Key West Aquarium

Fantastic experience: It was fun. Not super elaborate. Great for the kiddos. Short break from the sun. Butterflies are super neat too.

Negative experience: This is a very small aquarium with not much variety. A person can see and study everything in about 30 minutes or less. It's not a bargain for $20.

Fantastic experience: Very superising. Lots to see. Well worth the trip. Lots small but has a lot of fish and educations shows

Negative experience: The ocean life was fascinating to see but it was truly heartbreaking to see the way-too-small enclosures these sea creatures are forced to live in. I was told a shark had recently escaped - I felt a visceral happiness at this news and hoped it got as far from that place as possible. The whole visit left a bad taste in our mouths - this is truly unethical. I encourage the owner to try to get a bigger space or sell to someone who can.

Fantastic experience: Great cause and information to raise awareness.

Fantastic experience: We had a great experience at the Key West Aquarium. The presentation about the sea turtles was so well done that we couldn't look away, and each exhibit was neatly organized and well-labeled to answer any questions that came to mind. (I'm glad we went, and I really didn't want to go!)

Fantastic experience: Although the Aquarium is small, we spent 1.5 hours there. They have a good assortment of fish including large Turtles & Nurse Sharks. The staff answer questions & they also do different talks Had a great time

Fantastic experience: Nice, cool reprieve on a super hot day. The habitats were clean and nicely maintained. Staff was friendly and knowledgeable!!

Fantastic experience: Having visited our fair share of aquariums, the Key West Aquarium truly stood out. We were so impressed by the welcoming staff and the immaculate condition of the facilities. It was a fantastic experience, and the fact that our daughter is still talking about it, even after our trip back to Houston, says it all.

Fantastic experience: Friendly and informative staff! It definitely shows its beauty of being the oldest aquarium in Florida. Very cozy atmosphere with lots of cool aquatic life on display. It appears they are improving some of the facilities in rear of complex but was still cool to feed the fish. Look forward to returning in future! ❤️✌️

Fantastic experience: this cute little guy was so playful. he was hiding and came out when he saw us and he tried to touch my face and hand at all times. then he went to sleep and never came back again and it broke me heart

Fantastic experience: This aquarium was awesome. Slightly expensive for what it was, but very informative and goes to a good cause. We were able to watch prosthetics be put on sea turtles, lots of things to look at and learn about. We were able to feed the fish out back, and the huge pond was absolutely amazing with lots of fish to see.

Fantastic experience: Wonderful experience. Beautiful cool indoors. Was not very crowded on a Sunday afternoon. The shipwreck museum was a must

Fantastic experience: On a rainy day in Key Largo this was an awesome choice! All 3 of my children loved this aquarium!!

Positive experience: Cute aquarium. Staff helpful and informative. Good way to pass a rainy day.

Fantastic experience: This was an amazing experience. Loved how well they treat the turtles that are being rehabilitated. I can tell the staff love them.

Fantastic experience: The staff are very friendly, informative and knowledgeable. The history of the aquarium is presented well and they have sea turtles and the local marine life on display. If vacationing in the area I would highly recommend going and seeing this attraction. They have everything from sea turtles to nurse sharks and the staff run shows nearly hourly.

Fantastic experience: Historic small aquarium. Very well done. Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Lots of local sea life to see in the heart of Key West. Would recommend for sure if you are downtown!

Fantastic experience: Quaint and a bit small, but very nice. Seahorse exhibit was my favorite. Very interesting, (and kind of sad), stories about the rescued sea turtles. Staff is very knowledgeable about their sea creatures. Stingrays and horseshoe crabs are always fun. We would return!

Fantastic experience: Everyone comments that it is small, but the tanks are clean, information is very clear and readable, lots of events like stingray feeding. The staff is super knowledgeable and friendly. We bought the combo tickets on-line with the shipwreck museum which is a better deal. It’s across the street.

Positive experience: Great little spot to see on vacation. Didn't know they had an aquarium. It's small but nice to check out.

Fantastic experience: Sienna was an angel!!! Lived here my entire life & have never come across someone so nice & interactive!! Thank you sienna for giving me and my niece the best experience

Fantastic experience: This was a fabulous little aquarium. Very small but very informative. I thoroughly enjoyed the stop. I especially enjoyed watching them feedbthe nurse sharks and learning a lot about the local marine life which you will see often in the nature around you.

