frequent on weekends and outside school holidays, so it is worth planning your departure time carefully to avoid long waits at the stops.

  • Walking within Thyborøn town

    If you are already staying in Thyborøn, the town’s compact size makes it realistic to walk to the aquarium from most holiday accommodation and campsites in about 10–25 minutes. The terrain is largely flat with paved pavements, and the route typically passes through quiet residential streets and the harbour area. This option is suitable for families with strollers and visitors with moderate mobility, though strong coastal winds and rain can make the walk feel more demanding in rough weather.

JyllandsAkvariet location weather suitability

  • Weather icon Any Weather
  • Weather icon Rain / Wet Weather
  • Weather icon Cold Weather
  • Weather icon Mild Temperatures

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Discover more about JyllandsAkvariet

A maritime world shaped by the North Sea

JyllandsAkvariet sits in the harbour town of Thyborøn, where salty air, fishing boats and gull cries set the scene before you even step inside. The aquarium focuses on the wildlife of the North Sea and Limfjord, so the tanks are filled with hardy coastal species rather than tropical coral fish. The atmosphere is deliberately rustic and maritime, with nets, buoys and weathered wood echoing the working harbour outside. Instead of being a grand showpiece, the aquarium feels like an intimate marine workshop. Its scale makes it easy to move slowly from tank to tank, pausing to study flatfish buried in sand, schools of smaller fish or the slow glide of a ray. Information is presented in a straightforward, family-friendly way, connecting what you see in the tanks to the waters just beyond the harbour.

Hands-on encounters with sharks, rays and crabs

A defining feature of JyllandsAkvariet is its many touch pools. Here you are encouraged to slip your hands into the cool, slightly briny water and feel the smooth skin of a small shark, the rubbery wings of a ray or the sidelong wriggle of a flatfish. Crabs scuttle along the bottom of shallow basins, ready to be carefully lifted and inspected. On selected days the staff invite visitors to join feeding sessions, handing out small cups of food for sharks, rays and other fish. It is a chance to see the animals become more active and to learn how they hunt and eat. For children, the combination of touching, feeding and hearing stories about life underwater turns marine biology into something tangible and memorable.

Play, discovery and family-friendly spaces

Beyond the tanks, JyllandsAkvariet builds in plenty of room for play and imagination. Younger visitors can clamber into a kid-sized submarine, peer through portholes and pretend to explore the seabed. An indoor sand area lets them dig for imitation amber, mirroring real amber hunts along the West Coast, and whatever they find becomes a small treasure to take home. There are scattered seating areas where adults can pause while children dart between exhibits. The layout is level and compact, with low-edged touch pools and wide aisles designed so that wheelchair users and people with limited mobility can join in on equal terms. Simple refreshments and small treats are available in the shop area, and visitors are welcome to bring their own food and eat it at the seating inside.

Safaris from harbour to sandbanks

The aquarium also serves as a starting point for guided trips into the surrounding landscape. Tractor-bus excursions roll out towards the Limfjord shore, where guides lift up nets and buckets to show the creatures that live in the shallows. Out on the water, small boats head for sandbanks populated by seals, giving a close view of animals that share these coasts with the local fishing community. In the colder months, oyster safaris introduce the fjord’s rich larder, combining foraging with tasting. Other seasonal activities, such as beach amber hunts, highlight how the sea continues to shape daily life around Thyborøn. These tours extend the aquarium’s message beyond glass tanks, framing the region itself as a living, changing marine environment.

Practical details and a relaxed coastal rhythm

JyllandsAkvariet is open throughout the year, with hours that expand in summer and are slightly shorter in the cooler months. Admission is paid, but entry wristbands are typically valid for several consecutive days, so you can return more than once during a stay in the area. Combination tickets linking the aquarium with local ice art or safari tours are also offered, useful if you plan a full day of coastal experiences. Located in a small West Jutland town, the aquarium naturally adopts a relaxed, unhurried rhythm. Many visitors fold a stop here into a wider day around the harbour, beaches and dunes, dipping in for an hour or two and then returning later. Indoors, sheltered from wind and rain, it offers a comfortable counterpoint to the wild North Sea just a short walk away.

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