The Pier Aquarium

A 2,000-square-foot public aquarium and ocean science education center at the Pier in downtown St. Petersburg. Touch Tank Tour Activity is scheduled 1-4 p.m. daily with Coral Catshark Feeding where visitors receive an "Official Shark Feeder" certificate for participating. A new first Saturday-of-the-month 2011 Book Nook by the Bay program scheduled 10:30am-noon features Fresh Fish Theater, our marine science  library, marine education and story time with guest authors and readers.
Exciting interactive exhibits, 14 aquariums housing fish and other critters particular to a specific ocean environment, educational fun activities & more! Newest exhibit: Coral Catshark Aquaculture Program showing life of a shark from egg to adult. Other exhibits by marine science partners spotlight their research, innovation and technology: Counting on Fish, a 352-gallon sport fish aquarium and a SmartPad touch screen, tells the story behind the importance of sport and commercial fish. Focus on Fish tells the story behind scientific illustration and features the work of St. Petersburg wildlife artist and illustrator Diane Rome Peebles.
Into the Eye: Hurricanes brings eye-opening information about hurricanes. A Sea of Sound brings the ocean chorus of burps, whistles, grunts, clucks and booms, a symphony of sound produced by fishes to life through our mobile hydrophone live feed installed underneath The Pier. Tampa Bay: Species of Concern addresses the issues about the manatee, the bay scallop, the loggerhead sea turtle and the Gulf Surgeon, all animals whose existence is closely monitored by researchers and environmental groups. Oceans: The Big Picture shows how satellites in space "see" very large areas and, since they stay in orbit around the Earth, continuously gather data about the same place.
Free outdoor exhibits: The Wonder of Water illustrates the water cycle on the walls of the Roy G. Harrell, Jr. Education Station and WaterWalk "kiosks" along the approach of The Pier give visitors a chance to learn about the body of water, Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, that surrounds them.
For adults only, four times a year we offer SciCafe St. Petersburg at a local restaurant. Past themes include: Caffeine May Be Good for You!; Nanotechnology: From Port Security to Sunscreen; Green Chemistry; A Sustainable Building: The Word is Photovoltaic, CSI Forensic Science: Fact or Fiction; Gulf Oil Spill; the Ocean and Human Health: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly.
Info: www.pieraquarium.com/scicafe Read Less