Construction to Begin on Secrets of the Sea Aquarium

Madeira Beach and John's Pass will have a new anchor tenant in November when the Secrets of the Sea Marine Exploration Center and Aquarium opens at Gulf Boulevard and 129th Avenue in John's Pass. 

The $4 million facility will house interactive exhibits, tanks and state of the art technology in the two-story, 13,500-square-foot building. 

One of the main attractions that will be on display at the aquarium is possible due to a partnership the aquarium has with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The two have partnered to create the "Science on a Sphere."

"This dramatic 6' diameter globe suspends the earth right before your eyes, providing NOAA programs that showcase the oceans, weather and real-time environmental data," according to aquarium documents. 

With changing exhibits and technology that changes daily, Howard Rutherford, president and CEO of Secrets of the Sea, said every visit to the new aquarium would offer a different experience. 

"It’s been a fabulous roller coaster ride," said Secrets of the Sea project Chair Lari Johnson at Tuesday's ceremony. "This is the most rewarding thing I’ve done in my life. Our idea has grown and matured to the 13,500-square-feet, two-story attraction."

"With the support of many partners and supporters, Secrets of the Sea has secured the funding needed to bring construction of this 13,5000 square foot, technologically advanced visitor attraction, where real-time scientific research will be combined with fun hands-on experiments and living marine exhibits that will entertain and inspire visitors and residents alike," Howard said in a news release. 

Construction for the facility will be begin in May, and the aquarium is set to open in November.

Combining science, research, live animals and attractions inside the aquarium, officials say some of the things you'll be able to see include:

• Moon Jellyfish
• Sea Sleuths
• Clues from Corals exhibit
• Crustacean Station
• Tracing Live Research that will bring real-time updates from marine research vessels in the Gulf
• A display that will allow visitors to discover how satellite imagery tracks ocean changes
• Interactive exhibit that includes sea sounds and dolphin identification
• Microscopic Observation Stations
• Touching exhibit that will allow visitors to get up close with Gulf and Bay critters. 
• NOAA interactive media station

After being located in the St. Petersburg Pier since 1988, the aquarium decided in 2011 that Madeira Beach would be its next home. 

Johnson said the new spaces would be six times larger than the current space at the pier. 

Economic Impact

Rutherford said the pier aquarium currently has a visit rate of 50 percent from tourists and 50 percent from residents. 

Once Secrets of the Sea is complete, he expects the percentage of tourists to be 70 percent, with 30 percent residents. 

The Secrets of the Sea Aquarium is projecting annual economic impact to the area will exceed $8 million. 

More than 85,500 visitors, including 27,000 who participate in scheduled educational programs, visit the Pier Aquarium annually. Secrets of the Sea expect that number to jump to 250,000 people each year with 40,000 students vesting. 

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