Key West Aquarium

Key West Aquarium and its collection

Key West Aquarium, opened in 1934, is a zoo in Key West, United States.

Standing at 1 Whitehead Street, where it carries Historic Marker 52, it ranks among the earliest aquariums in Florida and was billed at the time as the country's first open-air aquarium.

History

Work on the building ran from 1932 to 1934, making it one of the earliest aquariums in Florida, and visitors were admitted from 1935. Children paid 5 cents to enter at first and adults 15. It was advertised in those days as the first open-air aquarium in the country.

Animals and collection

Animals on show include American Alligator, Angelfish, Barracudas, Blue Tang Fish and Burmese Python.

Exhibits

Displays cover alligators, Atlantic shore fish, jellyfish, sharks and sea turtles, along with a touch tank. The touch tank holds conchs, sea stars, urchins, sea cucumbers, hermit crabs and horseshoe crabs.

Things to do

Things to do include Rays and Sharks Tour, Sea Turtle Conservation Tour, Invasive Species Tour, Touch Tank Tour and Atlantic Shores Game Fish and Sharks Tour.

What the venue says

• Monroe County residents with a local ID can tour for free during the entire month of September and on the first Sunday of every month.
• The streets surrounding Mallory Square have metered parking monitored by the City of Key West.
• Please make our CASTmembers aware if you require accommodations. We will gladly provide a tour script guide upon request.