SARASOTA, Fla. — Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium announced that its long-awaited Mote Science Education Aquarium (SEA) will officially open to the public on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, at Nathan Benderson Park. Tickets for the grand opening event and general admission are now available at mote.org/tickets.
The 12-acre, 146,000-square-foot facility represents a major expansion of Mote’s mission to advance marine science and public education. Located at a central site connecting Sarasota and Manatee counties, Mote SEA is designed to dramatically increase access to hands-on learning, with a goal of reaching much larger and more diverse audiences from across Florida and beyond.
Central to the new aquarium are three state-of-the-art STEM Teaching Labs, each focused on distinct areas of study: Biomedical, Microbiology & Immunology; Marine & Coastal Ecology; and Ocean Engineering, AI Technology, Robotics & Sensor Development. According to Mote, these spaces will give more than 70,000 local K–12 students annually—over 26,000 of them from Title 1 schools—free access to hands-on science experiences.
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Five additional Workforce Training Labs will also provide high school, undergraduate, and graduate students the chance to work directly with Mote scientists in areas such as aquaculture, coral restoration, veterinary science, and artificial intelligence.
Visitors to the aquarium will be able to watch much of this work in real time. Floor-to-ceiling windows line the teaching and training labs, giving guests a view of students and scientists conducting experiments and research during their visit.
Founded in 1955 by renowned ichthyologist Dr. Eugenie “Genie” Clark, Mote has grown from a single trailer in Placida, Florida, into an internationally recognized institution. Today, it employs more than 300 staff across nine campuses, with scientists conducting marine research on every continent as part of its International Marine Science Diplomacy Initiative.
“Mote SEA is much more than just an aquarium; it stands at the intersection of paradigm-changing research, science education, and community engagement,” said Dr. Michael P. Crosby, president and CEO of Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium. “We envision a future in which tens of millions of visitors will experience the transformative power of learning and discovery, changing the way they think about our oceans, conservation, and sustainable use.”
The organization says the opening of Mote SEA marks a new chapter in its mission to expand ocean literacy, conservation awareness, and scientific innovation for generations to come.
