Mote Aquarium reopens with safety measures in place

SARASOTA, Fla. - After being closed for almost 12 weeks, Mote Aquarium in Sarasota reopened with some changes to protect visitors and staff.

Members and regulars will notice the many touch-ups and renovations that have taken place as the front entrance was completely remodeled during that time.

"We just worked really hard to make a safe and fun experience," stated Stephannie Kettle from Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium.

That front entrance is now designed for specific directional foot traffic with entries staggered every 30 minutes.

"We have directional signage on the floor... to show you our one-way flow," Kettle explained.

One of the major changes at the aquarium is the requirement for online reservations. 

Visit https://mote.org/aquarium for tickets and more information about the reservations, but each ticket has a timeslot for entry.

"We have closed all of our interactive exhibits," said Kettle. That includes any touch habitats or other exhibits that used to be "high touch" areas.

Additionally, all guests over the age of five are required to wear a mask. The aquarium will provide masks for guests who didn’t bring one.