Tampa, Florida — It's a big expansion coming to The Florida Aquarium in Tampa's Channel District.
Crews broke ground on the aquarium's new Mosaic Center on Wednesday. The new addition won't have any fish or sea life, but it's set to make a huge difference in what you see when you and your family walk in.
One day at the aquarium can be full of surprises, whether you're holding a horseshoe crab, touching a stingray, or meeting a shark, and remembered forever.
"I think it's a fantastic thing. The more money we can sink into places like this and teach kids (the better)," said visitor Daniel Adams. "Generations these days are so attached to their phones and their tablets and everything, they don't really, know what this stuff is anymore."
And that money is coming! It'll be from events held here at the aquarium's new Mosaic Center set to open by December.
But what it really means? More for you and your kids to see!
From the exhibits where you can actually get in and meet sea creatures yourself to the ones you need dive gear to get near - all of the money from the Florida Aquarium's new addition will go back into its mission.
That mission?
"It's teaching kids about their environment, it's teaching them about the oceans, the challenges that oceans are facing today," said Florida Aquarium President Thom Stork.
And as parents will tell you, teaching kids early makes all the difference.
"If you can catch them at a young age and show them as much as possible about sea life...that's the first step and do it young too," Adams said.
He brought his boy from Tennessee to experience the Florida Aquarium.
"Being able to see it first hand really impacts them more than just reading about it," said visitor Cary Swim who brought her young daughter. "Getting to actually physically see it I think just really brings it all to life for them," she said.
