FROM SHARKS TO STEM: A DEEP DIVE INTO MOTE S.E.A.

Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium has been an iconic attraction of Sarasota, Florida, ever since it opened its doors in 1980. Since its opening, the aquarium has significantly expanded. As some may know, Mote has newly opened their Mote S.E.A. (Science Education Aquarium) to the public on October eighth of this year, 2025. This enormous aquarium contains an approximate total of over a million gallons of water and is 110,000 square feet. The sheer size of this aquarium is overwhelming, definitely making it one of the most prominent structures in Nathan Benderson Park. However, the inside of Mote S.E.A. is definitely where it shines. With every mural within the aquarium being painted and designed by Sarasota-born muralist Andrew Viera, the aquarium is designed to be explored top to bottom, with a large escalator that is seen as soon as you enter.

There are a total of four main exhibits, officially called galleries, including the Florida’s Gulf Coast Gallery, the Indo-Pacific Gallery, and the Florida Waters Gallery. There are also Workforce Development Labs and STEM (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics) Teaching Labs.

The Workforce Labs will be accepting interns and program participants from high school to college students. Being an intern at Mote S.E.A. would provide an opportunity to work at the Conservation Lab, the Aquaculture Lab, the Coral Lab, the Veterinary Clinic & Diagnostic Center, or the Artificial Intelligence Marine Science Center. All of these laboratories are open to public view in order to promote “transparency with the public,” as Kathryn Gentile, public relations coordinator at Mote, said. This honesty and transparency is very helpful when someone is concerned with the treatment of the animals at Mote S.E.A., especially with the Veterinary Clinic & Diagnostic Center. These labs also serve as an accessible way to break into the marine science industry for any college or pre-college students.

The STEM Teaching Labs serve as a space for education for all ages, encouraging any visitors to become curious and excited about marine research. There are a total of three teaching labs: the Marine Ecology Lab, the Biomedical and Immunology Lab, and the Ocean Technology Lab. The purpose of the Ecology is to display Mote’s active research and conservation efforts within Florida waters, exploring things such as micro fragmentation, seagrass ecosystem restoration, and freshwater aquaculture. The Biomedical and Immunology Lab explores Mote’s immunology and microbiology research programs. With an extensive microscope collection with different viewing methods based on student comfort, including traditional microscope viewing, stereomicroscopes, and digital viewing microscopes. This not only provides hands-on activities for the younger kids but also makes it highly accessible for any child who may be sensitive to certain forms of sensory intake. Probably one of the most exciting labs would be the Ocean Technology Lab with functioning scale models of two of Mote’s autonomous robots. Within the technology lab there is a large tub in which the robot can be placed so students can observe how an autonomous robot functions when used in the field. There are also 3D printers located at the back, which are open for public use.

On the third floor is the Florida Waters Gallery, which holds most of the original occupants of Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium, including their two manatees, Buffet and Lou; their gopher tortoise; and their river otters, Stella and Flynn. Near the Florida Waters Gallery is the Trench Depths exhibit, displaying ocean technology that allows scientists to explore the ocean’s depths.

Once you walk down the stairs, you will be faced with the Indo-Pacific Gallery. The Indo-Pacific Gallery begins with one of Mote's newest additions, the Humboldt penguins. Each of these has a band on either their left or right fin; bands being on the right fin indicate the penguin as female, and bands being on the left fin indicate the penguin as male. Continuing past the Humboldt penguins, you will be greeted by the new Giant Pacific Octopus, which has an area of about 37 feet. Continuing down the hall, there are touch tanks for both intertidal zones and benthic zones, giving guests the opportunity to interact with animals that they wouldn’t be able to see otherwise. Behind the Benthic touch tank is one of two new live corals that exist at the mote. As you continue, you will be greeted by the second biggest tank at Mote S.E.A. Containing a few sharks among other tropical fish.

The Florida Golf Coast Gallery begins on the second floor with the largest tank at Mote S.E.A. Containing a grand total of four hundred thousand gallons of water. This tank stretches from the second floor all the way down to the first floor. Within this tank are some of the original nurse sharks, Sand Bar Sharks, and Sand Tiger Sharks. Downstairs there are more touch tanks, including their stingrays, along with a deep-water isopod exhibit. Finally, the bottom part of the shark tank is where you almost feel like you are swimming with the sharks.

Mote S.E.A. is truly a wonderful place to spend time with friends and family. With its iconic structure along with its beautiful interior, it has great potential to become one of Sarasota’s most pivotal places to visit. But Mote S.E.A. has another agenda, which is to honor the wish of Mote’s founder, Dr. Eugenie Clark. Eugenie Clark, or the Shark Lady, built the original aquarium with the hope of making marine science more accessible. As Kathryn Gentile said, “Mote S.E.A. was designed to educate people of all ages on marine science and to make them stewards of the ocean [along with bringing] marine science to the masses,” which Mote S.E.A. definitely achieves. Not only is this beautiful aquarium a place for everyone to have an opportunity to receive an education in marine science, but it is also a recognition of all of the research Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium does in order to conserve and protect our beautiful Florida waters. With that in mind, if you are ever looking for something to do in Nathan Benderson Park, Mote S.E.A. should definitely be on the top of the list.