Ostego Bay Marine Science Center
Ostego Bay Marine Science Center
Ostego Bay Marine Science Center
4.5
Monday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
Welcome to the Ostego Bay Foundation Marine Science Center located at 718 Fisherman's Wharf on San Carlos Island in Fort Myers Beach, Fl. For 30 years, the Center provides a Marine Science Experience through interactive exhibits, aquariums, touch tank, one of kind collections and unique displays. Open Monday - Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. with both guided and self-guided tours. A donation of $5.00 per adult and $3.00 for children over 6 years of age is suggested. Always FREE for Foundation Members. Call for feeding times, it's an opportunity to see many of our reclusive marine specimens that come out of hiding for lunch. Touch a starfish, put your head in the mouth of a shark, see how sea turtles hatch, and much more.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
130 reviews
Excellent
87
Very good
26
Average
9
Poor
3
Terrible
5
Steven T
Seneca, SC14 contributions
Feb 2020 • Friends
Well worth your time as the folks from the non profit Otsego Marine Science Center give an informative presentation in their center and then take the group for short drive for a tour of a real live shrimp industry commercial area. Watch shirmp boats unloading their catch, repairing nets, a retail market as the tour director will answer all of your questions about this important local industry. Highly recommended. Begins at 9AM and don't forget to go directly to Bonita Bills for a pink shrimp lunch, pitcher of your favorite brew and music from Chucky From kentucky. He is the perfect entertainer for this eclectic watering hole. A great day!!!!!
Written February 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Zzxtf
Buffalo, NY8 contributions
Feb 2022 • Couples
We took the working waterfront tour. Emphasis was on the pink shrimp industry. They gave a preliminary lecture on how the shrimp are harvested. We then walked the water front seeing the boats and men unloading the shrimp. There was info on the nets used, the repairing of the boats with welding on site and storage. We even got a free sample. Next time we eat shrimp we will appreciate where they come from
Written February 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bluemermaid25
Chicago, IL567 contributions
Jan 2021 • Solo
This is a worthwhile stop to take a little break from the beach. I only found it because I rode my bike past it. Inside is bigger than it looks. Learn about dolphins, manatees, swordfish, stingrays, sea turtles, and more, with a touch tank, aquarium tanks, and skeletons and such. The feeding usually happens around noonish. I also learned a lot about all the seashells that I’ve been collecting!
Written January 26, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
countrygirl35
Columbia, MO20 contributions
Oct 2020
This is such a fantastic neat place. My husband and I went in October of 2020 and I'm just now posting my review but I wanted to make sure that I let everyone know what a great place this is. We had so much fun learning about all the different animals, watching them being fed, the touch tank....it was awesome! Everyone there was so friendly. We are hoping to go back for the waterfront tour on our next trip to Florida! Don't miss the opportunity to check this place out. And after you visit you can pop over to Doc Ford's for a great meal right on the water.
Written January 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bluerules
5 contributions
Feb 2021 • Family
Live water tank with horseshoe crab, sting ray, fish, shrimp, what a great experience! The microscope was a huge bonus and prepared slides and shells were great from novice to scientist. Small but plenty to keep interest for several hours. Easy free parking. A must see. We will be back!!
Written February 19, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sara
10 contributions
Jun 2021 • Friends
Small non profit marina science center. Great displays and a few aquariums and a touch tank. Very informative! Great activity you can do in less than a few hours. They also offer a guided gulf coast shrimping tour. Call ahead of time to see what time they are feeding that day!
Written June 11, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Carmik12
Phoenixville, PA115 contributions
Jan 2022
The rour of the shrimp dock left us filled with new information. We saw the shrimp being offloaded from the fishing boats among other things. Informative. Educational. If you love shrimp you need to see this.
Written January 26, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Christa W
Jacksonville, FL48 contributions
Aug 2021 • Family
This place was such a nice surprise! Pretty small - but packed with displays of sea animals and coastal ecology. Activities for kids. I took my four year old nephew here and he loved it. Highly recommend!
Written September 2, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Seawitch
Minneapolis, MN260 contributions
Oct 2011 • Family
Spending a few hours at the Ostego Bay Marine Science Center is well worth your time while visiting Ft Myers Beach. You'll learn not only about the island and Gulf waters, but it's rich pirate history. At the end of your tour you'll walk down Shrimp Boat Lane and get an up close and personal tour of the fleet and all of the things that support them. You'll see how their nets are repaired and walk through their supply store. Finally you'll go behind the scenes and see how they sort and process the local tasty Florida pink shrimp.
Written September 20, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Teresa
Christiansburg, VA151 contributions
Jul 2012 • Family
We were very disappointed when we stopped by here. There was a sign on the door stating that during the months of June & July you had to schedule a visit, so we were not able to visit without an "appointment"
Written July 8, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your interest in the Working Waterfront Tour. There isn’t a “schedule” when a Shrimp Boat offloads. It simply depends when their hold is full or decide to return to port. We were lucky the last two tours to see the offloading process.
Written January 29, 2019
Are you open this Saturday and Sunday and the hours?
Written September 14, 2018
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