Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium

If you’re in Sarasota and get tired in beaches the Mote Aquarium is a nice break to visit and get hands on with the creatures in the sea. If you have kids this is the perfect way to safely expose them to sea life without getting stung, bitten or slimed. It’s also the way to have a close up view of the Manatees or sea cows. Its a lot to see but not so much that it takes up your whole day.

Great way to spend 2 – 3 hours with the kids. Loved the touch pools … urchins, stingrays and more.

Mote Marine is a must-​see during any stop to Sarasota. More than anything, it seems to be a well funded research and rescue facility that also happens to be open to the public. The volunteer staff is very knowledgeable and friendly; ask them questions if you have the time and you’ll learn about some of the amazing animals that inhabit the aquarium. I particularly enjoyed the mangrove and mollusk exhibits, as well as the «Oh Baby» exhibit which shows some of the life cycles of a few animals. Go see it if you’re in Sarasota.

This was such a wonderful adventure. Mote is great for little kids. We went on eco tour through Sarasota Bay then aquarium and new exhibits of manitees, see otters, sea turtles, and baby sea life. On the eco tour through Sarasota Bay, we had 3 dolphin sightings, sea birds, and learned about the importance of conservation in the area and the world. Brianna was an awesome tour guide. There is a café for snacks and highly recommend for the kiddos. Very friendly, knowledgeable staff.

For a large, well establish institution, Mote today was not visitor friendly. Today, We arrived to a special exhibit and asked a uniformed staffer for directions. «I have no idea what you are talking about» was the response.
Earlier this week, we were surprised to learn that a different exhibit required a long walk. We told a volunteer that shuttles should be provided or at least disclose the walk requirements before tickets were purchased. The response was a blank stare.
Also, we registered for a special exhibit and received a confirmation number with the online registration only to learn on arrival that «confirmation» did not mean we would be accommodated. Has their past success made them complacent? My wife and I are volunteers at two marine related nonprofits. I hope our organizations never treat visitors this way.

If you are used to the Baltimore or Camden aquarium, this one is disappointing. It is crowded. It is antiquated. Bring your zoo pass because it is much better to pay half price.

This is a really nice aquarium considering how small of a population Sarasota has on a year round basis. Some very expensive set ups with rare fish and knowledgeable staff!

Very fun and good quality aquarium. We paid about 20 bucks each I believe but it was worth it. This was the first aquarium we had been to where the sealife all looked healthy and happy. All the animals and fish were playing, interacting and didn’t seem depressed to be there. We thought each exhibit was well done and we got a lot out of it.
We enjoyed the exhibits where you can touch different sealife as well. After the main area, we walked across the street to see the manatees, sea otters and more exhibits The manatees and sea otters were sooo cute and amazing to watch. That alone made the price of admission worth it.
This is a great local aquarium and I would highly recommend checking it out if you have the chance!

My family visited to the aquarium for the 1^st time over spring break, and we were impressed. We loved the lab feel and learned a ton. The volunteers are friendly and very knowledgeable… You don’t get this at larger aquariums. They have a great variety of sea creatures and my 4 yr old loved it!!! They had a great touch tanks, and she even sifted for shark teeth (this costs $ 10 but she got 20+ teeth). I thought the prices were fair, and I don’t mind supporting the great things they do there. We had a wonderful time, and wouldn’t hesitate to return.
FYI~You can find a $ 2 off entry coupon through google (parking is free)

The trip in the Bay was very cold, but the people were full of information and knowledgeable. On return the crowds to enter the aquarium were unmanageable, restrooms jammed and restaurant lines out the door and not moving. Impossible to get food and had to leave. While it was Spring Break, I am surprised so many people were allowed into the facility for safety reasons. My family and I (former members) will not be back. It was a great disappointment for the kids.
Management needs to pay more attention to visitors and less to collecting the money.

