One of the oldest aquariums in the United States, the Key West Aquarium first opened its doors at 1 Whitehead Street on February 18, 1935, as the first tourist attraction in Key West (admission was 15 cents for adults and 5 cents for children!). Constructed as part of the Works Progress Administration Program during the Great Depression, the aquarium was the brainchild of Dr. Robert Van Deusen, a director of the Fairmont Park Aquarium in Philadelphia, and originally featured an “open-air concept.” During World War II, the U.S. Government leased the aquarium briefly to the Marine Corps, Navy and Coast Guard for use as an indoor rifle range. Pulitzer Prize-winning poet James Merrill referenced the aquarium in his poem, “Key West Aquarium: The Sawfish.” Current Key West Aquarium exhibits include Alligator Exhibit, Atlantic Shores Exhibit, Jellyfish Exhibit, Feed a Shark, Touch Tank and Sea Turtles Conservation Tour. The Key West Aquarium is open daily from 9 AM to 6 PM. Admission is $17.19 for adults, $10.74 for children (ages 4-12) and $15.04 for seniors.
Wandering Florida 