Manatee Center

Manatee Center We are a manatee resource center in downtown Fort Pierce with a gift shop, indoor exhibit hall, and outdoor waterfront deck area. King Power Plant.
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Open to the public Tuesday - Saturday 10am - 3pm. The Manatee Observation and Education Center is a waterfront environmental education and wildlife viewing center located on Florida's east coast in beautiful downtown Fort Pierce. We are a not-for-profit organization operated by three full-time staff members, two part-time staff members, and nearly 100 volunteers. The Center lies just west of the A

tlantic ocean and straddles the nationally recognized Indian River Lagoon, a saltwater estuary, and Moore's Creek, a freshwater tributary. The site is a historical congregating place for Florida manatees as a result of warm water effluence from the long-retired Henry B. While the plant is no longer there, it continues to be a congregating place for manatees and visitors alike. Come inside the Center to learn about manatees and other wild animals, Florida's diverse habitats and much more. Explore hands-on exhibits and informational displays that are both fun and educational. Stand along the covered observation walkway or climb the second story observation tower for your chance to see Florida's "Gentle Giants" resting or playing in Moore's Creek. You may also see a variety of other wildlife including the Bottlenose Dolphin, Mullet, Brown Pelicans, and Terns. Stroll through the Center's gardens where red, yellow, and purple flowers abound. We are striving to replace exotic plants with native plants to attract Florida's colorful butterflies. And visit the pond area to read about our effort to sprout red mangrove propagules to donate and plant along the shoreline where needed.

🎉 September Fun at the Center! 🎉 Join us for our Lunch and Learn on September 11th, where you can enjoy great learning a...
09/01/2026

🎉 September Fun at the Center! 🎉 Join us for our Lunch and Learn on September 11th, where you can enjoy great learning and great company! Plus, do not miss out on multiple Manatales Mommy and Me events happening throughout the month! 🐬

Please note: our exhibit hall and gift shop are scheduled to be closed to the public for the annual seasonal closure starting Sept. 8th, but you can still explore our offerings online and shop with us 24/7 at ManateeCenter.org.
We can’t wait to see you at one of the Sept. activities.



🎓 Interested in a career in utilities? Come see what opportunities are right here in Fort Pierce! FPUA’s citizen-led Uti...
08/30/2026

🎓 Interested in a career in utilities? Come see what opportunities are right here in Fort Pierce!

FPUA’s citizen-led Utility Advisory Committee invites local students, young adults, families, and community members to the Third Annual Youth Career Event on Wednesday, September 2, from 4–6 p.m.

This free event is an opportunity to meet FPUA employees, learn about the wide variety of careers that help keep our community running, and discover the skills and education that can help prepare you for a future in the utility industry.

The event will feature:
→ Hands-on activities and interactive booths from FPUA departments
→ Opportunities to meet and talk with utility professionals
→ Resume-building workshops hosted by IRSC
→ A guided tour of FPUA’s new Mainland Water Reclamation & Reuse Facility
→ Information about career paths at FPUA and throughout the utility industry

📅 Wednesday, September 2, 2026
⏰ 4–6 p.m.
📍 FPUA Water Reclamation & Reuse Facility
4515 Energy Lane, Fort Pierce, FL 34981

The Manatee Center will be there discussing our positions and roles, as well!

Whether you’re starting to think about your future, exploring career options, or simply interested in learning more about the people and careers behind your hometown utility, we’d love to see you there!

No registration required — just stop by and join us!

Military Families Visit FREE! 💙The Manatee Center is proud to be a Blue Star Museum! Active-duty service members and the...
08/27/2026

Military Families Visit FREE! 💙

The Manatee Center is proud to be a Blue Star Museum! Active-duty service members and their families receive FREE Exhibit Hall admission through Sept. 5.

🐋 Meet the world of manatees
🌊 Discover the Indian River Lagoon
💙 Our small way of saying THANK YOU for your service!

📍 Manatee Center | Downtown Fort Pierce

We’re waiving admission for the day and inviting the community to explore the Manatee Center for free. Stop by, discover...
08/26/2026

We’re waiving admission for the day and inviting the community to explore the Manatee Center for free.

Stop by, discover something new, and enjoy your local Indian River Lagoon.
Please drop in and connect with nature!

🌊Marine Life and Coastal Gift Shop
🐬Tour the Lagoon and Exhibit Hall
🚶Walk along the Creek and Lagoon
😎Enjoy the Look Out Deck Views





Manatees at the Beach!While we may not see as many manatees at the Manatee Center during the summer months, there have b...
08/25/2026

Manatees at the Beach!

While we may not see as many manatees at the Manatee Center during the summer months, there have been lots of sightings along our local beaches, especially at beautiful Fort Pierce Inlet State Park! And with the Manatee Center taking our annual September closure, it’s a wonderful time to explore some of the other places our gentle giants may be found.

