This wonderfully historic and quaint aquarium is the oldest tourist attraction in Key West. It was built in 1934 and not much has changed since its opening day, which is what makes this a great place to see. After all, nothing has changed about the marine life since 1934, and that's what this place is all about. You can peer up close at all sorts of fish and creatures who live in eye-level tanks placed in the wall. The touch tank is fascinating for almost anyone, and in particular the sea cucumbers make for hard-to-resist touchable attractions. There are guided tours throughout the day, and when you buy a ticket you'll be informed about the next tour. You can go in and walk around at your own pace, leave for lunch, and come back for the tour. You can even come back the next day, since your ticket is good for that, too. Feeding time is a whipped up frenzy of stingrays, sawtooths, and sharks that will make you appreciate the power and fury of hungry fish. There are game fish ans sea turtles in the Atlantic Shores Exhibit. The outdoor enclosed pool of sea water holds a turtle with an injured flipper, jacks, hovering barracuda, tarpon, all just below your feet as you walk along the edge observing.

The Key West Aquarium is refreshingly soft-sell, and located in one of the hottest tourist areas of Key West: the heart of Mallory Square. It is open every day from 10 to 6, and you get a discount if you have a cruise ship ticket or a ticket from a trolley tour.