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Welcome, Members!
Here you will find all the information you need to enjoy your member benefits to the fullest – from habitat and animal updates to exclusive events, promotions and beyond! We thank you for your membership and support of The Florida Aquarium’s mission to entertain, educate and inspire stewardship of the natural environment. For an elevated guest experience, members are urged to secure visit reservations in advance.
We Want to Hear From You!
As we continuously strive to enhance the member experience, we invite you to take a few moments to participate in our member survey. All feedback provided in this survey will be kept confidential. As always, thank you for your support of The Florida Aquarium.
Member Night
Thursday, February 16 | 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Join us for an evening of fun! Explore the aquarium at night and enjoy special animal encounters and diver interactions. All of our exhibits will be open, including The Splash Pad (weather permitting), 4-D Theater, Café Ray (limited hours) and the gift shop. Member night is FREE for Aquarium members with a valid membership. Due to limited capacity, you must make an online reservation to secure entry for member night.
Animal Spotlight:
False Pilchards
Found in our Coral Reef habitat, false pilchards deploy a unique defense mechanism against predation in which they move rapidly together in a tight cluster to avoid being singled out as prey. Common predators include barracuda, jacks and fish-eating seabirds.
Fun Fact: Due to the various locations in which false pilchards can be found, these schools of fish move in opposite directions (clockwise or counter-clockwise) based on the hemisphere in which they are located.
Cracks in rocks and coral reefs in the west Atlantic
Fish, crabs, octopus and squid
Few natural predators
Least concern
Chordate
Staff Spotlight: Rita Coley
As one of The Florida Aquarium’s original employees, Rita Coley is entering her 26th year of employment with the organization.
The Environmental Services Manager exemplifies Aquarium President-CEO Roger Germann’s goal that every employee, regardless of task, be committed to the Aquarium’s mission to protect and restore the blue planet. She believes “It is so important to know how we can change the environment. I remind my team daily to strive to educate our guests.”
Coley and her team are responsible for keeping The Aquarium in ship-shape, but she stresses that engaging with the public is a key responsibility. “I’m always looking for ways to provide the best customer service possible to our guests.” This kind of consideration is all part of Coley and her team’s daily routine.
“I always emphasize respect and being a team player. You need to respect the people you meet and the people you work with. And you always must remember that all Aquarium employees are part of the same team.”
When Rita first started, she worked in reservations, assigning specific times to tickets to keep crowds manageable. When the Aquarium first opened, it was important to be adaptable. “Whatever needed to be done, you would do it. If you needed to drive a tram, you drove a tram.” Eventually she became housekeeping manager, where her attention to detail and concern for others has helped her excel. “Guest do appreciate what we do. Sometimes they want to give us a tip. But I tell them to put the money in the wishing well that goes to the animals’ care.”
The favorite part of her day, interactions with the young people, “I get a kick out of the kids. They’ll come up to us and say, ‘How’s your day going’?” Most days, Coley can reply her day is going splendidly, “Being able to see the Aquarium from open day to present is really special. I think strong leadership has carried us through.”
Also important is the institutional mission that makes her proud of her job: “The Aquarium always is working on how we can protect environment. We want to make things better.”
Feeling Crafty?
Looking for something new to do at home with the kids? We’ve got you covered with a series of how-to craft videos you can do using materials you can find at home! How-to craft videos are perfect for rainy days or stifling heat.
Share Your Experience With Us!
We want to see the aquarium through your lens! Show us what you love most about visiting The Florida Aquarium by using #FloridaAquarium on your social media posts or emailing membership@flaquarium.org. You may see your photo featured here!
Have a question? We’re here to help!
Contact us at (813) 273-4030 or membership@flaquarium.org
Update Your Contact
Be sure that your contact information is up-to-date to stay current on the latest events, happenings and other fin-tastic benefits your membership to The Florida Aquarium has to offer!