Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium ~ Sarasota, Florida

Our first visit to the Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium was about 10 years ago and my oldest was about a year old. I am a firm believer that that visit to the Mote Aquarium is what sparked her life long love of anything ocean related. So, when we booked an upcoming vacation to the same area in Florida, we knew we had to go there again.

And it was just as amazing as we remembered.

A special thank you to the Mote Aquarium for hosting our family during our visit.

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Welcome to the Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium

The Mote Aquarium is named after the Lab’s major benefactor, William R. Mote. It is divided into two buildings: the Main Aquarium and the Marine Mammal Center. We began our visit in the aquarium.

The aquarium is home to over 100 marine species, all of which bring the research of the Mote Marine Laboratory to life. It is separated into nine different areas: The Mote Room, Inside Galleries, Explorations Gallery, Coastal Waters, Contact Cove, Shark Zone, Ray Touch Pool, Fossil Creek, and Sea Science at Work. Each area highlights the incredible dedication, hard work, and research of every Mote scientist.

Inside Galleries

Step inside the Inside Galleries to explore the different ecosystems that stem from Florida’s freshwater, all the way to the coastal-ocean habitats. There are exhibits that include Florida’s Coral Reef, Freshwater Florida, Pacific Reefs, Wave Zone, Grass Flats, Jellies, and the Closer Look Nook. Below you will find some of our favorite habitats.

Freshwater Florida

When you think of Florida, probably one of the last things that comes to your mind is fresh water. Florida actually has over 25,000 miles of rivers that interconnect with lakes and swamps, and it all ends up in the sea.

Here you can discover freshwater fish and newts, or even the speckled diamondback terrapin turtle, that lives in Florida’s brackish waters. (Brackish water occurs where freshwater and seawater meet.)

Florida’s Coral Reefs

Make sure you stop and check out Florida’s Coral Reefs. It is full of beautiful living coral exhibits. Did you know that coral is actually considered an animal, NOT a plant?! And their color all depends on the color of the algae they eat?! Crazy, right?

It also covered roles environmental changes play in the success or struggle of a coral reef. The Mote scientists are passionate about coral and the work that is involved with helping coral reefs around the world, thrive again.

There were all different types of coral in the exhibits, along with some of the marine life that depends on them. There were some that we were familiar with, Hi Nemo!, and some that were hard to find! Look closely – can you find the octopus below?

Jellies

Another of our favorite parts of the Inside Galleries was the jellyfish. I always catch myself just staring at them as they glide through the water. They are such wondrous creatures.

They had the more common moon jellies and even the lesser known Cassiopea. This is otherwise known as an upside-down jellyfish.

After quite a few trips around the Indoor Galleries, we decided to see what else we could find. That lead us to the Exploration Gallery.

Exploration Gallery

Exploration Gallery is where you will find Molly the Mollusk. Molly is a 27-foot-long preserved giant squid. She was caught, accidentally, off the southeastern coast of New Zealand in 1999 by a deep sea commercial fishing trawler. She was then donated to Mote and has called it home ever since.

Since actually seeing a giant squid in the ocean is extremely rare, the Exploration Gallery lets you discover how this creature went from once being a myth to being a reality.

Another interesting fact of the day… Giant squid have the largest eyeball in the animal kingdom. Their eyeball is the size of a basketball! You can see the eye socket in the picture below. It is right in the middle, right before their tentacles start.

Coastal Waters

Next stop, Coastal Waters. This is an open air exhibit where you will see all of the many marine life that call Florida home, such as seahorses and shellfish. There’s even some stonefish who have unreal camouflage capabilities. How many fish do you see in the photo below?

There is also a mangrove ecosystem that explains this amazing tree and the important role it plays in Florida, and other coastal waters around the world.

Contact Cove

Who doesn’t love the opportunity to get up close and touch some marine life?! Here you can do just that! There are sea stars, horseshoe crabs, and sea urchins right at your fingertips. Next time you’re near a touch tank, go ahead! Stick your hand in! You might be surprised!

Shark Zone

The Shark Zone is all about Mote’s dedication to conserve shark species, and how the Mote Aquarium was the first to discover that sharks could learn.

The Mote has had a passion for sharks ever since they opened their doors in 1955. Their founding director, Dr. Eugenie Clark, even earned the nickname “The Shark Lady” due to being a world authority on sharks and fish. You can purchase her book, “Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist” in their gift shop.

The Shark Tracker exhibit features bonnethead sharks, a cousin to the great hammerhead shark.

In the 135,000 gallon shark habitat, you can see their training up close during their narrated training sessions. The sessions take place at 11am every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, where you can learn how they care for some of the ocean’s top predators and just how many different species of sharks call the Mote Aquarium home (session is included with admission).

Ray Touch Pool

No need to do the “stingray shuffle” here! At the Ray Touch pool you can touch a stingray. They are a cousin to the shark, and don’t worry, their barbs have been trimmed! The pool had a couple different types of stingrays in it, but our favorite was the Cownose ray. Awe!! Look at that face!!

