Tourist attraction marks 25th anniversary amid crisis

TAMPA — The Florida Aquarium celebrated 25 years in business last week with — because of social-distancing guidelines — a guest list consisting of a sea turtle, octopus and some otters and penguins. 

Opening its doors on March 31, 1995, the aquarium has been a bedrock tourist attraction in Tampa’s Channel District, which is in the midst of a transformation into Water Street Tampa. However, the institution, like so many others, is temporarily closed to the public due to the coronavirus pandemic.