Explore Miami Seaquarium: Marine Animal Rescue and Shows

With its stunning location on Biscayne Bay on Miami’s waterfront, the Miami Seaquarium’s 38-acre tropical setting and magnificent collection of marine mammals is something you won’t want to miss during your visit to South Florida.

Within minutes of downtown, the Port of Miami, Miami Beach, and the airport, the Miami Seaquarium is easy to get to by car and mass transit. The guest services staff at your chosen hotel will gladly direct you.

70 Years of Protecting Sea Creatures

First opened in 1955, this magnificent facility will take about four hours to tour all of the exhibits and take in a few shows. For that day’s show schedule, we recommend calling 305-361-5705 and tapping ext. 0. Show times do fluctuate from day to day, so doing this on the morning of your visit will make it much easier to plan you time here. Be sure to arrive about 10 minutes early for each show to grab some good seats.

The first “visitor” to the Seaquarium was Mamie, a three-week-old manatee who had been injured and orphaned. Continuing their dedication over the years to nurturing and protecting these wonderful creatures, the Seaquarium is one of only four Manatee Critical Care Facilities in the Sunshine State.

In addition to endangered manatees, visitors will be visiting a safe place for sea turtles, and what the oceanarium calls a “forever home” for mammals that can be saved and rehabilitated but will be unable to fend for themselves in the future. Many of these precious creatures come from other parts of the U.S. and beyond to live in ‘Discovery Keys’, a man-made habitat that is much like extensive areas of South Florida.

Safeguarding the environment and conserving wildlife habitat is a key goal of the aquarium, and you will instantly notice the vast array of educational exhibits and presentations that incorporate sea lions, penguins, cetaceans, and other animals into their messaging.

There’s So Much to See at the Seaquarium

We recommend allowing a minimum of four hours to be able to see all of the exhibits and attend the shows that interest you. While the last admission is at 3 p.m., if you arrive just two hours before closing you will miss much of the park. Come early and stay as long as you like!

After entering the recently renovated entrance where you will be greeted by more than 30 gorgeous Caribbean flamingos in a stunning tropical setting (a perfect photo op), head to some of our favorite exhibits.

Other points of interest at the oceanarium are the tropical fish aquariums that are filled with marine life and line the walls of the Top Deck Dolphin area. From Florida lobsters to Red Lionfish that are new to the Caribbean, you will marvel at the amazing variety of fish and the multitude of colors in view.

If the kids, or their parents, need a break along the way, stop off at Sharky’s Playground Island where the little ones can play off some steam. Strictly for kids’ enjoyment, your little ones will enjoy the slides and other outdoor features designed for their playtime.

Animal Encounters at the Seaquarium

For guests looking to splurge and potentially get wet, there are some fun activities that you may want to consider that offer more than your general admission ticket.

Animal Encounters include:

Other special encounters available for an additional charge include the Dolphin Encounter, Sea Trek Reef Encounter, the Penguin Encounter, a VIP Tour of the Seaquarium, and the Royal Swim (with dolphins). For the uber-curious lover of sea mammals, there’s even the opportunity to become a “Trainer for a Day” ($500!), where you will learn about career options involving animal care, welfare, and conditioning while in the care of humans.

Planning Your Trip to the Seaquarium

To help smooth the waters while planning your visit to the Miami Seaquarium, here is some information that you should so that there are no surprises. At the time I am writing this (February 2025), the general admission price is as follows:

General admission tickets include admittance to all exhibits and shows including dolphin shows, and up-close viewing of stingrays, nurse and bamboo sharks, penguins, sea lions, and many more. You will have ample opportunity to explore their incredible aquatic habitats.

Also included are scheduled educational talks by trainers and other staff describing animal behaviors, personalities, and ongoing efforts in the all-important area of conservation to ensure future generations can also enjoy these mammals.

For a variety of reasons including giving the animals a break from constant human interaction, the park is usually closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, though these days may vary seasonally. Be sure to check the latest schedule before making your plans. There is also a wonderful map of the park on the same page.

The Seaquarium is sometimes referred to as an oceanarium or aquarium. The names are used interchangeably, so don’t get confused if you see or hear any of these descriptions.

More Fun Family Things to Do in Miami

There’s certainly no shortage of exciting venues to visit in the Miami-Dade area. Consider spending some time at these popular attractions:

And last, but certainly not least, allow plenty of time to stroll, relax, and swim in the Atlantic Ocean along the Miami Beach waterfront.

With an unmatched array of outdoor activities, Miami offers guaranteed fun for adults, teens, and youngsters.