The Florida Aquarium
The Florida Aquarium began in 1977 as an educational organization called the Clearwater Marine Science Center. In 1985, the board began discussing the idea of expansion to a nationally recognized educational facility. Knowing they would not be able to achieve this goal without a larger facility, the board put together a group of people to begin discussing plans for the new facility and location. Ten years later, The Florida Aquarium finally opened on March 31 1995. This not-for-profit organization aims “to entertain, educate and inspire stewardship about our natural environment.” Everyday the organization strives to protect and restore our planet.
The Florida Aquarium was founded in 1977 as the Clearwater Science Center. The present facility opened in 1995.
Shark Exhibit in FL Aquarium
The Marine Science Center stingray exhibit before the incorporation of the Florida Aquarium
Backstory and Context
The expansion of the Clearwater Marine Science Center into The Florida Aquarium began as a project to become a nationally recognized educational facility in the state of Florida. After becoming incorporated as a separate organization in 1986, the new board of directors were fully committed to building a world-class facility. The aquarium opened in Tampa in 1995, bringing in $60 million revenue the first year alone. The exhibits, animals, programs, and projects that apart of this facility help them to achieve their goal every day by informing and educating the public on the sea environment that surrounds us.
In the past years many additional exhibits, animals, programs, and projects have become apart of the facility. Each of these helps the Aquarium succeed in "entertaining, educating and inspiring stewardship about our natural environment.” The following timeline includes just a few of the educational opportunities The Florida Aquarium has added since its opening:
- 2000 - The No Bone Touch Tank is added.
- 2001 - A DolphinQuest boat allows visitors to learn more about the Tampa Bay.
- 2003 - "Dive with the Sharks" is created to allow visitors to swim in the shark tank.
- 2004 - An outdoor water zone for kids is added.
- 2006 - African Black-footed penguins are added.
- 2011 - New sharks are added.
- 2014 - The Carol and Barney Barnett Learning Center is opened. The learning center allows for hands-on educational experiences.
The Clearwater Marine Science Center still exists as a non-profit today. It is now known as the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, but you may know it as the home to Winter the dolphin. Both the Clearwater Marine Aquarium and The Florida Aquarium still have similar visions, but execute their goals in different ways. Where The Florida Aquarium is home to many animals and exhibits, the Clearwater facility is a hospital and rehabilitation center for sea life. They choose to protect our environment by sharing success stories and saving the animals. Their mission is that they "believe in preserving our environment while inspiring the human spirit through leadership in the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of marine life, environmental education, research and conservation." They started gaining publicity after they saved the life of a dolphin (Winter) with no tail.
About Us. (n.d.). Retrieved November 01, 2016, from http://www.seewinter.com/about-us.
Dive with the Sharks. (n.d.). Retrieved November 01, 2016, from http://www.flaquarium.org/explore-the-aquarium/exhibits/dive-with-the-sharks.aspx.
The Florida Aquarium. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2016, from http://www.flaquarium.org.