Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium

Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium combines a long-running marine research institution with a public aquarium built around science and ocean education. Its visitor experience now centers on the Mote Science Education Aquarium, or Mote SEA, where galleries explore marine and aquatic environments while connecting what guests see to the organization’s broader work in research, conservation, restoration, and animal rehabilitation.

The aquarium presents marine life from around the world alongside species associated with Florida’s coastal ecosystems. Sharks are a prominent part of the experience, including overhead viewing, while the wider collection includes animals such as manatees, rays, penguins, octopuses, and river otters. Exhibits span ocean, reef, river, and coastal habitats, with interactive learning intended to bring visitors closer to the scientific process. Travelers interested in the research behind marine conservation may find Mote particularly appealing, since the aquarium experience is closely tied to an active institution studying sharks, sea turtles, manatees, coral reefs, fisheries, and other marine systems.