Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium — Attraction in Sarasota

The building and facilities are very clean and the few staff members we encountered were very friendly. I was extremely impressed and awe-struck with the preserved squid in one of their exhibits. Many of the aquariums and enclosures were very impressive (especially the otter one), however, I struggled to enjoy the trip in its entirety. During my walk, I found 2 separate fish with kinked bodies, 2 others with markings on their bodies (unsure of what it could be, but it was not a pattern of the fish), 2 bloated Royal Gammas, an axolotl missing a foot, and a dead crab. I was very, very disappointed in seeing this. I can understand if some of the fish were rescues or were being treated or are living with disabilities, I’m sure it’s not easy feat caring for such a wide variety of animals, but there were no signs/plaques explaining if this is the case, so I have no way of knowing. They had some beautiful murals and a decent gift shop, but then had a couple areas of shallow water that looked like sewage and had garbage - I’m unsure what these pools were, but one had a sign for “Mosquito Fish” however there was nothing there.

To get to the second part of the building, you need to cross the parking lot, walking a tiny bit down the street and cross it. This second building is where they have their rescued turtles. It was very surreal to see them so close! The gift shop in this building was closed the day we went, but it looked decent through the windows.

A good benefit of the area is that another spot called “Save the Seabirds” shares the parking lot with them and offers free admission to see their rescued Florida birds, so don’t miss out on this spot!

Overall, I sincerely hope they do good work and contribute to wildlife welfare. All the employees seemed knowledgeable and kind, but I saw many health issues and I believe there should be some kind of communication of what is happening to alleviate concern/stress on those that visit this aquarium or more thorough/frequent checks of...

My family of 4 adults and 1 toddler visited Mote during late June. Most reviews I read stated that the museum was mostly covered and weather wouldn't really affect our visit. I would say, if you are not used to mid-summer in Florida, don't go here on a hot day. Only 1 section of 1 of the 2 buildings is air conditioned. A majority of the exhibits that we saw were outside. They have a covering, but it is almost as hot under the covering in my opinion. My toddler is a huge fish-lover and was so exhausted by the heat that she didn't even want to get up to look at the exhibits. You have to walk a pretty considerable distance to the other building if you want to see the turtles, otters, and crocodiles. It is a flat walk and well marked, but you can also drive over, which I would recommend as long as parking is available.

The manatee, sea turtle, and shark exhibits were very cool. There were many species that we had never seen before and everything was clean and well cared for.

The Touch areas where you could touch a ray or starfish were great for adults and older kids but young kids may not be able to reach the animals, which was a bit of a bummer.

Another frustrating thing was that there was a very large school group there at the same time as us. Many times we were not able to see a tank because 10 kids were standing in front of it. The kids were seemingly running wild and had no real supervision or instruction. They even invaded the toddler play area to the point where the toddlers that were meant to be playing there had nowhere to go.

Overall, I would recommend coming on a slow day, perhaps call to make sure there are no huge groups there, and check the weather.

Somewhat unrelated, but the little diner on the property had good French fries, cold drinks, and nice air conditioning to stop...

Mote Aquarium Sarasota Review - 3.5/5 Save the Macaw.

I recently visited Mote Aquarium and had an overall enjoyable experience, though there were a few aspects that could be improved.

The aquarium itself is great, with a variety of exhibits that are fascinating to explore. I especially loved the stingray pond, where you can get up close to these beautiful creatures, as well as the vibrant fish tanks and the sharks, which were definitely a highlight. The otter, manatee, and turtle exhibits were decent, though not as captivating as the others.

Unfortunately, the bird section was under construction during my visit, which made navigating the area a bit tricky. It was also very hot and uncomfortable in that section, which detracted from the experience.

One major concern I had was with the macaw. The bird appeared to be distressed, plucking its own feathers and acting aggressively. It was a sad sight, and I truly hope that the right people take notice and provide the care and attention this macaw needs. Ideally, it should either be given a more appropriate social environment with other macaws or be set free where it can thrive.

Overall, Mote Aquarium has a lot of potential, but there are some areas that need improvement, particularly in the care of the animals. I hope my feedback reaches those who can make a difference for the macaw and other animals that may need...