Fossil Creek

Fossil Creek gives you the chance to become a marine paleontologist! Here you can purchase a baggie of sand, and sift through it to find the hidden fossils inside. All of the fossils in the bag are real and yours to keep. What will you find in your baggie?

After hanging up your paleontologist hat, wander over and take a picture of you in front of the megalodon jaw.

Megalo what?!?!

A megalodon is a giant prehistoric shark that swam the ancient oceans for 15 million years. They disappeared about two million years ago and I can tell you, after standing next to that jaw, I’m thankful I don’t have to worry about that while swimming. There is a mural that takes up the whole side of the building to give you an idea of just how big they were.

The Mote has an incredible display of megalodon and other shark teeth, but since you are in Florida, you can try your own hand at finding shark teeth. There are plenty of places in Florida to search for shark teeth, and one, Venice, Florida, is known at the “shark tooth capital of the world.”

Marine Mammal Center

After you leave the aquarium, there is a short walk to get to the Marine Mammal Center. Don’t worry, it only takes a couple minutes, but that all depends on if your kids also want to pick up every rock on the way there, like mine did.

You won’t lose your way because the path you take is painted with adorable manatees and turtles, each offering you words of encouragement.

The Marine Mammal Center is divided into two levels and six areas: Sea Turtles, Ancient Survivors, Manatee Habitat, Otters & Their Waters, The Teeth Beneath, “Oh Baby! Lifecycles of the Seas,” and the gift shop.

First Floor

Sea Turtles: Ancient Survivors

You enter the building, greeted by a world devoted to a creature that outlived the dinosaurs… sea turtles. Strange how they can outlive dinosaurs, but are now faced with trying to survive modern day threats such as hunting, loss of beaches (breeding grounds), and getting tangled up in fishing nets.

You can’t help but stand there in wonder as you’re next to a life-size display of a Leatherback Sea Turtle. This is a turtle that can grow to 9ft in shell length, and weigh 1,500 pounds. There are several other displays, each with a different species of sea turtle, all of which are beautiful and full of so much information.

This is also the area where you will get the chance to meet some of the sea turtle animal ambassadors of the Mote: Hang Tough, Montego, Harry, and Squirt 2. Montego is an adult female Loggerhead sea turtle, born in North Carolina in 1977, raised in human care, and came to the Mote to help educate the public about sea turtles. She kept swimming up to this little window that is ground level, and perfect for kids to get a peek. My kids kept saying “She’s saying hi!”

We also met Squirt 2, a Kemp’s ridley sea turtle. Squirt 2 was found floating in a river in Punta Gorda, Fl. It is believed that she was hit by boat propellers and sustained injuries that made her unable to be released into the wild.

Mote also has its own sea turtle hatchling hospital. Sea turtles nest on the Gulf of Mexico beaches from May to October, and occasionally, some of the hatchlings need extra help after they are born, so they come to the Hatchling Hospital. After they get a clean bill of health, they are then returned to the wild. Since we were here in the “off season” we didn’t get to see any babies.

Manatee Habitat

Say hello to Hugh and Buffett! They are actually half brothers, and they came to Mote in 1996. They are animal ambassadors to help the public better understand how you can protect manatees in the wild.

Hugh and Buffet also share their home with Harry, a green sea turtle. Harry was also hit by a boat propeller, and as a result, could not be released due to the vision loss caused by his injuries.

Otters & Their Waters

This watershed exhibit is home to North American river otters Huck, Pippi and Jane. They were orphaned when they were young and couldn’t survive alone. You can get up close to the otters and gain an understanding about the roles they play in the wild.

The Teeth Beneath: The Wild World of Gators, Crocs, & Caimans

Florida is home to other creatures that also outlived the dinosaurs: alligators and crocodiles. While alligators and crocodiles are native to Flordia, both Caimans and the Nile crocodile are nonnative but have been found in Florida. You will learn how to tell them apart and the importance of them being at the top of the food chain. Crocodilians are also facing modern day problems such as overhunting, habitat loss, and pollution.

Second Floor

Oh Baby! Life Cycles of the Seas

I know what you’re thinking… “Am I going to have the birds and the bees talk after this exhibit?” While I can’t say 100% “no,” I can tell you that it is age appropriate for all visitors. I mean, who doesn’t love baby seahorses and baby jellyfish?!

“Oh Baby! Life Cycles of the Seas” exhibit is all about the life-cycle of marine life. Understanding their life cycles, like how and where they mate and give birth, is important for saving the populations of marine species so they are around for future generations.

There is also a baby shark touch pool which includes sharks from the Pacific Ocean, ranging in sizes from about 9-12 inches. We were all amazed that if you run your fingers down their body, toward their tail, they are smooth. But if you run your fingers in the opposite direction, they feel like sandpaper.

