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Open 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday–Sunday
Closes 2 p.m. Thanksgiving Day
Welcome to Mote Aquarium on City Island in Sarasota, Florida! Discover everything you need to know for a fantastic visit, from admissions and accessibility information to maps and exhibit descriptions. Plan your trip with confidence, and feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
General admission includes access to Mote Aquarium and its exhibits in the Ann and Alfred E. Goldstein Marine Mammal Research and Rehabilitation Center.
To guarantee entry, tickets MUST be purchased online. On busier days we have sold out, and we cannot guarantee walk-up tickets will be available. Members are also encouraged to reserve their tickets online in advance. Each ticket is sold at a 15-minute window during each hour. Once it is your entry time, you can enjoy the Aquarium for as long as you would like until 5 p.m. The last arrival window will be at 3:45 p.m. daily.
Tickets must be purchased on-site and in-person for two admission specials: Active Duty Military Service Members and Reciprocal Members. Mote offers free admission for the active duty service member with a current active duty military ID (discount is not extended to the entire party.) Aquarium guests applying reciprocal partner discounts must show current reciprocal partnership membership card and ID. For these special offers, limited walk-up tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. No other special offers are accepted at this time.
Members can visit Mote Aquarium free all year round! Current members must reserve their free tickets online before visiting. Go to mote.org/membership to register your membership so you can reserve your free tickets.
Mote Aquarium extends complimentary admission to all United States veterans and their military dependents, with valid IDs for both veterans and military dependents, on November 11 (Veteran’s Day) each year.
Veterans must purchase tickets in person to receive the discount.
Parties of 10 or more paying guests are invited to take advantage of our group rates. Reservations are required and must be made at least 24 hours in advance. For more information, call 941-388-4441, ext. 216 or email guestservices@mote.org.
For school and camp groups looking to plan a visit to Mote, please visit mote.org/fieldtrips.
Parking is free for all visitors and can be found right outside of the Aquarium entrance. Please note that admission to Mote Aquarium includes access to exhibits in two buildings: Mote Aquarium and the Ann and Alfred E. Goldstein Marine Mammal Research & Rehabilitation Center. See our Visitor Maps below for walking directions.
Mancini Diners, Inc. has cast fine food and superior service into Mote Aquarium waters at the Deep Sea Diner! This casual, retro, ’50s style diner exclusively serves visitors and members of Mote Aquarium with a fun, affordable, family-style menu. Call: 941-388-3415.
Mote Boat: Eco-toursSarasota Bay Explorers, working with Mote Aquarium, offers interactive, hands-on eco-adventures on the Sea Life Encounter Cruise and private charters aboard the Miss Explorer.
Reserve your spot by visiting the Sarasota Bay Explorers website.
The following items are not permitted in Mote Aquarium areas for the safety of our animals and guests:
Several manual wheelchairs are available for free at Mote Aquarium on a first come, first served basis.
Mote will allow entry to service dogs as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines.
Mote has been designated an Autism Friendly Business by CARD at University of South Florida, and our Aquarium offers a free, downloadable Sensory Guide to help you prepare for your visit. Also, a limited number of sensory-friendly backpacks are available for check-out (with ID exchange) at the front desk.
No. We have many covered areas, but some spaces between exhibits and the sidewalk between buildings are not covered. The main Aquarium and the Marine Mammal Center have both indoor and outdoor exhibits. The outdoor spaces in the main Aquarium building are covered, with open siding (which is temperature exposed). The Marine Mammal Center is mostly covered, with the exception of the first-floor viewing of our Florida Watershed habitats (otter, spoonbill, gopher tortoise and alligator habitats). These habitats are also viewable from the second floor, which has an overhang that protects visitors from inclement weather.
Call (941) 388-4441
Email info@mote.org
Need help? Just ask one of our friendly volunteer guides or staff members and they’ll point you in the right direction!
