Mote Marine Laboratory: A World-Class Ocean Research and Education Institution

Have you wondered if Mote Marine Laboratory is worth your time? Will the kids like it? Is there enough to do for the price? You’ve come to the right place to find out.

As an avid water person (growing up on a sailboat and all), a person who believes education aids conservation, and a visitor to Mote Marine Labs, I’m here to answer your questions in this review about Mote.

About Mote Marine Lab

Mote Marine Laboratory is one of the world’s last remaining marine research laboratories. It’s a nonprofit organization which is based in Sarasota, Florida with additional campuses in eastern Sarasota County, Boca Grande on Gasparilla Island, and in the Florida Keys.

Mote Marine Laboratory’s vision is to “be a leader in nationally and internationally respected research programs that are relevant to the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity, healthy habitats and natural resources.” Mote uses research and cutting-edge science to make positive changes in important areas, such as coral reef restoration, marine mammal research and rehabilitation, shark conservation, and harmful algal blooms.

The research facility also offers education and outreach programs to students, teachers, families, and the community, such as field trips, summer camps, virtual learning, citizen science, and public events. Mote’s mission is to empower the public with knowledge and tools to become ocean stewards and advocates.

A Brief History of Mote Marine Laboratory

What would become Mote Marine Laboratory was founded in small one-room building on Florida’s Gulf Coast in 1955 by Dr. Eugenie Clark. Dr. Clark was pioneering shark researcher and explorer who was known as “the Shark Lady”. Her groundbreaking studies on shark behavior, physiology, and ecology helped advanced our early understanding of these beautiful animals.

The first facility Dr. Clark opened was Cape Haze Marine Laboratory in Placida, Florida. Here she provided the scientific knowledge from her shark research while Anne and William Vanderbilt provided the funding to build the lab. Later, William R. Mote became a benefactor and visionary who helped the lab grow and expand.

In 1967, the laboratory moved to its current location on City Island in Sarasota Bay and was renamed Mote Marine Laboratory in honor of William Mote. Since then, Mote has become one of the world’s leading marine research institutions. It employs more than 200 staff members – 36 of whom are Ph.D. scientists. The lab also runs 24 research programs on six continents and has over 1,000 publications.

Things to Do at Mote Marine Lab

General admission to the main campus on City Island provides access to two buildings. It’s open from 9:30 to 5:00 every day and showcases hundreds of marine animal species. The exhibits highlight Mote’s research and conservation efforts. Each of the buildings holds a different focus – Mote Aquarium for sharks, reefs, etc.; and the Marine Mammal Research and Rehabilitation Center which houses manatees, turtles, otters, and more.

Mote Aquarium

I purchased my timed ticket for first thing in the morning and arrived before they opened. As opening time got closer, I eagerly waited to be first into the aquarium, a line of families behind me. It was late June, families were on vacation, and I noticed as I drove in that summer camp was under way.

From Rivers to Seas

The first thing a visitor sees upon entering Mote Aquarium is a long room filled with aquariums. This is the From Rivers to the Seas exhibit. There are freshwater aquariums showcasing Florida’s rivers and many saltwater aquariums with fish, lobster, shrimp, jellyfish, and more. The exhibit shows how Florida’s 25,000 miles of rivers are connected to the sea.

In this air-conditioned area visitors also find the exploration gallery which features Molly the Mollusk. Molly is Mote’s 27-foot-long preserved giant squid. And there’s a virtual reality experience where users can swim with humpback whales, shark dive, or ride a VR roller coaster.

Florida’s Bay Habitats at Mote Marine Laboratory

Leaving the aquarium room, I passed into the Florida’s Bay Habitats which shows visitors what lies right outside our backdoors in Florida’s shallow bays, including nearby Sarasota Bay. The exhibit features information about the three kinds of mangroves which grow in Florida. There are delightful seahorses, mangrove-loving fish, and information about red tide.

A short walk through an open-air hallway features the history of shark research, particularly at Mote Marine Laboratory. Photographs show research in progress and signage explains ongoing research. This research includes things like studying shark repellants, understanding why sharks rarely get cancer, and tracking shark migrations.

Mote Marine Lab’s Shark Zone

The short hall opens to an open-air though covered (therefore, mostly shady) space with a touch tank, shark aquarium, fossil creek, and plenty of places to sit and take it all in. The first place I stopped was the bottom side of the shark exhibit where visitors watch the sharks and fish in the tank from ground level. There’s an upstairs level also for the shark feedings and education programs. Fish live in the tank, too, with the sharks. You’ll find goliath grouper, tarpon, and other fish found in Florida’s waters.

After viewing the shark tank through the tank’s sides, I spent a lot of time at one touch tank watching the invertebrates. This tank held starfish, sea urchins, conchs, whelks, and other mollusks and echinoderms. Though I see these animals all the time while out kayaking, I still found them fascinating to watch and imagine visitors from outside of Florida really love to see these creatures up close.

