The Florida Aquarium has announced a $40 million expansion to begin in January 2023. The first major expansion for the aquarium since its opening in 1995 is scheduled for completion in 2025.
The project includes a special exhibit gallery, a multi-species gallery featuring puffins, an African penguin habitat, and a large-scale outdoor exhibit home to California sea lions.
“Today we take a major step forward in building the world-class aquarium that Tampa Bay deserves,” said Roger Germann, president and CEO of the Florida Aquarium.
“We are reinvigorating the Florida Aquarium by creating innovative and immersive habitats and exhibits, providing captivating guest experiences, and expanding our dynamic animal collection that advances our commitment to saving wildlife and wild places.”
The project was led by architectural design firm Space Haus. Its clients include the Shedd Aquarium, National Aquarium of New Zealand, Dallas City Zoo and Kansas City Zoo.
The first phase of the expansion, scheduled to complete in 2023, will transform an existing ballroom space into a 3,700-square-foot special exhibit hall.
Slated for completion in 2024, the second phase includes a two-level puffin habitat with a kelp forest. The 45,000-gallon habitat will feature a deep dive pool and nesting sites.
The third and most ambitious phase will be finished in 2025. It includes three separate but interconnected sea lion spaces, measuring more than 200,000 gallons.
Puffins and sea lions coming to aquarium
There will be a large main habitat and animal encounter habitat, as well as a presentation space including underwater viewing and overlook seating.
The outdoor plaza will also offer a 39,500-gallon African penguin habitat to house up to 30 aquatic flightless birds. This will boast a bubble viewing window.
Fundraising is underway for the expansion. Blooloop, in association with Zoo Advisors, has announced that the inaugural Blooloop 50 Zoo & Aquarium Influencer List is now open for nominations.
Images: Florida Aquarium
