A new attraction at Tampa’s Florida Aquarium is set to blow its predecessor out of the water.
“The Tide Pool,” a new cold-water sensory experience will be on the aquarium’s newly renovated second floor.
A press release says that in its 30th year of business, the aquarium has opened one of the only cold-water experiences on Florida’s west coast. The Tide Pool is 60 feet-long and filled with 4,000 gallons of water. The tank contains over 200 marine invertebrates that typically reside on the rugged Pacific Coastline, putting the previous No Bone Zone exhibit to shame with almost four times the critters.
Construction of the new exhibit began in December of 2024, and its official opening date is Friday, Aug. 1.
The Tide Pool is the new home to creatures like vermilion sea stars, squat lobsters, purple sea urchins and fish-eating anemones—all things that aren’t native to Florida waters. While touching the creatures is the primary activity, the display works to get all the senses involved— except taste, maybe go to Red Lobster for that one.
The Tide Pool’s water motion system coupled with a coastal soundscape replicates the sights and sounds of waves hitting the rocky shore. The exhibit will also include a 70-foot-long mural— done by Curtis Stokes—made with UV-reactive paint that uses custom light programming to stimulate the passing of time from a beautiful sunset to a starry night.
Roger Germann, President & CEO of The Florida Aquarium wrote that, “This exhibit gallery marks another bold step forward as we continue with our historic $45M expansion aimed at building the world’s greatest aquarium.”
The 50-degree tank is just phase one in the Florida Aquarium’s future plans with puffins coming in 2026 along with sea lions and an updated habitat for its African penguins in 2027.
