Jena, March 02, 2026. The leisure pool GalaxSea will close its doors for an expected period of one and a half years starting June 2, 2026. The facility will be comprehensively renovated and modernized for 24.4 million euros, with a future focus increasingly oriented toward the needs of families.
- Last day of operation: June 1, 2026 (with a large farewell event)
- Closure from: June 2, 2026
- Planned construction period: approx. 1.5 years
- Investment volume: 24.4 million euros
- Key innovations: Indoor dry playground, spray park, covered outdoor pool bar, modernized sauna landscape
Technology at the end of its life cycle
Since its opening in 2002, GalaxSea has developed into a regional visitor magnet. Most recently, the pool recorded around 253,000 guests per year. However, after nearly a quarter of a century of continuous operation, the building and energy technology have now reached their capacity limits. According to the Jenaer Bädergesellschaft, the systems show significant signs of wear and tear. To prevent unplanned outages in future operations, the extensive renewal has become unavoidable.
Realignment with a focus on families and accessibility
The 18-month closure period will be used for a structural redesign beyond pure technical and energetic renovation. At the center of this is a stronger orientation toward families. Indoors, the construction of a multi-story indoor dry playground and a new spray park with various water attractions is planned. The existing slide systems will also receive a technical update. The diving and plunge pool area will be structurally expanded.
In the outdoor area, visitors can look forward to a new, covered pool bar after the reopening. Furthermore, changes are planned for the sauna landscape, where specifically the capacity of the lounging areas is to be increased. A central aspect of the entire renovation is also the systematic expansion of accessibility throughout the entire building complex.
Impact on admission prices still open
Whether and to what extent the multi-million euro investment will affect future admission prices has not yet been determined. However, the Bädergesellschaft emphasized the goal of designing the pricing structure so that the leisure pool remains affordable for a broad range of visitors in the future. Parallel to the construction measures, internal organizational developments are underway to position the pool more competitively from an economic perspective.
Background: Swimming in Jena during the construction phase
With the temporary closure of GalaxSea, the region’s largest indoor leisure pool will be unavailable for approximately 18 months. The pool is located in the south of Jena and is a central point for recreational swimmers, families, and school swimming. During the construction phase, there will be fewer water surfaces available in the Saalestadt. As an alternative indoor option, the Schwimmhalle in Lobeda-West is primarily available. In the summer months, bathers can also switch to the city’s outdoor pools – the Südbad am Schleichersee and the Ostbad – which can partially cushion the bottlenecks, at least during the summer half-year.
Transparency Note: This article was created automatically, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.