Quick Summary
The St. Lucie County Aquarium, featuring the Smithsonian Marine Ecosystems Exhibit, is a 5,000-square-foot public aquarium located at 420 Seaway Drive in Fort Pierce. It showcases more than 8,000 gallons of marine life across six living ecosystem displays, a touch tank, and microscope exhibits. Admission is $4–$5 for most visitors. The aquarium is open Tuesday through Sunday and offers free admission on the first Tuesday of every month.
What Is the St. Lucie County Aquarium?
The St. Lucie County Aquarium is a public aquarium operated through a partnership between the St. Lucie County Board of County Commissioners and the Smithsonian Marine Station in Fort Pierce, which is a research facility of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.
The aquarium opened in November 2001, when the Smithsonian’s main 3,000-gallon coral reef exhibit was retired from its 20-year display at the National Museum of Natural History. Smithsonian scientists were the first to put a living model of an Atlantic coral reef ecosystem on public display, and that same landmark exhibit now anchors the Fort Pierce aquarium.
The facility sits within Museum Pointe Park on Seaway Drive, adjacent to the St. Lucie County Regional History Center. It is managed in partnership with the Smithsonian Marine Station, which continues to conduct active research on marine biodiversity and the Indian River Lagoon.
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Plan Your Visit
📍Address: 420 Seaway Drive, Fort Pierce, FL 34949…