In 1978, the CMSC moved its operations to a formerly abandoned water treatment facility on Island Estates donated to it by the city of Clearwater, and by 1981 the aquarium’s initial renovations had been completed and the first exhibit was presented to the public. Pairing rescue and rehabilitation programs with efforts to expand research and conservation methods, CMA’s mission to protect the future of marine life began in 1972 with the name Clearwater Marine Science Center (CMSC). Honoring CMA’s influence abroad, presented cuisine took on a Caribbean theme with menu items including dishes from places like Cuba and Belize. daily, visitors were invited to take part in activities such as the Spheres Bubble Show with Blaise Ryndes, who was featured on America’s Got Talent, as well as a Jubilee Boat Ride. “When people walk through the door, we want them to feel inspired by our animal stories and everything that they’ve been through, and the challenges that they’ve faced.”įrom December 26, 2022, to January 7, CMA celebrated its 50th anniversary by extending regular hours to encompass a range of jubilee-themed events. “That’s part of our mission: inspiring the human spirit,” said Kelsy Long, CMA’s director of media relations. From inspiring the number one box-office hit Dolphin Tale starring Winter, an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin rescue and later CMA resident, to achieving feats such as releasing over 850 animals since 2010, CMA remains committed to making a difference in the lives of both its rescues and aquarium visitors. (Photo courtesy of Clearwater Marine Aquarium.)Ĭlearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) is no stranger to changing tides in the Tampa Bay community and beyond. The schedule of presentations and other information is available online.Clearwater Marine Aquarium offers guests an opportunity to tour numerous exhibits and book VIP animal experiences. Other experiences start at $15.99 for a behind-the-scenes walking tour. The Shark Care Experience is $59.99 for one person, or $107.98 for two people. The VIP Bottlenose Dolphin experience costs $549 per group of 3 to 5 participants. VIP experiences are available for an extra charge. Food is available at the Shark Bites Café. Tickets include the exhibits and seeing all of the animals. Tickets, which can be bought online, cost $35.95 for adults, $33.95 for seniors 65-plus, $26.95 for kids 3-12, and free for children 2 and under. A refundable $50 deposit is required.Ĭlearwater Marine Aquarium is at 249 Windward Passage in Clearwater, just north of the Clearwater Memorial Causeway, which connects downtown Clearwater and Clearwater Beach. Manual wheelchairs are available to rent for $5 a day on a first-come, first-served basis at the Guest Services desk on the third level of the aquarium. Another tour teaches visitors about the local wild dolphin population, and a sunset cruise is also available. The aquarium offers rides on covered tour boats, including one where visitors can learn about the local environment through the creatures collected in a net from the grass beds and sand flats of Clearwater Bay. Meet eight sea turtles, a nurse shark, two North American river otters, four Great White Pelicans (they’re twice as big as the brown pelicans common in Florida), a variety of stingrays and many other species of fish. But dolphins aren’t the only stars of the show. Stone Dolphin Complex, with its five pools and numerous floor-to-ceiling underwater windows, is home to Atlantic bottlenose dolphins Hope, Nicholas, Apollo and Izzy. At the aquarium today, visitors can experience a musical, 360-degree virtual reality tribute to her. Winter died in 2021, but her legacy lives on. Winter starred in two popular movies, “Dolphin Tale” and “Dolphin Tale 2,” about her rescue as a baby in 2005 and how she learned to use a prosthetic tail made for her because she’d lost part of hers when she was tangled up in a crab trap. They’re living their best lives under the care of experts at this research and rehabilitation facility because they can’t survive in the wild.Ī celebration of one of these animals, an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin named Winter, drew attention to the center and helped it develop into the amazing place it is today. At Clearwater Marine Aquarium, visitors can enjoy seeing and learning about rescued dolphins, sea turtles, otters and other marine animals.
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