The largest shark that ever lived will be taking over Adventure Aquarium this summer from June 23 to September 3. Witness a 5,000-square-foot exhibit highlighting the evolution, biology and misconceptions of Megalodon, an enormous prehistoric shark that once cruised all the world’s oceans. Related to the modern great white and mako sharks, Megalodon was a dominant marine predator for 15 million years before vanishing 2 million years ago. This exciting exhibit conveys current research findings of Florida Museum paleontologists, and showcases both fossil and modern shark specimens and full-scale models from several collections. For details, and for tickets, visit: AdventureAquarium.com.
Check out our Photo Album below.
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- Shark Tooth Study Center: Shark teeth are the most commonly collected fossils. Bring your own shark teeth or use those provided to compare to the 52 species on display.
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- View four Megalodon jaws from 30- to 60-foot-long sharks.
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- Megalodon Jaws Series: You have to see it to believe it!
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- The exhibit also explores sharks living today. See specimens and view six full-scale hanging models.
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- Show us your teeth!
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- Megalodon lived from 17 to 2 million years ago when the world’s oceans were generally warmer. Compare Megalodon’s time on earth to dinosaurs, humans and other animals. See fossils of some of Megalodon’s neighbors.
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- Enter at Your Own Risk! Megalodon, a dominant marine predator for 15 million years before vanishing two million years ago, provides lessons for shark conservation today. Enter the shark to begin exploring.
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- Megalodon’s Extended Family: Megalodon is related to mackerel sharks, including the modern great white and mako. View mackerel shark specimens and identify what makes them unique.
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- Circle of Life: Growth rings are visible in shark vertebrae or “centra,” much like tree rings, and indicate a shark’s age at death. Turn a wheel with shark centra to magnify and count rings to estimate age.
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- Fact or Fiction? There are plenty of common misconceptions about sharks. Compare Megalodon’s place in time to dinosaurs and humans, and learn how unlikely it is today to be attacked by a shark.
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- Touch this set of 46 Megalodon teeth (casts of an unusual intact find) and learn what scientists can discover by studying shark teeth.
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- Where Did Megalodon Live? Megalodon lived throughout ancient oceans. Touch Megalodon teeth from around the world and with buttons locate where these fossils were found on a world map.
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- Sharks & Company: There are more than 375 species of sharks living today. They are related to skates, rays and ratfish. See specimens of these fishes and view six full-scale models, including a 22-foot great white.
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- Megalodon has the perfect backdrop: Adventure Aquarium’s collection of more than 70 sharks – the largest on the East Coast!
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- See the only two Great Hammerheads on exhibit in the country.
