Thanks to the preparation and tireless dedication of its staff before and after Hurricane Milton, The Florida Aquarium will reopen to the public on Monday, October 14 at 9:30 a.m., resuming its normal operating hours.

All the Aquarium’s animals are safe and healthy. (VIDEO OF THE INITIAL POST-STORM WALKTHROUGH) Before Milton hit, as part of the Aquarium’s hurricane preparedness plan, team members took several proactive steps to keep the animals safe, including:

  • Moving nine penguins and many other animals to higher floors. (VIDEO)
  • Transferring thousands of corals under the Aquarium's care. (VIDEO)
  • Relocating a rescued sea turtle from the Aquarium’s Apollo Beach to Tampa location. (VIDEO)

The green sea turtle named Calintina was found stranded in a ditch following Hurricane Helene and was rescued by Clearwater Marine Aquarium, which was severely impacted by that storm. The turtle then moved from The Florida Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center in Apollo Beach to ride out Hurricane Milton at the Tampa campus. Biologists provided the needed care, and in a post-storm update, Calintina returned home to the Gulf of Mexico Saturday evening. 

TICKETING INFORMATION

  • Guests who purchased tickets to visit the Aquarium during its closure for the storm can email MoreInfo@FLaquarium.org or call (813) 273-4000 to reschedule the visit.
  • Tickets are available for purchase online at FLaquarium.org or on site.

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About The Florida Aquarium

The Florida Aquarium, a 501c (3) non-profit organization, is actively engaged in stewardship of the natural environment as a conservation-focused Aquarium with purpose-driven programs that include conservation, research, education and outreach. With a keen focus on delivering world-class experiences, The Florida Aquarium welcomes a million guests each year and promotes awareness and action on behalf of marine wildlife. Caring for a variety of aquatic and terrestrial animals and providing exceptional animal wellbeing is a hallmark of the Aquarium and through up-close encounters, underscores our interconnectedness with the ocean. Driven by a commitment to saving marine wildlife, The Florida Aquarium continues to be a global leader in ground-breaking research and rescue efforts that help restore Florida’s coral and sea turtle populations. For more information, visit FLaquarium.org and follow on X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn.