The museum's rehabilitation pool holds 60,000 gallons of water for manatee care.
The facility serves as a primary site for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Manatee Rehabilitation Network.
The planetarium uses a state-of-the-art digital projection system to simulate the night sky in real-time.
Exhibits include the 'Fossil Hall,' which features a 10,000-year-old mastodon skeleton found in the local Manatee River.
The museum was formerly known as the South Florida Museum before its rebranding.
The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature is the largest natural and cultural history museum on Florida's Gulf Coast. It houses the Parker Manatee Rehabilitation Habitat, a specialized facility dedicated to the care and eventual release of sick or injured manatees. The museum features the Planetarium, a digital theater presenting immersive astronomy shows. Its historical collection focuses on the Florida Gulf Coast, ranging from the Pleistocene era to the modern period. Paleontology exhibits include fossils found in local Florida phosphate mines. Visitors can explore a fossilized record of prehistoric mammals that once roamed the peninsula. The museum occupies a multi-story facility located in downtown Bradenton.
The glass viewing wall of the Parker Manatee Rehabilitation Habitat.
Check the planetarium show schedule upon arrival, as these presentations run at specific intervals throughout the day.
Visit the manatee habitat during scheduled feeding times to see the staff interact with the animals.
Allocate time to explore the riverfront plaza outside the main building.
Do not attempt to feed or make loud noises near the manatee rehabilitation pool.
Closed on Mondays.