Fantastic experience: Small but a great place for kids. One turtle with false front flipper. Educational

Fantastic experience: You can tell the staff really care about the fish and turtles was a really cheep and amazing experience.

Fantastic experience: Excellent smaller aquarium, with well narrated presentations and views of the sea life. Highly recommend visiting here.

Positive experience: We did not take the tour but the tour was happening in another room and so loud we could not hear each other talk. We ended up not staying very long. The displays we did see were nice.

Fantastic experience: One of the smaller aquariums I've been to, but there is a lot of interesting aquatic animals. And, some pretty big ones, too. Indoor and outdoor displays. Knowledgeable and friendly staff.

Fantastic experience: A brilliant return to the aquarium after a long time. The animals are clearly looked after and it is evident the staff care deeply for them all. Nice to see the rescued turtles and to hear the talks by staff who are knowledgeable and interesting! Recommend!

Fantastic experience: A very old aquarium attraction built in the 1930s. It was the first tourist attraction on Key West. Indoor and outdoor exhibits. Narrated shows at intervals, provide interesting information about the facility, its inhabitants and the ecosystems of their origins.

Negative experience: Couldn’t make it to the aquarium so I called to get a refund on 4 adult and one child ticket the first time I talked to a lady she was super nice she was like no problem give it 3-5 days for refund. 5 fays later left message with manager no call back left another one today. . Just need a refund is this how they do there customers? Name is Karen Stout check your messages manager April

Fantastic experience: Think the aquarium deserves closer to a 4.5/4.6 rating. It’s small, sure, but full of fish and other animals. If you’re traveling with smaller children, it’s a pretty easy in-and-out with plenty to see and learn about. They are also building out a huge tortoise/turtle exhibit in the back.

Positive experience: Very nice little aquarium. It’s clean and the animals seem well cared for. Their informational lectures were very interesting, especially about their rescued sea turtles. The price is a bit high compared to the size and number of enclosures in my opinion, but otherwise, it’s a good place to get out of the sun for a bit.

Positive experience: Nice, educational programs are great. They have limited space, so it is a small aquarium. Staff friendly, and knowledgeable.

Fantastic experience: Nice visit at the Key West Aquarium today. Friendly staff and informative sessions. Watched the sting rays being fed while enjoying learning a lot more about the different types. Saw rehabilitated sea turtles with a demonstration sharing their stories and more about their importance. Enjoy the Key West Aquarium while visiting Key West.

Fantastic experience: Small aquarium, but nicely done. Enjoyed the talks and show we saw, staff was very informative. Enjoyed learning about the rescued turtles especially. Liked that they highlighted local artists and books during the invasive species talk. The outdoor sport fish tank is neat!

Fantastic experience: As far as aquariums go, this 1 was small. Luckily, they're building more. I would still recommend it. The stingrays, turtles, & lobster were great to watch. The petting tank was nice too.

Positive experience: The aquarium is small and quaint the people running it are absolutely wonderful and knowledgeable. The big drawback to this one is the tanks are so incredibly small. It is painful to see the animals in such a small environment.

Fantastic experience: Small aquarium located near the pier that cruise ships dock at. Good selection of fish and turkeys that are found in the Key West area

Fantastic experience: It is a small aquarium, but a wide variety of fish and turtles. They are in the process of expanding. Looking forward to seeing them again in the future.

Fantastic experience: Neat facility. Very well kept and reasonably priced for the area. My 5 year old absolutely loved it!

Positive experience: Think of the entrance fee as a donation for a good cause. Otherwise, it is hard to justify it for this tiny but cute place. You will be in and out in 15 minutes. They do have useful educational sessions for kids.

Fantastic experience: We got to watch turtle, tarpon and nurse shark feeding. Great job Mike on the presentation about lion fish. We really liked that they have presentations ever 30 minutes or so

Positive experience: A quaint aquarium in the middle of town. It's not big. You can feed fish and see 3 sea turtles.

