- July 23, 2025
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Heather Rozeboom remembers accompanying her father when Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium would come calling late at night, seeking volunteer assistance with the dolphins in its care.
"We would race out here together, and the most memorable time was when we stood in the tank the entire night to hold it up to breathe, because it could no longer stay afloat on its own," she said.
She was among those who paid a visit to the City Island facility on July 6, the last day it was open to the public before experts turn their full attention to preparing inhabitants for a smooth, safe transition to the new East County facility.
"We had to get here for the last day," she said. "We've been coming here since we were little kids."
Rozeboom, who still lives in Sarasota, said the new facility may not hold all the same memories, but she is looking forward to making new ones.
"It will be great in its own way, I'm sure," she added.
Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium's final weeks of being open to the public on City Island brought out massive crowds, topping out above 1,500 on the busiest days, volunteers estimated. Over the Fourth of July weekend, visitors took in a final display of keepers feeding the river otters, picked up mementos from the gift shop, and chatted excitedly about the anticipated opening of Mote Science Education Aquarium.
Officials are still working to set a date for the official opening of the much larger building near University Town Center. Vice President Kevin Cooper said in a press release announcing the closure and timelines for the move depend upon calibrating life support and safely transferring the animals to their new homes.
The original marine facility that would one day become Mote Marine opened under the name Cape Haze Marine Laboratory in 1955 in Placida. Five years later, in would begin operating in the Siesta Key area for 18 years when officials launched the City Island laboratory in 1978.
This center underwent name changes and adaptations over time, catering to the sharks, turtles and marine mammals that call Sarasota Bay home. Seeing a need for additional space to continue its mission of rescuing animals and educating the public, Mote made plans to open a new aquarium between UTC Mall and Nathan Benderson Park.
Community members have shared their earnest anticipation for the new facility, which experts predict will welcome upward of 700,000 aquarium-goers in its first year.
Coming from Fort Myers, Alex Marino and Sam Walch paid a visit on Sunday. Marino said he was glad to fit in a visit before the closing, especially considering he greatly appreciated participating in Mote's summer camps and other programs.
"I'm looking forward to the new facility, but I'm still really glad I got to go here," he said.
Walch said she appreciates all the extra space the animals will have to enjoy at Mote SEA.
The science facility will remain, but the closed-door center will focus on research and rehabilitation efforts.
Visitors weren't the only ones reminiscing on the last day. Alexandra Goldring has accumulated 9 years of experience with Mote between her initial internship and volunteer staffing.
She remembers working closely with one particular rescue animal — a turtle named Sea Salt. Goldring said she helped with this particular turtle all the way from intake to its successful release with a satellite tag.
"I got to be part of the team holding him and releasing him into the ocean," she said. "I was really appreciative."
Goldring said she's enjoyed working with staff members so dedicated to animal welfare, and she is eager to see how their ability to treat cold stunning, red tide side effects, hook injuries and more will expand with their focus on animal rehab.
St. Armands Key resident Carolyn Michel actually visited twice in the final week. First, she took visiting family members to see it all one last time. But on Sunday, she just came for herself, waving farewell to the eel that has greeted many viewers.
"I'm going to be sad to see it move so far east from me," she said. "I loved having it here by the water. It's a great location. I understand why they're moving and why they need to, but we'll certainly miss having the displays here."
Save Our Seabirds, a longtime neighboring rescue facility, reassures visitors that it plans to remain open for the foreseeable future.
The two avian and aquatic centers on City Island are separately run, but visitors have long enjoyed stopping into both for a day trip. Save Our Seabirds is free to enter, though it welcomes donations to support its mission of rehabilitating sick and injured birds.
SOS Executive Director Brian Walton said visitors still have plenty to look forward to with a visit to the area, especially with the investments staff are making to improve and expand the facilities.
"We love our Mote neighbors, and we are going to miss them as much as anyone," he said.
He said leaders are finalizing master plans for updates to the entire campus by the end of the summer.
"Guests should find something new each time they visit for the foreseeable future," he continued. "We are grateful to our local community for their faithful support of our mission over the years, and we look forward to rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing our local wild birds for many decades to come."
