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Elevate your event experience with our exciting add-ons. Whether it’s behind-the-scenes tours, interactive animal encounters, or surprising scuba diver appearances, we offer programs tailored for all ages and backgrounds. Start exploring today and make your event unforgettable!
Educational Programs are geared towards kids (ages 4 through 12) and the suggested audience is a maximum of 25 kids. Each program below is 15 – 20 minutes.
Available for all venues
Exploration Stations are suitable for all ages (adults included!) Give your guests the inside scoop on Mote research with these engaging science stations.
Available for all venues
*Programs can be adapted for kids, families and/or adults.
Sarasota Bay Explorers, working with Mote Aquarium, offers interactive, hands-on eco-adventures through private charter cruises aboard the Miss Explorer. Embark on an fun and educational journey through the clear waters of Sarasota, Florida, and discover the wonders of marine science and eco-conservation during an unforgettable boat tour. Sarasota Bay Explorers’ 40-foot pontoon boat features a range of amenities to ensure you and your guests have the ultimate boating experience. With comfortable seating, ample shade, and a large deck area, there’s plenty of room for everyone to relax and take in the breathtaking scenery. Reserve your private cruise in conjunction with your private event at Mote!
Available for all venues
Shelley, the Sea Turtle, and Gilly, the Shark, want to celebrate with you! Mote’s friendly Mascots are sure to be the life of the party! Let them entertain your guests, creating memories that are sure to last.
Gilly is proud to serve as Mote’s mascot since 1999. Gilly loves interacting with public and educating about marine conservation.
Shelley is an important member of Mote Marine Laboratory’s Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program, which has documented sea turtle activities and the status of shoreline habitat along 35 miles of coastline since 1982.
Available for all venues
Sharks have inhabited our oceans for hundreds of millions of years, and a single shark can replace tens of thousands of teeth over its lifetime. Today, fossilized shark teeth help scientists understand these ancient fishes, including the extinct megalodon, the largest shark known to science!
At Fossil Creek, located near the stingray touch pool in Mote Aquarium’s courtyard, guests can play marine paleontologist by purchasing a container of sand and sifting out real, fossilized shark teeth estimated to be millions or tens of millions of years old. Teeth may come from tiger, hammerhead, great white, mako, and other shark species still alive today — and with luck, maybe even the coveted megalodon! Guests may also find stingray barbs smoothed with time, bony plates from pufferfish mouths and more.
Available for Aquarium Courtyard
Surprise your event guests with an underwater party crasher! A diver will appear in one of our stunning shark exhibits and reveal a custom sign provided by Mote with your desired message. This unexpected surprise is sure to be the talk of the party and a great photo-op for your guests!
Available for Aquarium Courtyard
Give your event an extra splash with a narrated feeding of Mote’s Shark Tracker exhibit. A Mote educator and shark expert will introduce your guests to Mote Aquarium’s resident sharks, give them a sneak peek into the exciting world of Mote’s Shark and Ray Conservation Program and teach them about our trailblazing founder Dr. Eugenie Clark’s legacy. Guests will observe Mote’s second largest exhibit with sharks, stingrays, and many local fish being fed for the evening.
Also included is an interactive table set up for 1 hour with shark jaws and other items for your guests to investigate and take pictures with.
Available for Aquarium Courtyard
Have you ever dreamed of swimming with humpback whales, exploring the sea or encountering huge sharks? Dive into a whole new world with one of our three epic virtual reality (VR) adventures featuring 360-degree views, sound and movement.
These VR experiences, brought to you by Immotion, include:
Available for Indoor Aquarium Gallery
Make your cocktail hour a little more “fin”teresting with a nighttime feeding of our Indoor Gallery exhibits. Our amazing animals and marine science exhibits offer up-close, all-in amazement. As your guests mingle, one of Mote’s professional educators will feed a variety of exhibits throughout the indoor galleries – an experience not available to the public! Afterwards have all of your aquarium questions answered.
Available for Indoor Aquarium Gallery
Event guests ages 18 and up can explore beautiful Sarasota Bay at their leisure during an easy and scenic guided paddle accompanied by a Mote educator. Paddle across shallow seagrass beds and take in the wildlife that depends on this ecosystem. Soak up some sun as we look for dolphins, manatees, birds, and more!
Available for Chickee Hut
Parties of 10 or more are invited to take advantage of our Mote Aquarium group rates. Reservations are required and must be made at least one week in advance. Ticket price includes admission to The Aquarium, the Ann and Alfred E. Goldstein Marine Mammal Research and Rehabilitation Center, and any temporary exhibits visiting Mote.
Group Rate Pricing
Available for New Pass Room & Chickee Hut (Admission included with Aquarium Courtyard)
The New Pass Room is equipped with professional Audio Visual capabilities, including three 4K Video Projectors paired with 10ft Screens, mobile 85″ monitors and surround sound audio. Mote offers technical support from our Audio Visual department, who will work to ensure a flawless event.
Available for New Pass Room
