My son really enjoyed all the tanks and different eco systems with different fish. They have a…read moresmall gift shop, and getting in is super affordable $5 per person kids under 3 get in free. They have a small touch tank area with lots of cute sea snails, sea cucumbers, sea slugs, and hermit crabs.

This is a small aquarium that specializes in educational content. Perfect for elementary school…read moreage children. There is a touch tank habitated by a number of different sea creature and a very enthusiastic guide. Not expensive and not overcrowded. Very enjoyable.

What a TREASURE to find this place! Haha…read more I wasn't expecting to find this site and my found it when looking for things to do in the area near Disney's Vero Beach Resort. We came due to a windy day that made it near impossible to go to the beach, or the pool - or for doing most outside activity with younger kids. So off we went to the museum. I had seen some documentary type films about Mel Fisher's work and heard about his background - but it was very impressive to watch the informative video of the man, his wife and family and the origins talks their treasure finding lives! The history was quite exciting and the museum has wonderful pieces that proved colorful details and fantastic artifacts, as well as excellent guides and exhibits to demonstrate the history and stories shared through the museums many artifacts and their display. Thanks for a job well done and for sharing the TREASURE we found while visiting the museum to learn more about the history of the finds and the family and others that made it all possible. We had a family of 4 - two adults and our 7&9 year old children. Everyone enjoyed it and they offered scavenger hunt type map with information and learning to be used through the visit with special surprises at the end after completing the museum!

It was cool seeing Spanish treasure and learning about the shipwrecks that Mel fisher found.read more

The Hallstrom House was built by Axel Hallstrom for his wife Emilia. After immigrating from Sweden…read moreto Minneapolis and making money with the railroad his wife Emily fell ill with tuberculosis. The doctor recommended a warm climate so the family headed to Florida in 1904. Emily died a few years later in 1908 when they began construction on the house Axel designed on a 40 acre pineapple plantation. Axel was left a single parent with a four year old daughter named Ruth. Axel went on to be a successful pineapple and citrus farmer. He made a fortune when he was the president of the St. Lucie bank. He loved to take Ruth on trips to Europe and he filled his home with treasures they found making his home the envy of everyone in Indian River County. The house was completed in 1918 and both Axel and Ruth lived in it until their deaths. In later years Ruth cared for her father and an aunt and never married. When she passed away in 1999 she left the house to the Indian River Historical Society where she was a charter member. An interesting fact about this house is that it may be the only Florida house to have a basement. The house was built on the Atlantic Ridge which is a hill which allowed for a basement to be dug underneath the house. The bricks that cover the exterior of the house are from Georgia. Other features of the house are a wide front porch with ceramic pineapples which Axel grew on his property. Upstairs is a widows peak overlooking Dixie Hwy which for many years was the only road in town. Inside the home are five paintings of Florida scenes done by Alfred Hair of the Florida Highwaymen. Today you can pay the Hallstrom House a visit and see how wealthy Floridians lived at the turn of the century. The house is open weekdays 1 to 4 and on the last Saturday of the month. Admission is a suggested donation of $5.

Our visit to the Navy Seal Museum could not have been anything less than five stars. Wanting to…read moretake a break from the beach and pool, we decided to check out this museum. We were pretty much blown away the moment we arrived. The exhibits include films and virtually everything a Seal member uses to fulfill the mission they may be assigned. The museum was laid out in "reverse historical order" beginning with a 9/11 film recounting the tragedy. Truthfully I had hoped never again to see the planes crash into the World Trade Center but never forgetting is really part of the recovery. There was a mock up of Bin Laden's compound and a fascinating film of how he was killed. There were all types of weapons of the era, various Seal transport vehicles, helicopters on display-many allowing you to go inside. One display outlined the training regimen for Seals. (pictured below) Captioned, "The Only Easy Day was Yesterday" seems pretty accurate. There is a pretty substantial drop out rate as the trading is so difficult. When a prospective Seal drops out of training, he had to ring a bell three times. When one graduates, they ring the bell once. The exhibits continue with Viet Nam, Korea and World War II era history, weapons and things like Viet Nam patrol boats, high speed assault craft, Seal delivery vehicles, etc. Naval Seals were formed by President Kennedy in 1962 but they functioned as "wartime commando units" as far back as World War II. Once you visit all the indoor exhibits, there is quite a bit to see outside as well like the obstacle course used in training, a captured Iranian gun boat and other marine type vehicles that add to what you've already seen inside the museum. After a fascinating several hours, it was time for the beach!

Amazing museum and highly recommended. It has so much information, and the exhibition is…read moreincredible. There is a large collection of artifacts. Very educational information about the different operations, wars, missions, weapons, equipment, Navy Seals, Iran hostage crisis, 9/11, Korean War, operation Eagle Claw, Urgent Fury, NASA space program, the crisis in Cuba, Vietnam War, the attack on Pearl Harbor... just to name a few! A great way to learn and recognize the sacrifices made by our soldiers and understand the impact of their service.

This place is small, quiet, and absolutely stacked with real history. The Indian River Historical…read moreSociety doesn't try to entertain you, it educates you. You'll find Vero Beach before it was condos and brunch. Railroad maps that explain how the coast was built, citrus groves and train lines in miniature, WWII Naval Air Station artifacts that don't sugarcoat the cost of training, and Dodgers history that proves this town once mattered on a national stage. The class photos alone feel like flipping through the town's original family album. No flash, no gimmicks. Just well-preserved stories, artifacts, and context. If you care even a little about how this place became what it is, this is worth your time.

The Indian River Historical Society is a non profit 501c founded in 1983. Their mission is to…read more"save, preserve, and restore the historical and environmental resources of Indian River County." The Historical Society owns two properties. The Halstrom House was built in 1909 by Swedish immigrant Axel Hallstrom, who farmed pineapples on this farmstead. The house is a museum and the surrounding 100 acres is being restored as a conservation area. The Historical Society also owns the Vero Beach Railroad Station & Exhibit Center. In 1984 they purchased the 1903 railroad station from the Florida East Coast railway for $1, moved it, and embarked on their first restoration project. There are only 8 of Henry Flaglers railway depots left in existence. There is one in Sawfish park in Jupiter and another one in the St. Lucie County Regional History Center in Fort Pierce. The stations are easy to spot because of their bright yellow color. The Vero Beach Railroad Station and grounds opened in 1987 and serves as the office of the Indian River County Historical Society and as the Exhibit Center. The Vero Beach Railroad Station was the first building in Indian River County to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places in January of 1987. The Historical Society hosts events throughout the year including movie nights, high tea, ghost hunts, and a Swedish Christmas at the Halstrom House. I recently caught up with them at the Tangelo House in Vero Beach where they were running a tour of the historic 1920's Tangelo apartments that were recently restored. They gave me a great map of the different historical sites in Indian River County. Staffed by volunteers I appreciate everything they are doing to keep history alive for future generations.

For a small aquarium this place is very informative and interactive. I suggest more for children…read morebut as an adult you also learn a lot. Don't expect to see penguins, dolphins, and stingrays or larger sea animals here. This aquarium can be done in 2 hours but It can take longer if you read all the information and partake in the various activities they have. I enjoyed the station where you can touch the different sea creatures like the shrimp when you stick you finger in the water in holds on to your finger. The have an array of tropical fishes and hermit crabs and other smaller sea animals.

Sooo cewl!!! Ok, this place ROCKS! All the local Floridian sea life: things you wouldn't imagine…read morewould be right here! Coral reefs, sea hares, seahorses, etc................ And then, there is a "touch tank" where you can touch some of the creatures. They even have peppermint shrimp that will eat the dead skin off your fingers if you want!