Positive experience: It was really nice but not much for the price, I loved feeding the outdoor fish. It would be better if the price was lowered or had more to offer.

Fantastic experience: So much fun to learn about the rescued sea turtles, see nurse sharks, get to pet a sea urchin, and learn about so many different kinds of local sea life.

Fantastic experience: Very nice, small aquarium. Easy to see in less than 2 hours. Staff were super friendly and knowledgeable, always willing to answer questions.

Fantastic experience: Very cute little aquarium had several sea turtles that have been injured and recovery there several tanks with lobsters and shrimp and different types of salt water. Life has a large pond on the other side with large saltwater fish eels give you detailed description of the fish and what they are and how they eat and what not Also nurse sharks they feed them. They learn about them neat little small aquarium.

Fantastic experience: This is our 9th year coming to Key West and this was our first visit to the aquarium. We always thought that it looked small and not worth the money. Boy were we wrong. Yes, it is rather small, but the exhibits and staff are very informative. I saw one post saying that you can get through it in 15 minutes. Not if you want to catch a few of the programs and actually learn something though. My wife and I were in there for 1-1/2 hours. The staff members are all very friendly, knowledgeable, and more than happy to answer your questions. This is a definite little gem of Key West. Alot yourself some time and learn about our friends in the sea. And yes, it is worth the price.

Positive experience: It's small but they have a lot of stuff in there. Well worth the money. Everyone was friendly and helpful. Thank you.

Fantastic experience: We bought the tickets online which included the aquarium, shipwreck, and Trolley tour. 100% worth it. Aquarium is small but cute and loved the gift shop!

Positive experience: Nice place, on the smaller side but admission was fair price. Lots of turtles on display. They had a guided talks all day on different topics. They really seem to care about the wildlife.

Fantastic experience: Great place to stop in with kids while in Key West. The staff was very friendly, passionate, and knowledgeable. We were able to see several of the presentations while there for an hour or so.

Positive experience: This isn't a very large aquarium compared to many we've been to, but they have a very informative staff with organized talks throughout the day. They have several rescued turtles and a lot of sand sharks. The small window tanks are clean and well lit with clear explanations of what you are looking at. The outside tank is large and viewable from above, with lots of wild local fish and a large shark that they feed.

Fantastic experience: Great little local aquarium with local wildlife. The employees are knowledgeable and helpful, willing to chat with you and answer questions. Great variety of fish, turtles, sharks, rays, corals, and more. Highly recommend you go! Fun with or without kiddos. Wasn’t very crowded in January on a Saturday.

Negative experience: No requirement to rinse your hands before the touch pool like most aquariums (hand oils and creams and such damages the animals), no way to wash your nasty hands after the touch pool, many tanks too small, very little signage/info, sea turtles appear to have bubble butt, sad shark area. With that said, the outdoor area to the right when you go in appears to have been done very well with mangroves and room for them to swim. Fish brains are one step up from a doorknob, at least do the only couple of things they need well. I doubt this aquarium can get any accreditations at the moment.

Positive experience: Cute, homey, old fashioned aquarium. Have one sandbar shark with feeding show. Rays, sea turtles, and assorted tanks with interesting local fish including invasive lion fish. They do have expansion plans underway. It’s a good old fashioned non commercialized aquarium. Great for kids. One hour visit will do it.

Fantastic experience: We have been to the aquarium a couple of times. It is always fascinating to see how they adapt after major weather circumstances put them in a bind. The staff is always friendly and the enclosures are always clean. It is a nice way to spend some time out of the sun on the warmer days.

Fantastic experience: It's a really great place cool fish and a touch tank. Please help support the turtle rescue. Looking great love the upgrades new staff is working hard. We had really good time today check. Out my photos

Positive experience: We visited the aquarium because it was included in a combo ticket we bought somewhere else. Not sure I would pay full price to go again. It is historical as well if you are interested in the history of the town. It is a small aquarium but if you take your time and enjoy just watching the animals, you can spend an hour. The presentation outside was good as well as the outdoor area. Nice little aquarium.

