Key West Aquarium & Butterfly Gardens

Get up-close and personal with Key West’s underwater residents. The aquarium is Key West’s first attraction built in 1935 to promote tourism to the island during the Great Depression. Today it is home to hundreds of different species including rays, sharks, fish and turtles and even a touch tank where children of all ages are encouraged to enjoy a hands-on experience with the Keys’ sea life. At the Atlantic Shores exhibit, you’ll come face-to-face with a Florida Keys near shore environment filled with tropical and game fish, sea turtles and spiny lobster. Then you’re off to the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory. Witness hundreds of free-flying butterflies and exotic colorful birds from around the world that inhabit this glass-enclosed, climate-controlled conservatory. Relax and enjoy a magical, one-of-a-kind experience as you walk among the most beautiful creatures in nature and stroll against a backdrop of lush flowers, trees, orchids and cascading waterfalls. To set the stage before you enter their world, spend time in our leaning center where you can view a 15-minute award-winning film that describes the anatomy, physiology and life cycle of the butterfly.