SARASOTA, Fla. – Mort Marine Laboratory & Aquarium announced that the much-anticipated Mort Science Education Aquarium (Sea) will be officially open to the public on Wednesday, October 8, 2025 at Nathan Benderson Park. Tickets for the grand opening event and general admission are available at mote.org/tickets.
The 12-acre, 146,000-square-foot facility represents a significant expansion of Moat’s mission to advance marine science and public education. Located at the central site connecting Sarasota and Manatee Counties, Mort Sea is designed to dramatically increase access to hands-on learning with the goal of reaching a much larger and diverse audience from Florida and beyond.
At the heart of the new aquarium are three state-of-the-art STEM education labs, each focusing on a different field of research. Biomedical, microbiology, immunology. Marine & Coastal Ecology; Marine Engineering, AI Technology, Robotics, Sensor Development. According to Mort, these spaces offer over 70,000 local K-12 students each year, of which over 26,000 provide 26,000 from the Title 1 school, providing access to practical science experiences. Five more Workforce Training Labs offer high school, undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to work directly with Moat scientists in areas such as aquaculture, coral repair, veterinary science, and artificial intelligence.
Visitors to the aquarium will be able to see much of this work in real time. Floor-to-ceiling windows line up with educational and training labs that provide guests with spectators of students and scientists conducting experiments and research during their visits.
Founded in 1955 by renowned ichthyologist Dr. Eugenie “Ginny” Clark, Mort grew from a single trailer in Pracida, Florida to an internationally recognized institution. Today, nine campuses employ more than 300 staff, and scientists conduct marine research on all continents as part of the International Marine Science Diplomacy Initiative.
“Mort Sea is 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 Mort Marine Laboratory & Aquarium. “We envision a future where tens of millions of visitors experience the transformative power of learning and discovery and change the way we think about oceans, conservation and sustainable use.”
The organization says the opening of Mortsy marks a new chapter in its mission to expand marine literacy, conservation awareness and scientific innovation for future generations.
