Marineland by the Numbers: The World's First Oceanarium Opened in 1938 With a 20,000-Person Crowd and 850,000 Gallons of Water, and a Nonprofit Now Runs It at 88

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. - Marineland, on State Road A1A south of St. Augustine, opened June 23, 1938, as Marine Studios and billed itself as the world's first oceanarium. About 20,000 people showed up for the opening, according to the Florida historical marker at the site. Nearly nine decades later, the attraction is open as a nonprofit-run dolphin facility after surviving a bankruptcy and a near sale to a developer, according to News4JAX.

The story runs through film history, marine science and a rescue by local supporters. The numbers below come from the state historical marker, the National Park Service's National Register record, News4JAX and Wikipedia, with each figure attributed. Where sources conflict or a detail could not be confirmed, this article says so.

Marineland by the numbers

Why it was built

The marker says W. Douglas Burden, C.V. Whitney and Count Ilia Tolstoy founded Marine Studios, built for filmmakers shooting underwater footage and for visitors who wanted to see marine life up close. The National Park Service's register record for the site lists its areas of significance as engineering, entertainment and recreation, and science.

The register record names M.F. Hasbrouck among the architects and gives 1937, 1938 and 1953 as significant years, without spelling out what happened in each year. The state marker gives the site's address as 9600 North Ocean Boulevard, in St. Johns County. The National Register record, by contrast, places the district in Flagler County, so the two official sources describe its location differently.

Two giant tanks

According to Wikipedia, the original circular oceanarium held 400,000 U.S. gallons and was 80 feet across and 12 feet deep. The rectangular tank held 450,000 gallons, measured 100 feet by 40 feet, and was 12 feet deep at the ends and 18 feet deep in the middle. Together the two original tanks held 850,000 gallons, a figure calculated from those two numbers.

Wikipedia says the tanks after the 2004 renovation hold nearly 485,000 gallons combined. That is a reminder that the facility has been rebuilt over time. The state marker notes that many buildings were demolished during the renovation, so the site today is not identical to the one that opened in 1938.

Science and dolphin training

The state marker says the park grew into a leading marine research institution in the 1940s. In the 1950s, with trainers from the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, it became the birthplace of dolphin training, according to the marker. The marker also credits research at the site with leading to the discovery of echolocation, the biosonar dolphins use to sense their surroundings.

Its dolphin shows made it one of Florida's most popular attractions in the decades that followed. Wikipedia reports peak attendance of more than 900,000 visitors a year in the mid-1970s. That number is cited by Wikipedia and was not independently confirmed for this article.

Hollywood at Marineland

Wikipedia says "Creature from the Black Lagoon" (1954) and its sequel "Revenge of the Creature" (1955) were filmed there, which fits the park's roots as a film studio's underwater set. The state marker confirms the site was built for filmmakers. The filming details come from Wikipedia and were not confirmed from a second source.

The 2004 closure and the rebuilding

The marker says Marineland closed for a full renovation in 2004, and many buildings were demolished. It became a dolphin conservation center in 2006, and Wikipedia says it reopened March 4, 2006, charging the original 1938 price of $1. Georgia Aquarium bought and rehabilitated the property in 2011, according to the marker, and Wikipedia reports a purchase price of about $9.1 million.

Bankruptcy and a nonprofit era

The Dolphin Company, which owned Marineland, filed for bankruptcy, and a Texas-based developer nearly bought the property, according to News4JAX's May 27, 2026 report. A federal bankruptcy judge approved a $6.5 million sale to #1 Apex Association LLC, a group backed by Clay County couple Barbara and Jon Rubel and led by dolphin experts and former Marineland staff, the report says. Community members, conservation supporters and students wrote to the Delaware bankruptcy court urging that the park be preserved, and the judge cited those concerns.

News4JAX reported the park is open under nonprofit leadership focused on conservation, education and research, and that it houses 13 bottlenose dolphins. Longtime employee and historian Terran McGinnis called the outcome "sort of a miracle," according to the report. Marineland turned 88 on June 23, 2026, the report notes.

Before you go

The sources used for this article did not list current hours, ticket prices or program schedules. Confirm those with Marineland directly before planning a trip, and ask what interactions and educational programs are being offered. The state marker at 9600 North Ocean Boulevard can help you confirm the location.