Several manatees have been spotted frolicking in the waves, cruising the shoreline and enjoying the cooler open waters. It’s a wonderful reminder that manatees are here year-round, even when they aren’t hanging out at the Manatee Center.

If you’re looking for a beautiful place to explore while we’re closed, or anytime, visit Fort Pierce Inlet State Park where you can enjoy the breathtaking beach, kayaking tours, incredible scenery, gopher tortoises (drive slowly!), and keep your eyes on the water, you may just spot a gentle giant or two!

But please remember: we are visitors in their home.

🚨 GIVE MANATEES AT LEAST 50 FEET OF SPACE! 🚨

If you are swimming or paddling and a manatee approaches you, please do not approach, follow, touch or interact with it. Give the manatee plenty of room and allow it to move along on its own.

And if you see several manatees gathered together, you may be witnessing a mating herd, which can occur throughout the year. These gatherings can look quite active! Please enjoy this fascinating natural behavior from a safe distance and without interfering.

After all, we want MORE manatees, don’t we? 😉💙

📸 And we LOVE seeing your manatee sightings! Feel free to share your photos with the Manatee Center (just remember to take them from a respectful distance).

🚨 If you see a manatee herd or a manatee that appears injured, stranded or in distress, please call FWC at 888-404-FWCC (3922).

🌿 **A Little Seasonal Refresh is Coming!** 🌿The Manatee Center and Gift Shop will be closed September 8 through October ...
08/25/2026

🌿 **A Little Seasonal Refresh is Coming!** 🌿

The Manatee Center and Gift Shop will be closed September 8 through October 6 for our annual seasonal closure.

While our doors are closed, our team will be busy behind the scenes refreshing exhibits, tackling maintenance projects, deep cleaning, reorganizing, and getting the Center ready for another exciting season on the Treasure Coast! 💙

✅You can still join us for:
Lunch and Learn at the Fort Pierce Yacht Club on Sept. 11th
Topic: Invasive Reptiles with Fiorella Fernandez, Education and Outreach Specialist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

And we have Manatales scheduled in the outside classroom multiple times every month.
Our website has info. to reserve and get more information.
https://vist.ly/5g3yf

And if you want a sneak peak in a great place to spot to view manatees locally, be sure to check out the Fort Pierce Inlet Park in the mornings. There have been moms and babies spotted there each day in the morning times.






What an incredible weekend for the Indian River Lagoon! 🦪💙The Manatee Center is beyond honored and grateful to have host...
08/24/2026

What an incredible weekend for the Indian River Lagoon! 🦪💙

The Manatee Center is beyond honored and grateful to have hosted our first of many Vertical Oyster Garden Workshops!

And WOW, did our community show up!

From oyster drillers, threaders and knot-tiers to runners, sweepers and more, volunteers, children, families, organizations, educators and passionate Lagoon stewards all came together with one shared purpose: to help protect the Indian River Lagoon and all who call it home.

A very heartfelt thank you to One Lagoon - Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program for the generous grant that made this workshop possible, along with FPUA and our incredible community and organizational partners. We are also very thankful for the oyster shells donated by MORI and South Fork High School, and to Florida Oceanographic Society for bringing live oysters for our community to see and learn from.

Vertical Oyster Gardens are more than a project, they are an opportunity to learn, participate, restore habitat and become better stewards of our precious Lagoon. Seeing people of all ages working side by side and saying, “I want to help!” was incredibly inspiring.

The Manatee Center is so proud to be part of this amazing community, and this is only the beginning!

We can’t wait to watch these efforts grow. Stay tuned for what comes next! 🦪🌊

08/20/2026

🌿 What grows when the lagoon gets healthier? Seagrass.
Keeping those waters healthy takes all of us.

Picking up litter, reducing plastic pollution, and helping keep debris out of the lagoon can make a real difference. Plastic and trash can interfere with the places marine animals feed and can threaten the healthy habitats they rely on.

That’s where volunteers come in. 💙 When you volunteer with the Manatee Center, you become part of a community helping care for the lagoon, protect wildlife, and inspire others to Live Lagoon Friendly.

Volunteer at the Manatee Center and be part of the ripple effect. 🌊

Learning is always more fun with a manatee! This week's marine animal focus for Manatales is manatees. Come make a memor...
08/19/2026

Learning is always more fun with a manatee! This week's marine animal focus for Manatales is manatees.

Come make a memory together at ManaTales - a parent-and-preschool program created for curious little minds. Join us at The Manatee Center and discover the lagoon through stories, activities, music, and crafts.

RSVP for one of our 6 monthly sessions in the outdoor classroom, then tour the waterways or enjoy the exhibit hall free. there is still openings for tomorrow's class and for the 4th Saturday this month.

Register online at
https://vist.ly/5fe7s

Address

480 N Indian River Drive
Fort Pierce, FL
34950

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 3pm
Wednesday 10am - 3pm
Thursday 10am - 3pm
Friday 10am - 3pm
Saturday 10am - 3pm

Telephone

+17724296266

Website

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