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Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium

Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium

Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium
4.5
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Located at the Mote Marine Laboratory, this is home to a 135,000 gallon outdoor shark tank and many other marine species.
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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  • bertaron
    230 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    You get up close to many types of sea life
    As far as aquariums go this one is worth a visit. We went on a rainy day and mostly we were covered. They have 2 buildings a short walk in between them maybe a football field away. The place was kid friendly and they encouraged education too even I learned a few things. It was a good day
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 29 December 2023
  • threeeds
    Kalamazoo, Michigan11 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Love supporting MOTE!
    Wonderful aquarium spread out over 2 buildings; ticket gets you into both. We enjoyed chatting with the volunteers for personality traits and info/stories of individual residents and the conservation/education...loads of exhibits about the area as well the work they do. Other highlights: the shark section has real time tracking and physical trackers with pics/videos and how the tech has evolved throughout their projects and a preserved giant squid , Molly the Mollusk! Our group: Husband, wife and college aged son. Time spent: 2-3 hours. Date: 12/25/23
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 8 January 2024
  • Mike F
    Antigo, Wisconsin580 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Everyone loved this visit!
    This is a great activity to spend a couple hours! Went with a family of 4, two kids 5 and 7, and 2 visiting grandparents. We got there right as they opened and had front row to everything, including the manatee, otter and shark feeding! A few nice gift shops and very cool, well laid out exhibits that everyone will enjoy! They also have some nice unique things that you don't always see at aquariums! The workers and volunteers were also great, kind and helpful! We spent about 3 hours, everyone loved it! We are thinking the season pass might just be worth it and head back again!
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 9 February 2024
  • Malitz
    117 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    .. a wonderful time!
    We had such a great time as a family, and felt it was well worth the price of admission. There was plenty of sea life that left us in awe; sharks, sea turtles, sea horses, a manatee, a preserved sea squid, plenty of fish ... and the staff were great sources of information. Thank you Mote Aquarium!
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 12 March 2024
  • tweedybird26
    Floral Park, New York766 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lots to See Including Divers Cleaning the Windows
    We enjoyed our visit very much although parking was a challenge as the number of visitors was reportedly larger than usual although we were told by the person who answered the phone that it was somewhat quiet. The exhibits are well done but the signage can be difficult to see in the darker areas. We were told that they are building a new aquarium to open next year. There is a diner with limited menu items on the premises.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 26 March 2024
  • Amy
    Carlisle, Pennsylvania15 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    The animals were loose in the aquarium!
    I loved the animals the SeaTurtles, manatees and other marine life was great, with unending gorgeous views. The docents were clearly passionate about the animals and sea life. What I did not enjoy was a large group of middle school children from SSAS pushing and shoving, knocking on the aquariums. We actually waited for them to leave before continuing. We went to the bird sanctuary nearby which was not on their itinerary. They were loud, this is not an amusement park and they should not be allowed to act so disrespectful in a public place, especially since they can disturb the animals. I spoke to one of the “chaperones” and she was clearly embarrassed! The teachers stood by and did not try to correct the behavior. If we return I will make sure it is not during one of there school trips! I actually felt sorry for the people that worked there and the animals. Someone should contact the school!
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 18 April 2024
  • Linda S
    Satellite Beach, Florida127 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Morning Rounds was Great!
    My young adult daughter and I did the morning rounds followed by a general visit. It was great seeing some behind the scenes action before the aquarium opened. Loved seeing the otters being trained. Would def do again
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 21 April 2024
  • togojjh
    Chattanooga, Tennessee605 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A Good Facility Performing Great Work
    This long established and very popular facility does great work. The entrance fee helps support the main purpose of restoring reefs, researching sea life, and providing environmental education. Yes it is an AZA certified attraction and maybe it could you a facelift in certain areas. It takes millions of dollars just to keep the lights on. Entrance fees provide only part of actual expenses. Bring the family, learn about what you can do to keep our environment healthy, and follow up in your daily living. Keep up the good work Mote staff and volunteers!
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 25 June 2024
  • debbi12328
    Southampton, United Kingdom105 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    This is a must for families and all.
    We come here every visit. These people are amazing for the work they're doing for the planet. It is wonderful to look at the wildlife, learn and see what these wonderful people are doing to help and protect the wildlife. They are currently introducing a manatee to the two others. We did not get to see him yet as he has his hasn't got his beach bod ready :)) Bring your children to this place it is purely wonderful.
    Visited September 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 24 September 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles4,423 reviews
Excellent
2,849
Very good
1,164
Average
320
Poor
61
Terrible
29

Lenora G
13 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
June 2020 • Family
Nice but smaller aquarium. All of the hands on exhibits & interactive activities were closed and there wasn’t any drink options or souvenirs available in the manatee and turtle building because the shop was closed and the soda machine was empty. I think with all of the interactive and hands on exhibits closed they should’ve offered discounted tickets; it cost us $84 for 2 kids and 2 adults. It was a good way to spend some time out of the sun but it’s not an aquarium that we will go back to.
Written 11 June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Doris C
Nokomis, FL165 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Friends
Went on the Marine Life Cruise on Friday, February 21st and almost froze! Given the weather. The Aquarium should have cancelled the boat ride. It was so windy and cold, you couldn't enjoy it. Unfortunately, if we had canceled when we realized how cold it was going to be, we would have been penalized $10 per ticket and with 7 people, that was too much. It could have been a lovely tour. The young Marine Biologist who did the talking was excellent. Unfortunately, Maggie, the lady who did the introduction and island tour. Was very difficult to understand. Her voice is very soft. She did have great knowledge. All in all, we were disappointed because of the extremely cold weather and feel we should have been given the option of a mist cost cancellation
Written 22 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Marie N
10 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Friends
We have a family membership that we renew yearly. I enjoy watching the manatees- checking in on the beautiful logger head turtles-and the jellyfish are delightful! The have a beautiful shark tank and stingray pool. My grandkids come every year and they enjoy the baby seahorses and the otters - Pippi is such a show off!
I suggest a visit with the Mote aquarium for anyone who comes to Sarasota😊
Written 15 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

