Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium in Florida has set an opening date for its new Mote Science Education Aquarium (SEA).
Mote SEA will open to the public on 8 October. Located at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, the new 146,000-square-foot facility is twice the size of Mote‘s former aquarium on City Island, which closed on 6 July.
Science is the main attraction at Mote SEA, which will provide a look at Mote’s marine science research and conservation initiatives.
The venue is home to three state-of-the-art STEM teaching labs focused on biomedical, microbiology and immunology; marine and coastal ecology; and ocean engineering, AI technology, robotics and sensor development.
These labs will offer hands-on experiential learning to more than 70,000 students annually from Sarasota and Manatee county schools, as well as schools in nearby counties, free of charge.
In addition, Mote SEA includes five STEM workforce training labs offering professional research experiences to high school students, undergraduates and graduates.
Research and conservation at Mote SEA
These labs feature wall-to-wall glass windows so guests can watch as scientists and students conduct research.
“Mote SEA is much more than just an aquarium; it stands at the intersection of paradigm-changing research, science education, and community engagement,” said Michael P. Crosby, president and CEO of Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium.
“We envision a future in which tens of millions of visitors will experience the transformative power of learning and discovery, changing the way they think about our oceans, conservation and sustainable use.”
In an interview with blooloop last year, Crosby said: “The science will amaze you from the second you walk into the building.
“From the three STEM teaching labs on the first floor to every animal habitat throughout Mote SEA, guests will be connected to the ocean and to Mote’s innovative research contributing to the conservation and sustainable use of our oceans.”
Images courtesy of Mote