Positive experience: A bit on the smallish side. Don’t plan on spending the whole day here, but for a small aquarium, they do a very nice job. We went there mostly for the octopus. We did see her hiding in her little cave, but were told that it’s very special to see her out in the open. During our visit, they did a little seminar on the turtles they have, along with the large game fish exhibit, stocked with tarpon, grouper, sea turtle, redfish, etc… It’s a great way to break up your day!

Negative experience: worst aquarium weve ever been to. put your money to better use by avoiding the aquarium. we bought tickets online to avoid the line, then when we get there we have to stand in line for a wristband to get in.

Positive experience: Very very small. Which would be fine if they controlled capacity. The size of the tanks the 2 turtles were in hurt my heart. Also the older lady at the ticket counter was obnoxiously rude- solely because my husband wanted to put his own wrist band on. Literally ran her mouth until we were done and walking away.

Fantastic experience: Definitely worth a visit! Once you get a ticket, it’s valid for two days with unlimited entry. Inside, there are plenty of guided tours, so you can learn a lot about the animals. Jenna, our guide, explained everything perfectly and gave us plenty of space to ask questions. Highly recommend!

Positive experience: Visited the Key West Aquarium on a weekday. The cost was $20 each and it was a bit pricey for the size of the museum. Touch tank which is a kid friendly experience just as you walk into the building, and a staff member was there to answer questions we had. The entire museum would take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour, depending on if you want to hear the info about the turtles and a couple other presentations that were available. The outer area had a larger tank- to your right as you walk into the building- was one of the most interesting displays, having a MASSIVE loggerhead rescue turtle in it and also some pretty large fish, and nurse sharks. This was our favorite of the museum. It was a decent small aquarium, but if you were figuring where to spend your dollars on a family trip this might be expensive for the experience.

Fantastic experience: This place is really cool!! Small aquarium with a big variety of sea life in different habitats, and the building itself is historic, which is really neat. Great caretaker explainers on how they care for the animals. We were able to feed the wild fish in the back too, and a manatee came up to eat while we were here! Getting through the aquarium won't take all day, so you can definitely pair this with other things. Highly recommend visiting while in town!!

Fantastic experience: The Key West Aquarium is an absolute gem, and one of the most inspiring parts of our visit was meeting Lola, their incredible sea turtle. Lola’s story is nothing short of amazing—she was rescued after losing one of her flippers, and now she swims with a custom prosthetic designed specifically for her breed. What makes it even more special is that the prosthetic was created by the same doctor who designed Winter the dolphin’s famous tail. The aquarium itself is intimate and interactive, making it perfect for families or anyone curious about marine life. The staff are fantastic—so friendly, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about the animals. They shared Lola’s journey in detail, and it’s clear how much love and effort goes into caring for her and the other sea creatures. The touch tank is another highlight, where you can get up close with starfish and other creatures. The aquarium’s prime location is in the heart of Key West, and it’s a must-visit.

Fantastic experience: The aquarium is small, but you can tell the staff really cares about the fish and turtles. They had presentations every 10-15 minutes which were educational and entertaining. I appreciate their rescue and care of wild sea turtles

Positive experience: I really felt bad for Hector seeing him with his head stuck on the gate but I asked and they said that he likes to sleep that way... I don't know why they can't take that gate out and have both turtles sharing the space I think it would be beneficial if they get along. It was a bit over priced but the fact that they let me in with my dog was worth it

Positive experience: After several trips to Key West we finally decided to ride the conch train and visit the aquarium. We really enjoyed it. It's small and we expected that, but they have several presentations that happen. So take your time and stick around, don't rush through it.

Fantastic experience: Loved my experience here, one of my favorite parts of the trip. The staff was kind and knowledgeable. I like that they do the 2 day pass and in and out access. Gift shop was nice. My only complaint is they need to update their website because they did not have the bonnethead shark and I was most excited about that so it was a let down to get there and find that out. We bought tickets there and went right in, not sure if during busy season you need to buy ticket in advance. Overall I’d say everything else is still worth your time to check it out!

Fantastic experience: We stopped at the Key West Aquarium while visiting on a cruise ship. We stayed for the dolphin and shark presentations. Hunter is very knowledgeable and gave a wonderful presentation. The staff is friendly and willing to answer all of your questions! If you have the time to stop and listen, I definitely recommend!

