A nice place to learn about manatees along the Fort Pierce waterfront While visiting Fort Pierce, we decided to stop at the Manatee Observation and Education Center located near the A.E. Backus Museum and found it to be a very nice little attraction. Admission was only $3 per person, making it an inexpensive place to spend some time and learn about Florida's manatees and other local wildlife. The center is a stand-alone building with two main rooms and an observation area overlooking the water. Inside there are three tanks, including two with fish and another with starfish and anemones. There are a lot of interesting displays and activities that seem especially geared toward children, although we enjoyed looking through them as adults as well. One of the more unusual things I enjoyed was a small robotics display that I thought was very cool. The staff was wonderful and took the time to explain the different parts of the center and answer our questions. Outside, there is a covered walkway along the water with informational signs explaining the area and its wildlife. Across the water is a very nice mural painted along the seawall that adds some color to the view. Behind the center there is also a fun mural and photo opportunity where you can see how you "size up" compared with a manatee. Make sure you go up to the observation deck above the walkway, which gives you a nice view of the water and surrounding area and, if you're lucky, perhaps a chance to spot a manatee. Overall, this is a very nice and inexpensive stop in the Fort Pierce area. Between the displays, tanks, friendly staff, waterfront setting, and observation deck, it is a good place to learn a little more about manatees and the local environment. Enjoy! read more

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We stopped in with our niece for some education and a break from the sun. We were pleasantly surprised by how knowledgeable and friendly the staff were. We learned so much! The scavenger hunt was an added bonus. read more

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The only reason this isn't a 5 star rating is because it's rather small and it leaves you wanting more. The people that work there are some of the friendliest I've met at an educational center. They were knowledgeable about all things manatees, of course, but also the general ecology and made it fun to check out and explore the tanks. We also received suggestions for other things to see in the area. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Check it out, it's worth the stop for just $3 a person. read more

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Marine Education Call it 3.5 on the Yelp scale. Looking for something to do with the kiddos that doesn't cost an arm & leg, we headed over to the Manatee Observation center when they were advertising that they would be feeding those gentle giants. Unfortunately, no one informed the manatees who had other ideas on dining out and well, no manatees that day - certainly not the fault of the manatee center. Either because of that or because it was around the holidays, they were waiving admission which was nice but to be honest, the place is so small, that even the token admission fee is somewhat pointless. I get that the county owns it, and has to offset salaries, but just be aware, this is definitely not a huge aquarium type place. Admission is normally $3 fyi. There are a couple of small fish tanks in the center proper that you can check out, and the lady running the touch tank was very knowledgeable - my kids enjoyed that aspect very much - but again, it was very small and the whole experience was quick. Outside of that, without the manatees floating around outside, there is not a whole lot to do - so we walked over to the Fort Pierce marina and watched some Pelican action. Plenty of parking available across the road from the manatee center. read more

Fantastic fun for $6. We did not get to see any live Manatees (too hot), but Lindsay and the rest of the staff were fun to talk to and the inside displays are excellent. read more

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You will have to wait for a cool day to see the manatees but at a cost of only $1 any day is a good day to visit the Manatee Observation and Education Center. The first written record of a manatee was in 1492 when Christopher Columbus spotted one and thought he had seen a mermaid! Today Florida's gentle sea cows are endangered due to accidents with boats. Often you see scars from boat propellers on their backs. Fortunately stricter speed laws for boats and more public education has led to the US Fish and Wildlife Service to want to downgrade them from endangered to threatened. The importance of places like this to educate the public and make them want to protect the manatees cannot be understated. The center which was opened in 1996 is on the Indian River Lagoon and Fort Pierce Marina. The manatees are free to come and go as they please but you have the best chance of seeing them when it is cold out. If you are lucky enough to be there when they are you can view them from the covered walkway or the two story observation tower. Inside the center are educational displays about manatees, a touch tanks, and five aquariums with live animals. There is also the Vanishing Mermaid Gift Shop selling all kinds of manatee, nature, and ocean related items. The center holds many activities throughout the year such as Indian River Lagoon wildlife boat tours, Naturefest, summer camps, brown bag lunch lecture series, and educational speakers. The 23rd annual Naturefest is this Saturday. All of these programs are created for the purpose of educating the public so that they will support the preservation of the Treasure Coasts ecosystem. They also provide programs for school children to teach the next generation how important it is to take care of our environment. Although the center is small there is also the House of Seven Gables and an art museum in the same area so there is plenty to keep you occupied for an afternoon. read more

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Disappointed to pay for entry and not get much in return. There were a few items to explore and view inside the center (but not worth the fee). It was not cold enough for manatees to be present. Overall, not worth the time or money. I was expecting more from a place that is called "education center". read more

Manatee Center - Manatee statue in the center - Children's Museums Near Me - Fort Pierce, Florida

