When is Miami Seaquarium closing? What about the animals? See the plans
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The end of the Seaquarium
A Miami landmark, once a star attraction but recently a troubled theme park, is making way for redevelopment.
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With the closing of the Seaquarium, a Miami landmark for more than 70 years will disappear.
Here are some questions and answers on what’s happening:
When is the Seaquarium closing?
Sunday, Oct. 12, is the last scheduled day for the Seaquarium to be open to the public. The marine theme park opened in 1955.
What will happen to the animals at the marine park?
MORE: Meet the Seaquarium stars: Flipper, Salty, Lolita, Hugo, Carolina Snowball
No announcement has been made by the Seaquarium, but the company that owns the park has other marine attractions. The dolphins and sea lions could be transfered to company facilities or other marine parks or conservation organizations.
What is replacing the Seaquarium?
The company that owns the Seaquarium has leased the publicly owned waterfront property along the Rickenbacker Causeway from Miami-Dade County. Miami developer David Martin and a subsidiary of his development company, Terra, are in line to buy the lease for $22.5 million. Martin plans to retain the Seaquarium name but redevelop the site to include a marina, a collection of restaurants with a Fishermen’s Village theme and a public baywalk along Biscayne Bay. Although there are plans for a new aquarium on the property, the familiar dolphins, sea lions and other animals will be transferred to new homes.
Why is the Seaquarium closing?
The Seaquarium has been under scrutiny for years for its animal-care practices. Advocates called for the release of famous performing orca Lolita over the size of her tank. Lolita the Killer Whale died in 2023. A federal inspection around the time of Lolita’s death also cited staffing and animal welfare issues. Land owner Miami-Dade County had been trying to evict the seaquarium owner, The Dolphin Company, over the various issues.
Why is the Seaquarium famous?
Before Disney World opened in 1971 and exploded in popularity in the 1980s, the Seaquarium was a major tourism draw in Miami. A monorail even gave visitors a view of the gardens and pavilions below. But a CBS TV show starring Flipper boosted the Seaquarium to new heights, as did the famous dolphin swimming in a tank at Miami Dolphins games in the Orange Bowl. In the 1970s, killer whales Hugo and Lolito became the Seaquarium stars, alongside Salty the Sea Lion’s comedic antics.
This story was originally published October 9, 2025 at 11:08 AM.
