If you have ever wondered what it is like to touch a shark or hold a live starfish, then this ticket is for you. It will get you entrance to the Key West Aquarium, which first opened its doors in 1934 and was the very first attraction in the city. During the day you will get closer to marine life than you ever thought possible, without getting wet. See some of the world’s most intriguing marine species, such as moray eels, stingrays, barracuda, parrotfish, tarpon, sharks, sea turtles and an array of tropical fish. Learn about their habitats and habits from the Key West Aquarium’s knowledgeable guides, and then get a hands-on experience as you feel and pick-up the amazing animals that live in the Touch Tank. They are all harmless, gentle creatures, just waiting to get a closer look at you too! Move on to catch the hungry sharks and sea turtles devour their breakfast, lunch or late afternoon snack; feedings occur daily at 11:00, 13:00 and 16:30. The Atlantic Shores exhibit offers visitors a chance to learn about a mangrove environment, while the 50,000-gallon tank is home to many colorful and lively tropical and game fish. Spend as long as you like at the underwater wonderland; it is open daily from 10:00 through 18:00, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year.

Since the first Spanish galleons began to traverse the Florida Straits in the 16th century, ships have wrecked along the treacherous reefs of Key West and the Florida Keys. Now, you can learn all about the area’s maritime past with a trip to the Key West Shipwreck Treasures Museum. Wrecking and salvaging – the recovery of wrecked ships and their cargo – was the foundation of Key West’s economy during the 1800s. The economic boom it created meant that by the mid-1850s, Key West had become the richest city per capita in all of the United States of America. Learn the history of the region’s shipwrecking past at the Key West Shipwreck Treasures Museum, with two floors of genuine recovered artifacts. See pieces of wrecked Spanish fleets dating back to the 1600s and 1700s, as well as pieces from the Isaac Allerton, wrecked way back in 1856. Guests can even lift a silver bar, which was salvaged from the Spanish treasure galleon Nuestra Senora de las Maravillas. The museum itself is a recreation of the 19th century wrecker tycoon Asa Tift’s warehouse, and includes a 65-foot look-out tower. At the Historeum, you can also expect storytellers in period costumes and an array of audio visual displays that brings the history of Key West to life.

Feed, play and interact with real-life dolphins. This program is perfect for families with young children that don’t mind getting splashed but aren’t ready to be in the water with these friendly faces. The dolphins will be ready to greet you dockside. Prior to meeting the beloved mammals, you’ll get a brief educational session on the world of dolphins, conservation, and a mini demonstration on proper hand placements for each kind of dolphin behavior. Next, feed and play with dolphins from the dry training docks. Guests will also get the opportunity to have some fun playtime interaction, which can be semi-customized to better enhance each guest or group. You’ll even have your own talented photographers capturing your experience throughout the program.

Located in the historic Key West Bight, discover this state-of-the-art museum with hands-on exhibits, raw footage, unique artifacts, and the only scale model of Fort Jefferson at Dry Tortugas National Park. As you travel through this interactive timeline of Key West history, uncover the history of sponging, turtling, fishing, cigar making, and tourism that put Key West on the map. Touch a genuine silver bar from the Spanish Galleon Nuestra Senora de Atocha that sank full of gold, silver, and emeralds during a hurricane off of Key West in 1522. Get to know Henry Flagler, John D. Rockefeller’s partner in Standard Oil, in the original paymaster’s railway car from the Florida East Coast (FEC) Railway. Inside the Maggie Atwell House, see the only remaining wooden structure built by the FEC, learn about the backbreaking work of building the railroad over the open ocean and the mosquito infested mangrove swamps of the Florida Keys. For the younger set, the museum offers an area full of hands-on activities, picture-taking opportunities, and the National Park Services Junior Ranger Program.