The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature

The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature in Bradenton was a wonderful visit and a refreshing reminder of how much we still love “old-school” museums. What we especially appreciated was that the museum does not rely on screens or digital content everywhere, except in the planetarium, of course. Instead, the exhibits invite you to look closely, read, observe, and take your time. We loved the many dioramas, which are beautifully done and give the museum a classic, thoughtful feel. The exhibits on Florida history were especially interesting. We appreciated the strong emphasis on showing, in great detail, what the lives of the Native peoples of Florida were like. That part of the museum ties in very well with the broader focus on Florida’s natural and human history. The manatee exhibit was another highlight. It was fascinating to learn about the two current resident manatees, how they were rescued, and under what circumstances they may be released again. We also really appreciated that there was a real person there interpreting the exhibit and answering questions. That kind of personal interaction adds so much. We also enjoyed the planetarium show, “Mars: The Ultimate Voyage.” It was so engrossing and immersive that we both felt a little motion sick, which says something about how effective the experience was. Everyone we encountered at the museum was knowledgeable and friendly, and the visit felt both educational and personal. The Bishop is a great museum for anyone interested in Florida, nature, science, history, and a more traditional museum experience. Highly recommended.

This Science Center/ Museum was so much better than expected! I cannot recommend this place enough! From the manatee rehab to the awesome fossils on display and so much more! You must give this place a try. Plan to spend several hours so you can see everything. Be sure to bring your playful energy as there is so much to do in the hands on area! These memories will last a lifetime.

Incredible day at the museum! So much to do. Loved the story time Tales under the tree and the Manatee craft. Something for adults and children. Facilities were clean, staff were helpful and kind. The planetarium was awesome as well.

It was our first time and we enjoyed it. Nice layout and displays. The highlight for me was touching the 7,000 year old meteorite!

This Natural History Museum is focused on Florida and is especially great for kids (and even has a dedicated play area for younger ones). You can spend around 2-3 hours here or more if you plan to see multiple planetarium shows. The Planetarium is great with a variety of programs and videos scheduled throughout the day. It is great that the shows are included in the price of an admission ticket. On top of fossils and human artifacts, there is also a live Manatee aquarium with a couple rescue manatees that they release back into the wild when ready. They do offer student discounts. Street parking is limited but there is a large parking structure across the street.

The Bishop Museum of Science was wonderful. As soon as you walk in the door, you are greeted by smiling faces and friendly staff. First history lesson is as soon as you pass the ticket booth, we got a history lesson on the mastadon on display. Throughout the museum are fantastic artifacts and the viewing of the manatee rehabilitaton area was one of my favorite parts, getting to interact with a couple of very curious manatees. It took a few hours to take in all that the museum has to offer and was completely worth it.

What an amazing experience! I am so glad we finally went to visit The Bishop Museum! The manatees were definitely a favorite! My only issue was the plug-in air freshener in the Planetarium was over powering and awful 😖 the show was amazing but by the time it was over I was sick to my stomach and had a severe headache! I really wanted to see the other show of the day but just couldn't. So just a warning to anyone else who is sensitive to strong fragrances.

Loved it. Clean and organized, nice staff. Unfortunately wasn’t able to see the manatees but did see a turtle:) thankfully our tickets were discounted since the manatees weren’t available. Loved the planetarium but felt like the graphics could be better. But this was a fun place to visit.