Positive experience: Enjoyed this charming, humble aquarium more than I thought I would! There were very colorful tropical fish and interesting marine life. There was an informative talk about mollusks from one of the staff over by the touch tank. I was a bit disappointed in the outside exhibits a shark exhibit along with other marine life, however, you really can't see much of it because of poor visibility of the water, and unlike other aquariums I've visited, you cant see the fish tank through underwater plexiglass, only from above. Parking can be a bit challenging, so have patience. They also close early like many attractions here. Plan your day well. There's a discount if you took the Old Town Trolley. It was still relaxing, informative, and educational!

Positive experience: Really really small aquarium. It was a neat experience but not worth more than $10 a person. Wouldn’t do it again for the price.

Fantastic experience: Great place to take the kids and see some nature. Hard to believe some of the fish have been there for 50+ years.

Fantastic experience: We came in a few minutes before the sea turtle show. I struggle with getting my wristband on. Miss Sarah helped me put it on. She was very helpful and patiently answered all of our questions.

Positive experience: I’ve been to quite a few aquariums and this was the most expensive I’ve been too for the smallest aquarium. You could be in and out in thirty minutes no problem. I did love the outside area for the shark and wild fish and the outside area for the big fish but inside was very minimal. Would be more stars if the price was lowered to match the smaller aquarium.

Positive experience: Several nice displays. Easy access. Enjoyed the presentation. 1 hour is plenty of time to see everything.

Positive experience: Not what it's hyped up to be. Very small. Fun for small children but for the most part, I have a hard time quantifying it as an aquarium and more of a walk through kids touch pool. There are some things to look at and you can feed fish in the ocean on the backside. Also a sea turtle revival area. Otherwise, honestly found it to be over priced for what you get. But it is a tourist town.

Positive experience: Great aquarium and a good way to kill time before a late afternoon flight out. It’s a bit on the small side, but there is a good amount of stuff to see while there.

Fantastic experience: The main draw to this aquarium actually isn’t the fish but the turtles. They help with injured sea turtles who either can’t survive in the wild or don’t know what it would be to not live in captivity. We were hoping the shark would feel like making an appearance in the back but he was being temperamental and refused. The aquarium fish are also wonderful, I don’t want to make this just about the turtles and a sassy shark! We went on a snorkeling excursion the next day and got to see a lot of these in the wild and have some base knowledge on them. Honestly if you are going to go snorkeling it’s not a bad idea to stop in here first and learn about what you might see on the reef! Makes it a little more special I think. The staff will answer any questions and they do tours of the tanks on a fairly regular basis. Highly recommend for any nature enthusiasts and great for a family outing.

Positive experience: Small but kid friendly aquarium! Be sure to look at the schedule so you can attend the talks & feedings. There is a small touch tank (shells, crabs, and other small creatures). The alley shaped space has tanks running down both walls and the center are pools with stingrays & turtles. There is a cute video that plays occasionally but to make it more than a 20 minute trip, be sure to attend the talks :)

Fantastic experience: Every time my family in Key West,we always visiting this little cute aquarium. Different time different tour…my son was 4 years old when we first visited and he still have lovely memories here (first time he touched shark back then) Now he almost turns 16, my big 28 they both asked me if we can stop by at the aquarium. It’s a small place but to support those rescued turtles worth every pennies!! $20 the tickets and we can use tomorrow, we will be back for the morning shows. Always something interesting to hear and see there.

Positive experience: Definitely worth a visit if you're looking for something to do in Key West. My wife and I enjoyed the quick visit Tickets- about $20 per ticket. My wife and I purchased with tickets to the conch train which offered a decent discount when purchased together. The tickets allow visits over a two day period in case you want to return. It's a pretty small aquarium. It took us about 20 mins to go through, but they also have multiple speaking sessions through the day that offer great information on the turtles and various marine species The staff were all very friendly and knowledgeable

Negative experience: The most disappointing aquarium I’ve ever seen. They tried to do their best to make it a nice place, but in fact it’s very very small and the money not worth it. They do good things to help sea turtles survive and recover and they need income to pay all this.

