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Key West Aquarium Tickets in Key West, FL

Mallory Square • Key West, FL 33040

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Based on 1,634 reviews

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Overview

Meet Florida’s amazing sea creatures at the historic Key West Aquarium, the island’s very first attraction. Enjoy interactive exhibits like the Touch Tank, shark feeding and sea turtle conservation; learn about the near-shore mangrove environment at the Atlantic Shores exhibit, a 50,000-gallon tank featuring tropical and game fish, and more. Fun for all ages!

1 or more people

Good To Know

A must-do for families with animal-loving kids.
Plan to spend about an hour.
Children ages 3 and under are admitted free.
The Key West Aquarium is a smaller aquarium housed on one-level and wheelchair accessible.
Bring your camera. Photography and video are welcome.
Dogs welcome as long as they're on leashes.
Parking garages available at Westin Resort one block over, and Park and Ride on the corner of Caroline and Grinnell Street where you can park and use the city bus to get downtown.
Metered parking available on several blocks around Mallory Square.

Description

The Key West Aquarium is Key West’s first attraction and was built by the WPA during the Depression. The facility took two years to complete and opened on February 18, 1935. It was the first aquarium in the world to use the open-air concept allowing for natural sunlight to illuminate the concrete marine displays. One of its original purposes was a marine repository for other aquariums from around the country.

In 1943, the US Government leased the Key West Aquarium to the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard who used it as a rifle range. In 1946, the Aquarium was returned to the city of Key West and restored to its former glory. In the 1960s, the roof was added to the once opened-air aquarium to cut down on algae in the exhibits. More modern methods of illuminating the tanks were slowly being developed and with it came the end of the open-air aquarium.

Today, the Key West Aquarium is home to sharks, turtles, stingrays, tropical and other various fish found in the beautiful waters of Key West. It is actively involved in the conservation of the delicate ecosystem of the Florida Keys.

Aquarium Highlights:

Daily shark and turtle feedings and the Touch Tank offer guests a hands-on experience with the sea life of the surrounding waters.
The Aquarium features a wide variety of fish including grouper, moray eels, barracuda, tropical fish, tarpon, parrotfish, and much, much more.

Parking: Parking is available at Mallory Square or The Westin parking garage.

The following daily presentations are all included in your general admission ticket:

Atlantic Shores Gamefish Tour and Feeding
9:45 AM | 4:45 PM

Sharks! Feeding and Conservation Tour
10:45 AM | 12:45 PM | 2:45 PM

Sea Turtle Conservation Tour
11:15 AM | 1:15 PM | 3:15 PM

Invasive Species Tour
11:45 AM | 3:45 PM

Virtual Offshore Environmental Experience
10:15 AM | 12:15 PM | 2:15 PM | 4:15 PM

North Gallery - Florida Keys Ecosystem Presentation
9:30 AM | 12:30 PM | 2:30 PM | 4:30 PM

Touch Tank Tour
1:45 PM

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Key West Aquarium Reviews

Based on 1,634 reviews

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Kinetic_Cherry

Cleveland, Ohio

"Small but enjoyable!"

Reviewed July 13, 2024

While it is true that this is a relatively small aquarium, we found it to be quite enjoyable! With plenty of staff nearby to answer questions and offer information, and a sufficient amount of sea critters to observe and appreciate , the experience is what you make it! Bundle your ticket with other attractions to save a bit on admission. Go and enjoy!

peterbm2024

"Grand experience for adults and kids"

Reviewed June 22, 2024

We'd been to this aquarium about 15 years ago and thought it would be fun to visit again. We were absolutely right. This aquarium is not big but its exhibits are beautifully maintained and well labeled. The docent, from Minnesota - sadly I can't remember her name, was excellent and, especially important for a hearing impaired person, clearly spoken. The scale is just right - not too small and not too big. Kids, big and little can have a grand time.

JasonS742

Reedsburg, Wisconsin

"Small and pricy"

Reviewed June 12, 2024

Small aquarium for the cost. You get two walls of tanks, 3 open tanks down the middle, a feeding area outside, and an open air tank on the way out. The fish were cool in the tanks, it is great the rescued sea turtles have a place to be. There was a lot of hype about the touch tank which was limited compared to other touch tanks I have been at. Overall, it was fine but not great.

