Visiting CMA
Our regular hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. We are open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. with extended hours. Please view our seasonal and holiday hours of operation here.
You can request your photos online at Fintasticphoto.com.
Our CMA call center is available to assist you with making changes to your order. We are open 7 days a week from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 727-441-1790, ext 0.
Special discounted tickets are sold at the MacDill Air Force Base ticket office.
Our facility is both an indoor and outdoor experience. If you have purchased a boat cruise please remember it is cooler on the water than on land, especially during the winter months. Dressing in layers is best.
For the comfort of all Guests, smoking of tobacco, e-cigarettes or other products that produce a vapor or smoke are not permitted on CMA property.
All guests with pre-purchased tickets will check in at the Will Call desk located inside the main entrance on level 3.
All guests will check-in at Ticketing, located on the 3rd level entrance of CMA, to receive admission to enter the facility.
The parking garage is directly connected to the entrance on the 3rd level.
Parking is available in the CMA Parking Garage, directly connected to the entrance on the 3rd level. Seasonal rates apply. CMA Members receive discounted parking in the CMA parking garage.
There are many benefits to being a CMA Member! View all of the benefits and more here.
Visit & Safety Questions and Answers
Tickets are currently available online. Please call reservations if you have any questions or need help booking tickets. 727-441-1790 ext. 0. Tickets are also available on-site, but we recommend booking ahead!
Yes, please call Reservations at 727-441-1790, ext 0. Be sure to bring a photo ID as your reservation will be under your last name. Or, you can make reservations online here.
CMA Members no longer need to reserve their admission tickets online. Members can simply arrive and present their membership at Ticketing. Please call 727-441-1790 ext. 0 if you have any questions.
Educational presentations will be available throughout the day. Schedules may vary. Please check times and locations posted on digital signage when you arrive.
You will have great views of our dolphins, otters and sea turtles! And don’t forget our great white pelicans! A variety of dolphin animal care experiences and photo moments are available now. Stingray feeding is also available every day!
For guests requiring assistance, wheelchairs are available for rent at our Guest Services desk, located on the 3rd level of the aquarium. Wheelchairs are available on a first come, first serve basis.
Daily Fee: $5.00
Deposit: A Refundable $50 deposit is required at the time of rental
Strollers are not available at CMA. Guests are welcome to bring their own strollers or wheelchairs, and we strongly encourage all to thoroughly sanitize wheelchairs and strollers before entering Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
Yes, we have increased the number of hand sanitizing stations available to guests throughout our facility.
Masks and face covering are no longer required when visiting Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
Exposure to COVID-19 is an inherent risk in any public location where people are present; we cannot guarantee you will not be exposed during your visit. The CDC recommends that people get fully vaccinated. Per the CDC, vaccines are safe and highly effective at protecting people from severe COVID-19. Getting fully vaccinated yourself may also protect people around you. The CDC still recommends prevention measures for unvaccinated people. For more information see www.cdc.gov.
Face masks or face shields may be available for purchase at Ticketing before you enter. Additional masks may be available for purchase in our gift shop.
For the comfort of all guests, smoking of tobacco, e-cigarettes or other products that produce a vapor or smoke are not permitted on CMA property.
A variety of freshly prepared menu items are available in our spacious new cafe, including burgers, flatbreads, kids meals and vegetarian options. Fountain drinks and water are available along with beer and wine for guests 21 and up. Outdoor seating is also available on the new Dolphin Terrace.
Temperature checks are no longer required at CMA.
The parking garage now connects directly to the new entrance on the third level at CMA. Shuttles are no longer necessary!
All exhibits are open and our resident animals will be visible.
CMA offers active-duty U.S. military, and teachers discounted admission to Clearwater Marine Aquarium with Appreciation Admission that can be reserved online. Please see our other seasonal special offers. Please call our reservations team at 727-441-1790 ext. 0 to verify third-party promotions or discounts are valid before arriving.
Guests with Third Party admission may present their tickets at the Will Call desk for entry. For more information, please call 727-441-1790 ext. 0.
No weapons of any kind, bicycles, skateboards, recreational scooters, skates, glass containers or balloons permitted at CMA.
For a full list of prohibited items and activities, please visit our Aquarium Rules page.
Please contact us at 727 441-1790 ext. 0 if you have any questions.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium
Funding comes from admission and program fees, grants, and donations.
Yes, our full-time veterinarian is Dr. Shelly Marquardt.
We use frozen restaurant quality fish, which allows us to keep a high standard of food quality for our animals.
Most of our animal care specialists recommend courses in psychology, and biology fields, such as marine biology, zoology and general biology. Volunteering and/or interning at a facility such as ours is also very helpful.
Yes, we can assist with the rescue of manatees, but we don’t have the space and permits needed to rehab them or care for them as residents.
CMA has about 600-900 volunteers and interns on the rolls at any given time. The higher numbers are during the summer, with our junior volunteers, and during turtle nesting season. We have many staff members who also volunteer in another department on a weekly basis! For more information on becoming a volunteer or intern, visit our volunteer section.
We can perform cytology, blood cell counts, hematocrits (PCV), total protein values, blood glucose, examine fecal samples and test gastric samples for salinity.