All Good Things Come To An End

We were all sad that our time at the Mote Aquarium had come to an end. Like most attractions, your journey ends in the gift shop, but this was no ordinary gift shop. It wasn’t filled with every plastic ocean creature.

It was different. Different in a good way.

I was surprised to see, front and center, a table filled with items that were all made from recycled goods.

There was Kastlfel shirts made from recycled plastic bottles, notebooks made 100% from post consumer recycled paper, Bee’s Wrap reusable food wrap, stainless steel water bottles, and Sprout pencils. When the pencil is too short to use anymore, you can plant it! Each pencil contains different seeds that vary from herbs, vegetables, or flowers (cherry tomatoes, cilantro, basil, forget-me-nots and a few others).

There was a wall dedicated to Green Toys, which are created from recycled milk cartons, and around the corner was bracelets from 4Ocean. The beads on the bracelets are recycled glass, and the cord is recycled water bottles. For every bracelet that is purchased, 4Ocean will remove one pound of plastic from the ocean and coastlines.

It was nice to see the Mote helping to spread the word about the problems oceans, and the creatures who live in it, face due to plastic and trash. Good thing for my wallet that we flew to Florida, otherwise, a lot of these items would have been coming home with me.

Well done, Mote Aquarium. Well done!

Know Before You Go

The Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium is located at 1600 Ken Thompson Pkwy., Sarasota, FL 34236. Their hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week, 365 days a year, including all holidays. So you have no excuses NOT to go! They have convenient on-site parking, complete with handicap spaces and charging stations for electric cars.

They offer special presentations throughout the day that allow you to get a glimpse into how they care for some of their animals. The sessions are free with regular admission. 

• Shark Exhibit – 11 a.m. (Monday, Wednesday and Friday)
• Manatees – 1:00 p.m. daily
• River Otters – 1:30 p.m. daily
• Crocodilians – 2:00 p.m. daily
• Sea Turtles – 3:00 p.m. daily

Make sure you block off a few hours for your visit as there is so much to see and do. If you packed some snacks for the visit, or just need to take a break, they have a beautiful courtyard located right by the Ray Touch Pool. There are plenty of tables and chairs and it also has a pond that is surrounded by beautiful ray sculptures.

The Mote Marine Aquarium & Laboratory are also members of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums reciprocal program. Before you go, make sure you check to see if one of your local memberships gets you a discount on admission to the Mote.

Perhaps next time you are in Sarasota, you will stop by the Mote for a visit. You will not be disappointed! Plus, if you are a Florida resident, they have $7 admission on Saturdays during September. What a great deal! Don’t forget to check out their events calendar to see what else is going during your visit.

Don’t forget to read about our other Florida adventures:

• Sand & Sea Vacation Rental, Anna Maria Island (family friendly!)
• Happy Paddler Kayak Tours and Ecoventures (Anna Maria Island)
• Bradenton Beach Marina; Eco Dolphin Tour (Anna Maria Island)
• EVOS Restaurant (South Tampa)
• How Our Family Of 5 Flew Roundtrip To Florida For Less Than $325
• The Ultimate Guide to ZooTampa at Lowry Park (Tampa)
• Top 10 Toddler Friendly Rides at LEGOLAND Florida (Winter Haven)
• Step Back In Time At The South Florida Museum (Bradenton)

If you love aquariums as much as we do, check out our other posts about Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies, SEA LIFE Aquarium, or the Maui Ocean Center.

ENTER TO WIN!

***Contest has ended as of July 9th, 2019***

Our visit to Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium was fun and educational for the whole family!  We are in awe of their efforts to protect, preserve and educate others about our oceans and marine life. We would love to share this experience with you. 

To celebrate World Oceans Day (June 8) we are kicking off our “Mote Family Fun Pack” Giveaway and offering you the chance to enter to win a prize pack that includes four (4) tickets to Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium in Sarasota, Florida, a copy of “A Lady and the Sharks” written by its founder Eugenie Clark… and so much more! 

It is easy to enter! 

• 1. Leave a comment on this post telling us which Mote exhibit you’d most like to see… AND…
• 2.  Subscribe to our email list.   

Submit all entries using the Rafflecopter box below.  *For bonus entries, follow us on social media USING the Rafflecopter box prompts provided.*

One winner will be chosen at random on July 9, 2019 and notified via the email account used to enter.  Good luck!

The winner will receive the following:

• Four (4) general admission tickets to Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium in Sarasota, FL ($96.00 value).
• One (1) copy of “The Lady and the Sharks” by Eugenie Clark ($19.95 value).
• One (1) copy of Mote Magazine.
• One (1) Mote Aquarium shark bottle opener.
• One (1) Mote Aquarium pen; one (1) Mote Aquarium button; one (1) “I Support Coral Reefs” sticker; two (2) Mote Aquarium temporary tattoos; two (2) Mote Aquarium $1.00 off coupons.

**A special thank you to Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium for providing us all of the items included in this giveaway. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Want to read all of the fine print?! Download the Mote Family Fun Pack Giveaway Official Rules below.

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