AQUATARIUM
The Aquatarium opened on St. Petersburg Beach between 64th and 66th
Avenues in 1964. As coincidence would have it, that was the same year that
Flipper (a world-famous dolphin, long before Winter) splashed into the hearts
of millions each week in his self-titled NBC television show. However, the
Aquatarium featured more than just lovable, well-trained cetaceans jumping
out of the water. It also housed sea lions and pilot whales; and its gold-colored,
160-foot geodesic dome was a shining landmark along the white sandy beachfront
of southern Pinellas County.
Unfortunately, this Central Florida version of the Miami Seaquarium would
wade through rough waters as the 1970s rolled in and tourists headed to larger
attractions near Orlando. The Aquatarium was renamed Shark World not
long after the 1975 thriller Jaws tore through the silver screen, while plans to
build a water slide failed to capture support from City zoning officials. The
Aquatarium closed in 1977 and was eventually replaced by the Silver Sands
Beach & Racquet Club condominium.
MARCH/APRIL 2015 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 47