Florida Aquarium, Public aquarium in Tampa, United States.

The Florida Aquarium is a public aquarium in Tampa with several themed areas that recreate habitats from shallow waters to the open ocean. The facility includes a large coral reef tank where sharks, rays, sea turtles, and barracudas swim, along with sections featuring freshwater species and penguins.

The facility opened its doors in 1995 and grew into a center for coral restoration and species conservation in the southeastern US. Over the years, the aquarium expanded its conservation projects and joined regional initiatives to rescue endangered species.

The name recalls the former Clearwater Marine Science Center, which preceded the Tampa building. School groups are central: about 100,000 children visit on educational tours each year, and the aquarium welcomed its one-millionth student in 2011. Summer camps and school trips support this teaching work.

The aquarium opens daily from mid-morning, and a full visit usually takes between two and three hours. Pathways lead through multiple levels, so comfortable shoes help, and benches along the route offer places to rest.

In 2020, the Florida Aquarium became the first facility to successfully reproduce ridged cactus coral, a breakthrough for Caribbean reef restoration. It also leads a University of Miami consortium aiming to plant 150,000 coral colonies across 125 acres of reef. The 500,000-gallon Coral Reef tank is filled with natural saltwater delivered by barge four to five times a year.