A new $52.5 million attraction is coming to Key Largo’s John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park with the reimaging of the existing visitor center, aquarium and auditorium. The new, state-of-the-art Discovery Center & Aquarium will include interactive exhibits, several saltwater aquariums holding a combined 43,000-gallons of saltwater, and wildlife observation areas, as well as a coral restoration nursery overseen by Mote Marine Laboratory.
The project officially broke ground on April 22, Earth Day, during a ceremonial event with more than 100 elected officials, community leaders and partners, and state park staff in attendance.
“This was a vision for a long time,” Chuck Hatcher, Florida State Parks Director, said. “When I first toured Pennekamp 10 years ago, I knew we had to do better. In addition to the new center, we are putting in a new parking lot, reconfiguring roads and replacing the seawalls.”
Supported by an infusion of capital from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Florida State Parks, the Florida State Parks Foundation lends financial support in planning and design of the interactive exhibits. Private support also is provided by The Batchelor Foundation and Friends of Pennekamp, a not-for-profit organization with members who fundraise, plan events and volunteer at the park.
The Monroe County Tourist Development Council recently committed $2 million to support the record-breaking project, the largest in state park history.
“Pennekamp is an economic engine for Monroe County,” said Monroe County Tourist Development Council President & CEO Kara Franker. “We are thrilled to provide this beautiful gift to Monroe County. I’m thrilled by the TDC Board’s decision to invest in this project.”
The project will include interactive exhibits and displays with storytelling, soundscaping, thematic lighting and environmental imagery. The aquariums will be filled with native Florida marine species and wildlife observation areas will be included.
Mote Marine Laboratory will conduct coral restoration research. Visitors will experience the coral nursery and the research it produces firsthand as biologists actively work toward their conservation goals during Discovery Center & Aquarium hours. The coral grown at the park nurseries will be planted on Pennekamp Coral Reef to replace different corals that have suffered from human activity and coral bleaching.
“How appropriate that we are here celebrating on Earth Day,” said County Commissioner Holly Merrill Raschein. “I used to live a couple blocks away from the park and came here numerous times a week to walk, explore and enjoy the beach. My son would come with me, first in a stroller, then a wagon and now on bike. My kid’s neighborhood park is this place. How cool is that! It is a place that holds so many memories for us and our extended family.”
Ann Helmers, president and founding member of Friends of Pennekamp and Dagny Johnson state parks shared her experiences in forming the group in late 2019.
“We aimed to help the parks flourish and started with installing an underwater webcam at Pennekamp followed by a marine boat to be used to help stranded manatees and adding a native plant nursery,” she said. “With nearly 500,000 visitors in the past year, this park is a base for everyone, whether you live here or visit here. We have chosen to make our home here and together are making our little corner of the world the very best.”
Construction is expected to conclude by late 2028. In the meantime, Shane Zigler, park manager said, “the park is going to remain operational during construction and the existing fish and underwater species currently being housed will be safely moved. We aim for limited interruptions.”
Zigler also said that the landscape will be expanded from its current state using native species that the Friends group has been growing on site for the past several years.
World-renowned for being America’s “first undersea park,” Pennekamp Park has welcomed millions of visitors since its founding in 1960, connecting people from all over the world to the only living coral reef along the coast of North America.
Created in response to growing concern about Florida’s Coral Reef in the 1950s, the park is named for John D. Pennekamp, a former editor at the Miami Herald who led efforts to protect the reef and helped rally public support for its conservation.
“Decades ago, my grandfather took me and my siblings here when it was first dedicated [the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park],” said Tom Pennekamp, who serves as vice president of the Park Service Foundation board and on the park’s Friends board. “I remember his proud face and I hope I have that same face today, 50-plus years later still keeping the Pennekamp family active through its support of this park and the state park system. This new facility will be simply stunning and become a part of lifelong memories.”
Daily park fees, established by the state, are not anticipated to increase. Single occupancy vehicle cost is $4.50, multi-occupant vehicle is $8 plus $0.50 per person up to eight. Pedestrian and bicyclists fees are $2.50.
