Seaquarium History

Founded in 1955, the Seaquarium began its life as the largest aquatic attraction in the world, with the shark exhibit among the first to be built. Today, Seaquarium is the longest continually running oceanarium in the United States – and it is still continuing to expand and to grow. In its VIP grand opening party in 1955, the County Commission Chairman symbolically christened the park; he poured a special marine cocktail - a blend of water taken from the seven seas of the world - into the dolphin habitat at the front of the park. The first show that the park held was in the then new 600,000 gallon tank, with Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins entertaining the excited crowd.

As part of that never ending growth, the Seaquarium has continually added shows and exhibits, and now offers eight different marine mammal shows. The Miami Seaquarium has a vast array of exhibits, shows and attractions, as well as ample opportunities for visitors to eat and shop. The park maintains a strong commitment not only to entertaining the public, but also to education and conservation, as well as community involvement.

Seaquarium remains dedicated to displays of animal’s natural abilities; they are committed to educational, interactive programming. From the beginning, Seaquarium has sought to encourage an appreciation for ocean life and a desire to actively participate in conservation. Seaquarium has developed numerous new programs to encourage this learning, including an amazing camp experience, where children can spend entire days interacting with the animals, and learning about them.