Travelkat47

Chicago, Illinois

"Great variety and informative"

Reviewed February 06, 2024

Large variety of fish and other aquatic life. Very informative signage , videos and staff. It is handicap accessible, however they need to have some benches, folks can rest on if needed.

Angelica539

Miami, Florida

"Waste of money and time."

Reviewed January 24, 2024

What a waste of money and time. Besides being very small, one poor sea turtle and two stingrays are confined in a very tiny kind of pool with no rocks, no plants, nothing resembling the bottom of the sea, they just keep on swimming back and forth. Outside you will find a bunch of land turtles, again, in a very poor and sad environment, bit dirty and noticeable abandoned. Some of the little tanks do have beautiful marine species (seahorses, flying fish, some very colored and exotic tropical fish) that seem to be in good condition and well taken care of but, at the end, you get the sensation that you were expecting something better. It is not worth it, specially for the price!!! More than $20.00/each???!!!! In these current conditions even $10.00 would be too much. Look for some other place and/or something else to do.

dorothym683

Incline Village, Lake Tahoe (Nevada), Nevada

"Don’t waste your money or time on this."

Reviewed January 21, 2024

They try. It just doesn’t compare to other aquariums, is more than a little run down and overpriced. The fish weren’t even interested at feeding time. Manta rays swimming in a concrete pond with an inch of sand, no interesting rocks or sculptures to swim around or explore. Sad life.

cpumph

Pasadena, California

"Childhood memories easily shared but hit the staff presentations for the best bang for your buck"

Reviewed January 11, 2024

Small aquarium with a diversity of fish that are easily viewed. Our kids remembered going there was young children and were eager to take their kids there. Not much had changed- a little renovation would be good. The touch tank was good but the ability to feed the nurse sharks gave way to a staff member feeding instead. This turned out to be a valuable talk though as the staff gave lots of information in a short time. Scheduling your visit around the talk times is a must.

View all 1,634 Tripadvisor Reviews

Key West Aquarium is located at Mallory Square • Key West, FL 33040

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Frequently Asked Questions about Key West Aquarium

Where is the Key West Aquarium located?

The Key West Aquarium is located on the world-famous Mallory Square, home of the nightly Sunset Celebration. The Aquarium is on the corner of Front St. and Whitehead St. in historic Old Town Key West. The address is #1 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 33040.

Where do I park?

Parking can be difficult in Old Town. However, there is plenty of metered parking on several blocks around Mallory Square. There is a parking garage at the Westin Resort one block over. There is also a Park and Ride garage located on the corner of Caroline and Grinnell Street where you can park and use the city bus to get downtown.

How much time should I expect to spend in the Key West Aquarium?

Most visitors to the Key West Aquarium spend an average of 45 minutes to an hour.

Are the live presentations included?

Yes. Guests can choose to attend any of Key West Aquarium's public tours / presentations where experts delve a little deeper into one of the Aquarium's exciting exhibits. All presentations are free with your Key West Aquarium tickets and are a good way to learn a little bit more about some of the amazing animals in the Florida Keys.

Do I have to take a tour?

That is entirely up to you if they would like to follow a tour. They recommend browsing the exhibits on your own and making time for a tour if your schedule allows.

How large is the aquarium?

This is a smaller, historical aquarium that first opened in 1935. It is one story and is wheelchair accessible.

What are the Key West Aquarium hours?

The Key West Aquarium is open 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Hours are 9:30am to 5:30pm. Last entrance is 30 minutes prior to closing time. Hours subject to change. Occasionally the aquarium will close early due to special engagements. Should theses circumstances arise aquarium staff will notify guests in a timely manner.

Can I bring my pet?

Yes. Dogs are welcome as long as they are on leashes. The aquarium reserves the right to request the removal of any animal displaying aggressive behavior or for excessive noise.

Can I take photos and/or video?

Absolutely. Photographs and video are welcome.

Can I bring drinks and food inside?

No, food and drinks are currently not allowed inside the Aquarium.

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