Aquarama Aquarium Theater of the Sea

Located in South Philadelphia bordering the Packer Park neighborhood at 3300 Broad St. from 1962 through 1969. It was the successor to the first public Aquarium in the United States established in the City of Philadelphia in 1911, demolished in 1962 that was built along the Schuylkill River using the river as a water source. During Aquarama's existence in the 1960s it made quite a splash in family entertainment. Aquarama was in some ways like an aquarium, and in other ways like a circus. Fish of every size, shape and color would swim endlessly around its giant circular glass tank, trained seals would honk out “How Dry I Am” on a set of bulb horns, and – several times a day – dolphins would rescue a loud, obnoxious clown after he lost his balance and belly flopped into Aquarama’s murky indoor pool.It had an impressive three-story tank in the center of the front entrance plaza. A ramp with a railing encircled the center tank so people could walk around, perusing the aquatic contents. Along the wall were many smaller aquariums filled with exotic fish, other aquatic life and included a porpoise tank. In addition to the exhibition there was a water arena that included performances of porpoises, staring whales "Willie and Winky" and aquatic events. An outdoor area had open pools for other displays of seasonal exhibits and a place for visitors to meander and wander but the area was poorly maintained.

Billing itself as “The Theater of the Sea”,Aquarama opened its doors in 1962 on South Broad Street, across from where Veterans Stadium would stand a decade later and the 2003 re-invented expanded South Philadelphia Sports Complex. Following the show, patrons could wander out into the concession area and spend their spare change on souvenirs, or on watching chickens, ducks and small animals perform tricks in tiny coin-operated booths.

By the late 1960s, however, Philadelphians began to tire of horn-honking seals, obnoxious belly-flopping clowns and coin-operated animal torture chambers. Aquarama was doomed. After only 7 years of existence, Philadelphia’s “Theater of the Sea” quietly disappeared and was demolished in 1969.

Points of Interest

Points of interest evolved for both radio and TV broadcasting. Before the "Voice of the Flyers" was indeed that, the late Gene Hart was an announcer and an assistant public relations director for the Aquarama. When Philadelphia landed an NHL ice hockey franchise, Hart submitted some audition tapes and got the job, but he still worked full-time for the aquarium, according to the Flyers Web site. The front entrance plaza was a great public space approriate for High School Proms (as South Philadelphia High School) and weddings. Well-known radio and television personality Ed Hurst originated a live teenage dance telecast from the Aquarama on Saturday afternoons using the open spaces with the undersea theme as a background. "Ed Hurst at Aquarama" aired on Channel 3, said WHYY-TV personality/producer Ed Cunningham. Hurst reminisced about his old aquatic haunt for WHYY-TV Channel 12's popular series "More Things That Aren't There Anymore," which Cunningham produced.