Mote Marine Laboratory is an independent, nonprofit, marine research organization based on City Island in Sarasota, Florida, with additional campuses in eastern Sarasota County, Boca Grande, Florida, and the Florida Keys.

The aquarium is the public outreach arm of the laboratory, displaying more than 100 marine species with a focus on species and ecosystems studied by staff scientists. The aquarium is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which accredits qualified facilities based on a rigorous application and inspection process focusing on animal care, conservation, and science, facilities, and more.

The aquarium opened in 1980 on City Island in Sarasota Bay to display sharks, manatees, sea turtles, seahorses, rays, skates, and invertebrates including cuttlefish, octopuses, sea jellies, anemones, and corals. Special exhibits have included "Otters and Their Waters" and "The Teeth Beneath: The Wild World of Gators, Crocs, and Caimans" that features animals found in the watershed (land that drains into the ocean and other waterbodies), including North American river otters, American alligators, and spectacled caimans. A special exhibit "Oh Baby! Life Cycles of the Seas" deals with marine courtship and reproduction and features the offspring of multiple species and their early-life survival challenges through an interactive game, a baby shark touch tank, and other features.The aquarium includes windows into working laboratories and interactive exhibits designed to make science accessible for all ages.

Wild Bird Learning Center
Our unique Wild Bird Learning Center, which is essentially a living museum, offers fascinating educational displays featuring live birds that have been injured and treated, but are unable to be returned to the wild.

We are the only organization of our kind in the Sarasota County Green Business Partnership, and were recently awarded Gold Certification by the Florida Society for Ethical Ecotourism, because we practice what we preach!

Birdwalk
Strolling along our Birdwalk, visitors compare and contrast the various types of diversification and adaptation that make each species unique, and also gain an insight into why each species has evolved specific features, such as beaks, legs, feathers, or feet, in order to survive in their respective natural habitats. Visitors also learn about the various environmental risks to birds, and how to help minimize them.

Our Birdwalk also serves a broader environmental education purpose. Our Native Plant initiative has filled our sanctuary with native plants and corresponding interpretive signage that explains the importance of native plants to the general environment and also highlights the specific inter-dependencies between plants and birds.
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