podrozniczka60
New Jersey16,814 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020 • Family
The adult entrance fee is somewhat expensive but the aquarium complex is well organized and clean. The Mote Laboratory and Aquarium is medium size and focused mostly on regional marine life. Good explanatory notes, some interactive displays, helpful volunteers. Two souvenir shops in two different buildings with tempting offer including books, T-shirts, stuffed animal toys, mementoes. The place provides an opportunity to see many species of sharks, turtles also otters, manatees and more unique fish. Impressive little collection of paleontological specimen - huge skeletons of extinct species. For kids there are hands-on exhibits and programs.
Children younger than two enter for free.
Written 9 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Nicole B
Seabrook, TX257 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2021 • Family
The Mote aquarium is a nice, smaller aquarium. There are touch tanks with crabs and sea cucumbers as well as one for rays and one for sharks.

There are many small tanks of fish and jellyfish to view and the information on the walls is very informative. There is also a couple tanks with sharks. Our 9 yo loved the touch tanks and the sharks.

Across the street on another building was some turtles, alligators, manatees and more fish. We loved learning about the turtles and the manatees. They have one manatee that is 1845 lbs! We never knew they got that big. It was fun to watch the two playing together.

There are a few quiz station games that our family had fun playing and learning together as well that were very informative.

It’s a bit expensive but since it does conservation and also houses some animals that cannot be rereleased to the wild it is worth it. Just seeing the huge turtles, and manatees made it worth it for us.

Written 19 February 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

LKK
Grand Rapids, MI17 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2021
Visited on a cool/rainy day in December. Most of this place is open-air so it's a nice option with COVID. They require buying tickets ahead of time to control numbers, but then every hour they allow a large number of people to rush in together in a big group. The room you enter is very small/crowded so I would recommend going beyond this area to the open air space and then come back to this room after it clears out. There are great sharks, manta rays, turtles, manatees, and otters. Dress in layers.
Written 25 December 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

icemodeled
Florida492 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2020
First time visit, 4 adults and one child. Masks were required and social distancing was practiced. We went during half price weekends for residents. It was a great deal, as we had been wanting to come here(regular pricing is quite expensive). The exhibits were nice, there were plenty of them. They had multiple touch areas for kids. For the size, they do pack in a lot to see. Loved all the fish, sharks, jellyfish, otters. You can learn a lot if you take your time. We were there for about 2-3 hours and this was going through fairly quickly. Did not eat there so cannot comment on their cafe. Everything was clean. Outside area was nice for a break(from the masks) and to relax a bit as we had to feed our son. To see their other section you have to drive or walk over. Not a big deal but was pouring at the time and parking in the other area was limited. Our biggest complaint and disappointment was the staff. Though most were nice and informative, one lady we encountered was quite rude to us and it certainly put a negativity to the day. Other then that, we did have a good time. Displays were well done, clean, animals seemed well taken care of. Lot to learn and to see. We would return again but still try to catch a deal as normal pricing is costly for a family.
Written 19 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

G0ingn0w
Washington DC, DC222 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2021 • Family
Spent Easter morning with our 10 year old grandson at the aquarium and had a great time. He really wanted to see manatees and the jellyfish. We were not disappointed.

Bought the tickets online and then they email your confirmation and tickets. The email went straight to my Junk folder so check your spam/junk folder if you don’t see it right away.

If you have young ones in your group that collect those smashed pennies, be sure to bring change. They had a couple of machines but you have to have your own change.

They required masks and everyone complied so there was no Instagram worthy drama...at least not today. They space out the guests so we were never in a situation where we couldn’t socially distance.

Staff was friendly, helpful and happy to share information. If you have a membership at another aquarium, park, gallery or botanical gardens, check online for reciprocity before you buy your tickets.

Written 4 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Oliver T
Atlanta, GA872 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022
Our family really enjoyed our time here. Though the place is not very large, there's a lot of interesting things here that are not commonly seen elsewhere.

We bought our tickets online and there's a code to save $1 per ticket for up to $4.

The location is comprised of two main buildings which is separated by a short walk. There are a lot of volunteers at the exhibits and all are quite friendly and knowledgeable.

Getting a selfie with the manatee was a highlight for me. I've also never seen a giant squid before.

Also, be sure to checkout the free bird exhibit during the walk between the buildings.

One of the best restaurants in the area, New Pass Grill, is also close by.
Written 9 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

243DLP
Midland, MI1,033 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2021
We really enjoyed our time at the Mote Aquarium. It was a rainy morning so a perfect time to be inside. By the time we were done with the Aquarium, the rain had stopped so we walked to the area that had the Manatees. Very nice set up and was very organized. The tickets are sold online at assigned arrival times. This kept the groups small and fairly easy to stay spaced while looking at the exhibits. They are getting ready to break ground on a new location. Can't wait to see what the new place looks like! Hope they keep the timed tickets, it makes for a more intimate experience!
Written 19 March 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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