Last updated: 3/9/2023
Bradenton, Florida
Street Address
201 10th Street, West
Bradenton, FL 34205
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 9265
201 10th Street West
Bradenton, FL 34205
phone: 941-746-4131
fax: 941-747-2556
e-mail: info@bishopscience.org
web: www.bishopscience.org

Hours

Tuesday - Saturday 10 a.m - 5 p.m.
Sunday 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Monday (January-April & July) 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Admissions

Adults $15.95
Seniors (65+) $13.95
Children (4-12) $11.95
Museum, Planetarium & Aquarium

Staff

Andrew Sandall, CEO
Tiffany LaBritt, Curator of Collections
phone: 941-216-3462
Laurie Voight, Community Engagement Manager
phone: 941-216-3463
Virginia Edmonds, Director of Animal Care
phone: 941-216-3466
Ashley Berridge, Development Director
phone: 941-216-3457
Tish Sacks, Education Director
phone: 941-216-3473
Ashley Girt, Special Projects Manager
Remi Gonzalez, Director of Communications and Brand
Susan Mccarthy, Program/Volunteer Coordinator
Howard Hochhalter, Planetarium Manager
Jake Balkan, Chief Facility Officer
Tim Marks, Facility Manager
Debby Lamontaine, Facility Rentals
Brian Carter, Board Chair
Anne Adams, Visitor Services Manager
Nick Roth, Director of Engagement
Terri Medina, Annual Fund Manager
Brandy Harlan, Director of Business Development
Ashley Waite, Director of Museum Experience
Casey Mccabe, Co-curator of Learning
Christine Michael, Co-curator of Learning
Description

The South Florida Museum is the largest natural and cultural history museum on the Gulf Coast of Florida. Under that same roof is also the Parker Manatee Aquarium, home to Snooty, thought to be the oldest living manatee in captivity at age 61. With Snooty, are manatees in rehabilitation for US Fish and Wildlife. The Bishop Planetarium is a digital planetarium which serves also as a multipurpose theater.

Mission

To engage and inspire learners of all ages; we protect, interpret and communicate scientific and cultural knowledge of Florida, the world, and our universe.

History

The South Florida Museum was incorporated on December 23, 1946 as a private, not for profit Florida Corporation to educate visitors about the natural and cultural history of Florida’s Gulf Coast region and provide the community with a museum that would attract both residents and visitors to the growing downtown district. The museum opened its doors on Bradenton's Memorial Pier in 1947 with the Montague Tallant collection of Florida's First Peoples' pre- and immediate post-contact archaeological materials, and a small collection of other artifacts, objects and biological materials related to the history of southwest Florida and Manatee County. The museum relocated in 1967 to a new, two-story building occupying a full city block in downtown Bradenton, incorporating an enlarged manatee viewing/education area and the Bishop Planetarium. In 1980 the Museum added a Spanish Plaza, emphasizing this area’s Spanish heritage with a full-size replica of Hernando DeSoto’s home in Barcarrota, Spain, a 16th century chapel and a foundation with a bronze sculpture of DeSoto on horseback.

Facilities
Auditoriums
Lecture Halls
Performance Areas
Governance

Private Non-Profit

Services
Gift Shop
Special Event Rental
Group Tours
ADA
Wheelchair Accessible
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2023 Am Assoc for State and Local History Annual Conference

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South Carolina Federation of Museums 2023 Conference

September 20 - September 22, 2023  
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