Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium is rebuilding its floating education platform on City Island thanks to a grant from the Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County.
The floating platform and walkway, or “outdoor classroom,” which serves as a vital resource for marine science education at Mote, was damaged last October when Hurricanes Helene and Milton struck the barrier islands. Unfortunately, the damage rendered the outdoor classroom unusable.
Since its original construction with support from the Community Foundation several years ago, the platform has hosted hundreds of thousands of participants, including school groups, homeschoolers, summer campers and lifelong learners. In 2024 alone, more than 50,000 students attended Mote’s education programs on City Island.
With the platform out of commission, Mote’s education programs were left with limited water access. Now, the floating classroom will once again offer students interactive education opportunities in Sarasota Bay.
Now fully rebuilt and ready for use, the floating classroom has reopened. Summer camps, field trips, homeschool programs, and lifelong learning experiences will continue to be offered at both the City Island campus and upcoming Mote Science Education Aquarium (SEA).