The shark-feeding show shows sharks from the tops of the shark tank with three staff members spaced around the tank offering the sharks chunks of fish on long poles. Throughout the presentation they talked about shark behavior, ongoing research, and gave out interesting information and facts.

Visitors to the Shark Zone can also see the shark’s cousin, the sting ray, sift sand in search of fossils and shark teeth, or sit by a lily-pad covered pond. A café beside the Shark Zone offers limited air-conditioned seating to enjoy typical treats such as burgers, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, fries, and ice cream. A gift shop offers souvenirs for purchase on your way out of Mote Aquarium.

Marine Mammal Research and Rehabilitation Center

Once outside of the gift shop, follow the painted animal prints on the sidewalk to the Marine Mammal Research Center less than 1/5 of a mile away. This facility has a ground floor and a second floor. The most popular animals can be found on the ground floor.

Otters & Their Waters

Mote Aquarium is home to three North American river otters – Huck, Pippi, and Jane. These otters were orphaned very young and raised by wildlife rehabilitators. Because of their young age when they were rescued, they did not learn the skills they need to know to survive in the wild. Instead, they are now wildlife ambassadors at Mote Marine Laboratory, providing hours of entertainment to visitors who stop at their habitat to watch them play.

They were very active the morning I visited and delighted kids and adults alike. I watched them swim, climb, and chase each other for 15 or 20 minutes and could have stayed longer watching their funny antics.

Sea Turtles: Ancient Survivors

The turtle exhibit includes displays of turtle shells and fossils as well as a turtle tank. At the tank, a staff member answered questions and provided information about the Mote’s Sea Turtle Conservation & Research Program which monitors nesting and tags turtles. Mote also runs a turtle hospital to rehab injured sea turtles.

Florida Manatees at Mote Aquarium

Mote’s resident manatee, Buffett, was born at Miami Seaquarium and came to live at Mote in 1996. He is an animal ambassador and one of the only manatees in the world trained to participate in voluntary, detailed behavioral research. In this research, Buffett helps scientists how manatees navigate and experience their world.

When I visited, Buffett’s brother Hugh also lived at Mote. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2023. A longtime resident at Mote, Hugh was also instrumental in furthering manatee research.

Florida Watershed

The watershed exhibit follows the journey of water in Florida, from rain to the sea. Besides following water to learn how it affects the land and animals in Florida, the exhibit features several animals. These animals include:

• the river otters Huck, Pippi, and Jane
• Rose the American alligator who lives in freshwater and swampy areas
• Cuchara and Tenedor who are roseate spoonbills who are a breeding pair born in captivity
• Pepito the gopher tortoise who was born in 2016 at Miami Zoo

Oh Baby! Life Cycles of the Seas

Found on the second floor of the Marine Mammal Research Center, this exhibit is full of life and color and really speaks to children and families. It includes some animals never displayed before at Mote Aquarium, kid-friendly exhibits about reproduction, and interactive games. The baby animals on display in this exhibit are bred, born, and raised at Mote and help with research.

A collection of small aquariums, the exhibit highlights babies of multiple marine species. There’s also a baby shark pool with young sharks of Pacific Ocean species, all of them less than 12″ long. “Who Wants to Be a Sea Star?” is a multi-player, reality-TV-style quiz show

Educational Programs and Special Events at Mote Marine Laboratory

Mote Marine Laboratory offers several ongoing educational programs and one-time special events. Monthly or bi-weekly programs include Breakfast with Sharks, Seas the Summer Field Exploration Class, virtual classes, and kayaking trips.

Special events might include one-time fundraisers and science talks or special exhibits. When I visited, Mote Aquarium had a special exhibit by renowned underwater photographer, Brian Skerry. This exhibit focused on sharks and highlighted Skerry’s mission to “inspire people to care about the beauty, bounty, and health of the world’s oceans.”

Skerry has been a National Geographic photographer since 1998 with his work also appearing in People, Sports Illustrated, and Audubon. He was named a National Geographic Photography Fellow in 2014 and a Nikon Ambassador in 2015.

FAQs About Mote Marine Lab

Conclusion

Mote Marine Laboratory is a world-class ocean research and education institution that is making a difference for our oceans and society. Mote is not only conducting groundbreaking research on marine science and conservation but also educating and engaging the public in its work. Mote is also innovating and collaborating to address the challenges and opportunities that our oceans face in the 21st century.

If you want to learn more about Mote Marine Laboratory, you can visit its website, follow its social media channels (@motemarinelab), or support its work through donations or memberships. If you enjoyed our trip to Mote Aquarium, don’t miss our visit to Clearwater Marine Aquarium, which focuses on marine mammal rehab, or ZooTampa, one of the top 10 zoos in the country for families which also features an extensive Florida section, including a manatee rehab facility.

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