Our Eco Boat Tour of the Sarasota Bay was informative, fun, and different than other pontoon tours I’ve taken. I guess the $ 27.00 price seemed fair. We could have added a reduced combo price for admission to the aquarium, but we are probably one of the few who opted not to visit the aquarium. It may be worth it as others have reviewed, but for me, it seems pricey for a family or senior, in spite of all the good work and wonderful exhibits inside.
However, the boat tour was memorable. Our guides gave us a history of the Bay, told is about some of the Keys we boated by and the impact man-​made land expansion made to the sea environment. Our marine biologist, Briana, was knowledgeable and easy to listen to and understand. She even knew who owned some of the huge homes on Bird Key. Our volunteer, Christie, who told us about the mangroves and other foliage on the state park islands, was also very knowledgeable and had good presentation skills. Along with our captain, they were a great team.
Near the end of our ride, they threw a big net out behind our boat and then pulled it in with all the sea treasures caught. Briana and Christie put them into containers and Briana told us about the shrimp, crab, starfish, seahorse, fish, etc as we passed them around. That was one of the highlights of a trip that was delightful and had many highlights.

More Marine is an educational, fun attraction for everyone.
There’s so much to do there from viewing the gigantic manatees, that are completely fascinating… to touching the sting rays. There’s another area where you can pick things up and view them as if you were in the sea. You can
pick things up such as star fish and crabs and clams, etc.
There’s a great place to eat and after you eat you can go see all the babies. More Marine is fascinating whether you’re an adult, a kid or even if you want to go as couples.
It’s something you should not miss if you’re in the Sarasota area.
Also, I forgot to mention, it’s all non-​profit.

We had a great afternoon at the Mote Marine Lab & Aquarium. They’re open from 10am-​5pm everyday and $ 19.75 admission 13+. We happened to go on a day when a few large groups came rolling in from buses, but we still managed to enjoy ourselves among the masses. The volunteers, experts and instructors were all very informative and accommodating, willingly answering questions and eager to educate us on lab exibits, fish and other marine life. Although it saddens me to see dolphins, manatees and such all cooped up in a tank, I understand all the good that they’re doing at Mote and how most, if not all came to their rehab center sick and injured. The seal/​sea lion show is cute, but a big let down without a good view due to huge crowds. Also, the ringmaster mostly plays to the children anyway. There’s a pretty big gift shop up at the dolphin habitat where the most pleasant little woman works, she kindly spoke with us about life around the aquarium and assisted us with our purchases.

This is a special aquarium, one that for the most part eschews the bells and whistles and steps back to let the local marine life steal the show. I love that. I also love that is a working laboratory, so at any given point you will see researchers working and have a peek into their lab spaces, etc. The docents are all very friendly and knowledgeable and seem to love answering questions. There are so many touch tanks, too! So wonderful for children to have these opportunities.

Small aquarium, cute and informative. The baby sea horses and jelly fish are a personal favorite. In truth is kind of dirty and run down in places but over all I support the research and have returned multiple times.

We lucked out and happened to come here on a Saturday during a special promotion for Florida residents — we all got in for $ 6/​each!
While it’s not as large as some of the other aquariums in Florida, Mote stands apart with all the research, conservation, and marine rehabilitation that they do.
Definitely a fun way to spend an afternoon! Super kid-​friendly and interesting enough to keep the attention of teenagers and adults alike.

My family had a blast this morning on our Morning Rounds experience. We had visited Mote 3 years ago and wanted to do something a little different this time. Mote isn’t huge, but the staff is very knowledgeable about the exibit and wildlife on display. As part of the morning rounds my husband, 2 sons & I were able to go a little behind the scenes. We learned about and helped feed a beautiful turtle named Pearl and the sting rays. We learned about the different types of jellyfish in the jellyfish lab, learned some new things about the cuddle fish, grouper/​eel tank, and a few other «residents». Once our experience was over and the aquarium was open to the public we were able to explore the on our own. Overall Mote is a good place to learn about ocean mammals & vertebrates.
When you go be sure to talk to the staff and volunteers. They will teach you many new things and help you see things in each exibit you wouldn’t see on your own. The admission few (which may seem high based on the size) helps the learning center, animal hospital and research teams care for and rehabilitate many animals. Make sure you visit the building across the street from the main building where you’ll be able to see the manatees & sea turtles.
We felt the staff and volunteers were all very friendly and excited to share their knowledge and love for their job. Morning Rounds started at 8:30 & ended at about 10 am, we stayed and explored on our own until almost 1pm. It was well worth every penny.