Positive experience: It’s a small aquarium but the staff are passionate about saving these animals and provided detailed info on how they’re being raised and taken care of. I’m not certain if warrants the cost though. If you end up getting tickets for the ship wreck museum also, there is a free ticket for the navy museum near the Cuban coffee queen.

Negative experience: While I enjoyed seeing thr turtles... for the price.. I am used to much larger aquariums... 2 stars for the size and the rude young guy sitting at the entrance .. all he did was talk to the young lady when you walk in and he seemed very annoyed Repeating him self as guest came in and any questions we asked.

Positive experience: The Key West Aquarium is a small aquarium. Despite the size, there was quite a bit to look at it inside the main building/room. There are also two outdoor areas. We did not see much in the outdoor area leading to the ocean. It seemed like some small exhibits were under construction for future viewing. The outdoor mangrove area was neat with large fish including tarpon and nurse sharks. We enjoyed seeing the sea turtles that were given permanent homes at the aquarium after being rehabilitated at the Marathon Turtle Hospital. Overall it was a neat little aquarium and gave us a break from the heat with some cool sea life to view and appreciate. Outside of the aquarium is a hub for adventure with shopping and trolley tours.

Negative experience: I love aquariums and have visited dozens across the US. This is the worst example of an aquarium and should be shut down. The exhibits are terrible, the quality is dangerous. You can see that the animals are suffering. The water quality is unacceptable with a haze of oily residue on the surface. The turtles are miserable with one spending the day banging its head on a PVC gate because the enclosure is too small and not suitable for his size. It is simply a tourist trap. Please. Don’t waste your money here.

Positive experience: Very very small, nice staff! About 15 minutes inside is enough. For 35$ for 1 adult and 1 4yo, a bit expensive. My boy loved it though.

Positive experience: What a great little aquarium. When we walked in, my first thought was "Wow, only one room? We'll be out of here in 10 minutes". Well how wrong was I? Whilst it is a small aquarium, there are regular shows and experiences taking place that keep the attention of adults and children alike. There are also two outdoor areas with further animals. The staff are really knowledgeable about the animals and all very friendly. Definitely worth a visit for families visiting Key West!

Fantastic experience: I learned so much today! I enjoyed my experience and recommend it. It was smaller than I expected but fascinating!

Positive experience: Cute aquarium and very nice staff. It was a but smaller than I anticipated so for the price I was expecting more but the animals were great to check out and displayed very well.

Fantastic experience: Your dedication to caring for those animals is truly commendable. Hearing about the turtle’s shell being cracked open and the special patch you applied so he could swim again touched my heart deeply. As a turtle enthusiast, I’m grateful that he found his way to you. While I understand the constraints you may face, seeing the turtles separated and longing to be together tugs at my heartstrings. Additionally, observing a large fish confined to a small tank, it’s evident that some of them need more space to thrive and grow. I empathize with their seemingly melancholic expressions, and while I recognize the financial challenges involved, I can’t help but wish for a better environment for them. Your efforts are invaluable, and I hope for continued support to enhance the welfare of these beautiful creatures.

Positive experience: Nice, if smallish, local aquarium doing great work with turtle rescue - both conservation and public outreach. As a guy who cleans big tanks, I did feel there could be a little more maintenance on some of the exhibits. But the displays and signage are top notch.

Negative experience: Small enclosures for the animals. The turtles are just swimming in circles, the python barely fits his cage, the barracuda had an injury from rubbing against the glass, etc. There is a touch tank in which there's no protocol of washing your hands before touching the animals. Very sad experience.

Fantastic experience: A surprisingly good aquarium. Small but the staff were so helpful. Don't miss the shark feeding. Our guide Manny had so many stories that thrilled our kids. Highly recommended.

Fantastic experience: Key West Aquarium is a must see destination. It is a small aquarium but totally packed with local wildlife. We always stop in here to see what is new and to visit our underwater friends.

Positive experience: Really cute and rare fishes, sharks and turtles. It's not big, complete the ride in 20 minutes (going slowly). People are very kind and polite.

Fantastic experience: We always love coming here. This is the oldest aquarium in the US and for that it is in very good condition. They deserve the funding to keep this amazing place in top shape. Shout out to all the employees you were all extremely helpful, and the guide was very informative. Will come back every time I'm here!