If you would like to learn more about our animal encounter programs, please visit our guest services office or book online. Our programs are not included with admission and are limited in quantity each day in accordance with each resident’s specific rehab plan.
Human food is very bad for our animals and there’s a possibility it could spill from a container and fall into one of their pools. Also, food often comes in packaging that could be harmful to our dolphins, otters and turtles if ingested. For these reasons, we ask our guests to enjoy their food on the first floor only, and away from the animal exhibits.
Membership FAQs
Yes. You may redeem your admission cost up to the value of the membership pass you purchase. Membership purchase must be made the same day of your visit prior to leaving CMA. Visit the Guest Services office or the admission window.
Tickets purchased through third-party ticket resellers are not eligible.
Yes, members receive discounted parking in the CMA parking garage for each daily visit and special evening events. You will pay for parking when exiting the parking garage.
- Member Car Magnet
- VIP Member Entrance – Skip the Line
- 30% discount on food and beverage
- 10% discount on retail & online retail
- 10% discount on Birthday Party Package
- 10% discount on additional guest admission
- 20% discount on dolphin programs
- 50% discount on parking
- Additional discounts on boat tours and other programs
- Early camp registration and Member discount for camp programs
- CMA insider e-newsletter, exclusive member updates and invitations to special events
- Discounts at participating reciprocal attractions and discount partners
- Birthday messages from CMA resident animals
- Member Appreciation Day retail sales
- Members-only hour on select dates
- Commemorative holiday gift
- Zoolife subscription included
Please present your membership and government issued ID.
All memberships are associated with the named individual(s) and are not transferable to another person. Each membership has a specific identifier/bar code. If additional Unnamed guest passes were added to your membership, those passes may be used when attending with a named member.
Yes. When you purchase your membership online or in person, your government issued ID and/or receipt will serve as your temporary membership and will allow you admission until your digital membership passes are emailed to you. For environmental purposes, we are utilizing a digital pass and discourage printing the confirmation. Once you purchase all you need to bring is your ID.
CMA digital membership cards are downloadable to your mobile device. After purchasing your membership, you will receive a confirmation email with your digital passes attached. The membership passes can either be printed out, or saved to your phone.
You can access your digital membership passes on your mobile device after receiving your confirmation email. If you are unable to access your membership pass, primary named members can simply show a photo ID at admission.
No. The membership is a digital membership. For environmental purposes, CMA has decided to transition away from printing and mailing paper cards/passes.
Lifetime memberships will be honored.
Digital membership passes can be resent to your email for download. Please contact membership@cmaquarium.org. CMA no longer issues hard copy or replacement membership cards.
Yes, just show your government issued ID.
To ensure appropriate use of membership benefits and privileges, CMA will require valid photo ID. Children are required to present photo ID but should be accompanied by a parent or adult from their household or present their digital membership pass.
Individual, Duo and Family memberships are non-transferable. Only the person(s) named on the membership may enter CMA using the membership. All named members will be required to show a valid photo ID. Unnamed Guests must be accompanied by one of the named members.
You can renew online here. Simply login to renew. If you do not have your login info you can use the lookup to search for your pass number. You can also call the CMA Reservations Center at 757-441-1790, ext. 0. The Reservations Center is open from 10am to 5:30pm.
Yes, you can purchase a membership for an individual other than yourself. You will need to provide the gift recipient’s name, address, phone number and email. The link to download the digital membership PDF will be sent to the email provided. Passes are valid one year from the date of purchase.
We do not assign credit for those who have not used their memberships. Even if you have lost a previous membership card or are not able to access the digital membership, you are always able to visit the CMA by showing your government issued I.D. or email purchase confirmation/receipt.
We are unable to place temporary freezes or holds on accounts.
CMA members will receive our monthly CMA e-newsletter. Exclusive updates may be emailed to members on occasion.
Yes. Visit our Tickets page here.
Please send an email to membership@cmaquarium.org.
Membership discounts on kids’ camps are offered to Aquatic Duo and Family Marine Explorer membership levels. Camp discounts do not apply to individual memberships.
The new Aquatic Duo membership level includes 1 free admission ticket and the Family Marine Explorer level includes 2 free admission tickets for guests. These admission tickets are good for one guest visit each during the duration of your membership. Additional unnamed guests can be added to your membership plan for unlimited visits throughout the year for $99. Unnamed Guests must be accompanied by a named member. Named members can be added to Duo and Explorer for $70.
Zoolife will be available in mid-September to new and renewing members with a 9/15/2023 or later date. Current members will receive this benefit when they renew. Members will receive more information via email about registering for a free zoolife subscription.
Custom Experiences
- Whether you choose to modify an existing program or create something entirely new, we’ll help you plan an experience that meets your needs:
- Date and time of your program
- Areas visited in the aquarium, including behind-the-scenes
- Featured animals or exhibits
- Private tour guides
- Private boat tours
- Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
- Animal encounters, expert guest speakers and more
The price of your package will vary based on the customizations you choose. Our team will help create a program to fit your budget. To find out if a customized program is right for you, contact us at customexperience@cmaquarium.org or call 727-441-1790 ext. 2229.
We require a minimum of two weeks to plan your custom experience. However, all custom experiences are based on availability.
Yes! You’re free to explore the Aquarium during our regular hours before or after your custom experience.