This was a pretty decent aquarium. For about $ 20 we got to see a shark feeding/​training session.
The main part of the aquarium featured a lot of the fresh water fish you would find at your local fish store. I did not know that most came from Florida.

Holy manatee! I’ll admit, I’m biased in this review because this is the first aquarium I’ve ever been to with a focus on rehabilitation and research. For that alone, it would earn a star in my book. Let’s talk about why it got some more.
1 star given for experience. It’s not a big aquarium, but it has big presence. You are immersed from the second you walk in the door, either in the actual aquarium, or the large species building down the street. There is helpful volunteer staff around to answer any question you may have and the exhibits are well maintained and very good. Our favorite in the actual aquarium was the cuttlefish, which were being fed when we went through.
1 star for the animals. Tons of variety, lots to see. In the aquarium itself, there are more than a dozen exhibits as well as two separate touch tanks, one with stingrays. In the building down the street, they house manatees, turtles, and dolphins that have been injured and cannot return to the wild. It has a similar number to an aquarium double it’s size.
1 star for educational value. This is maybe the most educational aquarium I’ve ever been to. Every exhibit has tons of information ESPECIALLY in the separate building where they house turtles, manatees and dolphins and in the hatchery, where they are helping the reproduction of skates and seahorses.
1 star for fun. If you’re willing to pay a little more, they will take you and your family on a boat ride through the bay where they will drag a net on the bottom and tell you about whatever they pull up. You get to touch almost everything too! The touch tanks are fun, watching the manatees eat is fun and even just reading the wealth of information provided is fun .
In summary, while a small aquarium, it is easily one of the best. They focus on education and the animal’s well being over the human’s. However, they don’t make you feel neglected, more like connected to the sea and the animals. If I could give it 6 stars, I would. By far, the best experience in the area and the best aquarium I’ve ever been to.

This aquarium is vastly different from what we have in Chicago. I love it so much! Admission for adults is $ 19.95 and you can find a $ 2 off coupon in the Sarasota guidebooks.
Tons of workers and volunteers with a wealth of information and explanations – everyone is so friendly!
The aquarium has so many fish, seahorse, manatees, jellyfish, sharks, turtles, etc. I really like that they have sensory areas to touch things like sea cucumbers, tiny sharks, starfish and my FAVORITE… stingrays! Unfortunately they don’t have any Dolphins; a worker informed us that their last one died suddenly a month ago):

Prévoir environ une heure et demie pour une visite avec des enfants de 5 – 10 ans, qui passent plutôt rapidement à certains endroits.
Il faut savoir que cet aquarium est avant tout un établissement scientifique dont la vocation est d’étudier et de soigner les animaux marins blessés, et non un endroit voué au divertissement. L’aménagement est vieillot, tristounet et pas toujours idéal pour l’observation des pensionnaires (notamment un unique dauphin confiné à un immense bassin dont on né peut s’approcher à plus de 10 mètres). On s’attendrait à mieux, compte tenu du coût d’entrée.
Cela dit, l’aquarium héberge quand même de nombreuses variétés de poissons et de mammifères marins, notamment des lamantins (à voir absolument) et n’est pas sans intérêt.

Der Ausflug hat sich wirklich gelohnt. Neben typischen Aquarien gibt es hier auch viel Informatives. Außerdem Aufzuchtstationen für Seepferdchen und Quallen etc.
Außerdem gibt es auch noch ein Krankenhaus für Delphine und Wale und auch verletzte Schildkröten werden aufgenommen, aufgepäppelt und dann wieder zurück in die Natur gebracht.
Alles ist sehr sauber und in einem super Zustand.Überall seht man Mitarbeiter, die einem sehr gerne etwas genauer erklären. Draußen gibt es noch ein großes Becken mit Haien usw. Und besonders faszinierend für Kinder das Becken, wo man Rochen streicheln kann.
Für das leibliche Wohl gibt es ein kleines Bistro, das haben wir aber nicht getestet.
Zeitmässig sollte man 3 – 4 Stunden einplanen.