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This is a great place to learn about Manatees and about local sea life in general. Generally - it is also usually a good place to see manatees. Unfortunately, due to a recent bout of cool weather, the manatees were apparently elsewhere seeking warmer water. No manatees were spotted during our visit today although the docents indicated that 4 had been spotted the day before. Whether or not you get to see any manatees, this is a great place to learn about them and to see a 15 minute video about them. While we no longer travel with young kids - this is the kind of place my kids would have loved when they were still kids. Admission is $1.00 read more

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The Manatee Center is small but mighty. And you get your fair share of entertainment value for the $1 entry fee they levy. Sit down and enjoy the manatee educational video (possibly made back in the '80s), wander around and check out the various aquarium exhibits with live fish, various crustaceans, turtles, and even an underwater petting zoo. Listen to the volunteers talk about the history of the center, learn about the crazy hurricanes that demolished it, and the few animals that survived the wreckage, and the ones they had to let go into the wild (that are most likely deceased/eaten by this point). And if you're especially lucky, you might spot "footprints" on the surface of the water in the inlet right outside, indicating a manatee floating just under the surface. Our timing was impeccable, and a volunteer called us out to spot just such a sea cow. And a big 'un it was! Pop in for a brief 30 minute fun, informative interlude. It's well worth the price. read more

Manatee Center - Gift Shop - Children's Museums Near Me - Fort Pierce, Florida

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Great place to visit you will see some fish and maybe a manatee come hang out with us

Super small place, with a cuteness to it. Lovely volunteers helping us. Don't come expecting much by way of manatees--they aren't "kept" here. But, it's a nice little spot to find out where they have been seeing manatees lartely. Most likely they may direct you to Round Island. read more

This is a cute little place. Chances are you won't see a manatee but your kids will enjoy the little creatures on display and the education center. FREE admission but they accept donations. The folks working here are volunteers, please be considerate and tall them thanks for their time! Hit nearby Hutchinson beach for good beach combing :) read more

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Not much to do or see. The inside was run by a couple of teenagers that were on there phones the whole time. When I asked if my kids could use the touch tank they said "wash your hands". I looked around for a sink or bathroom but couldn't find one and the staff didn't lend any help. The kids had put on hand sanitizer prior to going in, so we were going to touch the sea urchin. They immediately closed the touch tank and didn't allow anyone to use it. If they would've been off their phones and helped from the beginning we could have enjoyed it. There are no manatees here, and apparently haven't been for a while. Not worth the drive or money. read more

For an incredibly paltry donation, a very chipper volunteer will guide you through the small visitor center and tell you a bunch of interesting things, and you get to touch stuff in a little aquarium, and that's all well and good. And then, if you're very lucky, you'll walk outside and some wacky looking dude in half a wetsuit, a straw hat, and no shoes will just saunter up and tell you EXACTLY where to find a couple of manatees chillin out right next to the pier. And you will see the manatees, scream with delight, and take a million pictures that look like pictures of a brown lump. The end. read more

This was a fun little place to visit during our vacation. The visitor center is small but the volunteers are very friendly, knowledgeable and enthusiastic to show you around. The admission fee is only $1, so there's absolutely no way that you can't get your money's worth! There's a touch tank, a small aquarium (a large fish tank), an educational video and a gift shop. You stand outside to search for manatee. You can go up top to the small observation deck. There's no guarantee that you will see any manatee, but my suggestion is to stand on the bridge, look down and be patient. We saw four in about 20 minutes, but I stood on the bridge and watched for about 20 minutes prior to that. read more

Came in here because I love nature (former park ranger). The center is small, but really well done. Admission was only a dollar! Great selection of fish and aquatic life. There's hands-on stuff for the kids, including touching animals. Of course, adults can do that, too! I loved the tour so much, I filled out a volunteer application on the spot! Great gift shop, too. Really nice selection of things...all the proceeds go to the educational programs at the center. read more

Best $1 I ever spent!! Volunteer was extremely nice and had tons of fun info on the animals. We didn't see any manatees but we came towards the end of the day. Will be back earlier to try and see the manatees next time! read more

Although manatee are few and far between, the staff was very nice and knowledgeable. The gift store is great. They offer boat rides at 1:30 every day to go see manatee although you may not really see manatee and they are very honest about that, that you may not actually see manatee everytime you come there. It's a very nice place. read more

Hardly any manatees here. There was a guy fishing in front of the no fishing sign. The museum inside is small but cute. The outside space is nice as well. read more

This is a wonderful place to bring kids or just to enjoy wild animals. I visited, and at first, all it was was a movie. It was, however, very informative on manatees in the area and manatees in general. We didn't get to see any manatees, but we were able to feel sea urchins and sea slugs in a safe environment. We were even able to hold a snake. It was a very fun and entertaining experience, and the staff there was very kind. It's worth it, it's not even that much money. read more

Not worth the stop. Paid a dollar to literally look at a fish tank. I was very disappointed.

You can't beat it for $1. Lots of information. Friendly, helpful volunteers do most of the staffing and they are more than glad to show you around. read more

This is a great place for kids. The price can't be beat at $1.00 per person. This is a small center but has lots of interactive things for the kids to do. The really cool part was that we saw a manatee in the harbor just outside the center. Very cool. I would recommend it with families traveling with kids. read more