Tampa’s Florida Aquarium just had its best attendance since it opened in 1995
The Florida Aquarium just saw its best attendance since it opened at the edge of downtown Tampa 27 years ago.
In 2022, nearly 925,000 people poured into the conservation-based facility along Tampa’s port, according to a news release this week. That’s closing in on the 992,000 visitors that came through the doors in the first 12 months after the facility made its debut back in 1995.
Aquarium officials pointed to new exhibits and big plans for the future.
Last year, they opened the Tampa General Hospital Animal Health Care Center, where visitors get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of medical treatment for animals. A birds of prey exhibit called “Raptors” and SeaTrek, a guided underwater walking tour, were also added.
The aquarium’s future plans include a $40 million expansion, its largest to date, that will include habitats for puffins, sea lions and African penguins. Construction begins this year and continues through 2025.
Though the aquarium’s surrounding environs were somewhat quieter back in 1995, today it sits in a prime location between the established Channel District neighborhood that borders the port, the Sparkman Wharf food-and-entertainment area and fast-developing Water Street, with its new high-rise, high-end residences.
“The Florida Aquarium ranks as one of the best in North America and consistently helps drive Tampa Bay’s economy, educates schoolchildren from across the state and supports local community programs,” aquarium president and CEO Roger Germann said in the news release. “As we continue to grow with historic investments, we look forward to welcoming even more guests in the coming years.”
