Musée Océanogrpahique de Monaco - Méditerranée 2050 - photo © RIVIERA BUZZ

Environment

Méditerranée 2050 Welcomes Its Millionth Visitor in Monaco

IARLA BYRNE20 August, 20262 Mins read81

Méditerranée 2050 has welcomed its one-millionth visitor, marking an important milestone for an exhibition dedicated to the future of the Mediterranean.

Launched in March 2025 at the Musée océanographique in Monaco, the exhibition was created to raise awareness of the pressures facing the Mediterranean while showing what could be achieved through effective conservation and collective action.

Imagining the Mediterranean of tomorrow

Through four themed spaces, interactive displays and immersive experiences, Méditerranée 2050 takes visitors on a journey from the past to a possible future in which marine ecosystems have been successfully restored and protected.

^{Video via Musée océanographique de Monaco on YouTube}

At the heart of the exhibition is the international “30×30” objective, which aims to protect 30% of the world’s land and oceans by 2030.

Visitors are encouraged to imagine a Mediterranean where fishing no longer damages the seabed, whales face a reduced risk of collisions with ships, maritime transport limits its environmental impact and Marine Protected Areas form an effective, interconnected network.

The message carries particular weight in a sea of remarkable biodiversity. Despite accounting for less than 1% of the world’s ocean surface, the Mediterranean is home to almost 7.5% of global marine fauna and 18% of marine flora.

Behind this milestone of one million visitors are, above all, one million people who have been invited to see the Mediterranean in a new light. With Méditerranée 2050, we wanted to use emotion as a gateway to knowledge, and then to action, because the future of this exceptional sea depends on the decisions we make today.”

Cyril Gomez – Directeur général adjoint de l’Institut océanographique de Monaco

From awareness to action

Research carried out by the Oceanographic Institute suggests that the exhibition is having an impact beyond the museum visit itself.

According to its visitor survey, 98% of respondents understood that the Mediterranean is under threat and wanted to share what they had learned, while 60% said their visit had inspired them to take practical action to help protect it.

Collective responsibility also emerged strongly, with 70% of respondents identifying joint action as the principal means of safeguarding the Mediterranean.

^{All photos © Institut océanographique de Monaco; photos by Michael Alesi & Frederic Pacorel}

However, the survey also revealed an area where greater awareness is needed. Only 43% identified Marine Protected Areas as an important conservation measure, highlighting the continuing need to explain their role and importance.

The exhibition’s interactive elements are helping to address this. More than 650,000 challenges have already been completed, both within the exhibition and through the My OCEANO Med web application, encouraging participants to explore ways of improving the effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas.

The underlying message remains simple: 2050 starts today, and every action counts.

Méditerranée 2050 heads to Europe

The exhibition’s reach is now extending beyond Monaco.

A specially adapted version of its Oceano Odyssey – Mission Pelagos immersive experience has been installed at Europa-Park, where it forms part of the queue for Silver Star, one of the German theme park’s most popular attractions.

The three-minute experience has the potential to reach a considerable new audience, with around 1.5 million visitors using the attraction each year.

Affiche exposition Méditerranée 2050 Institut océanographique de Monaco

^{Courtesy Musée océanographique de Monaco / Institut océanographique de Monaco}

By taking Méditerranée 2050 beyond the walls of the Musée océanographique, the Institut océanographique hopes to bring its conservation message to a broader international public.

With one million visitors already having experienced the exhibition in Monaco, the milestone demonstrates the considerable appetite for understanding not only the challenges facing the Mediterranean, but also what can still be done to protect its future.

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