Manatee County residents will get the opportunity to experience The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature for free on select weekends, thanks to a generous grant from The Rotary Club of Bradenton
Thanks to a generous grant from The Rotary Club of Bradenton, select weekends in 2026 and early 2027 will be free for all Manatee County residents to come visit The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature in downtown Bradenton. Selected to allow visitors the maximum opportunity to experience a wide range of the temporary exhibits the Museum hosts every year, visitors will be able to enjoy everything the Museum has to offer, including the Mosaic Backyard Universe, the Parker Manatee Rehabilitation Habitat, and all the daily shows in the Planetarium at The Bishop.
The free admission weekends funded by The Rotary Club of Bradenton will be:
June 13 and 14, 2026
September 5 and 6, 2026
December 5 and 6, 2026
January 9 and 10, 2027
“We are so excited to be able to share all we have at the Museum with so many people, thanks to the generosity of our friends at The Rotary Club of Bradenton,” said Andrew Sandall, CEO of The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature. “We know that sometimes the cost of admission can be a big factor in whether families can visit the Museum, and although we have some existing programs that allow visitors to come for free, they are often limited or only available to people who meet certain criteria. On these upcoming weekends, we know that everyone who wants to come and experience the Museum, see our planetarium shows, and meet our rehabilitating manatees will be able to come through our doors and enjoy everything we have going on.”
“The Rotary Club of Bradenton is dedicated to supporting individuals and organizations in our community and globally.” Said Tom Richmond, President of The Rotary Club of Bradenton. “’Service Above Self’ is our Rotary motto, and members embrace personal and business integrity, growth, and satisfaction in the way we choose to live. Supporting The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature with free admission on selected weekends supports our Manatee families, so that many may enjoy this gift in our community.“
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The Rotary Club of Bradenton is celebrating their 100th Anniversary on May 16, 2026, and is part of Rotary International, a global organization. Our downtown club meets to form friendships and apply our skills to solve local and international problems. Each year we further the education of our local students through high school and technical college scholarships and distributing books to hundreds of local children. Our annual “Meals Against Hunger” assembles 45,000 meals with assistance of 80 volunteers to feed food insecure families in Manatee County with the help of Meals on Wheels Plus for distribution and Salvation Army for packing location. We provide 60,000 in annual grants to support other non-profits in our community. Polio eradication continues as one of our global focuses.
Please join us Mondays, 11:30 at Pier 22 for lunch and a program from a community leader or entrepreneur so you can learn more about Rotary Club of Bradenton, know what’s happening in our Manatee Community, make new friends, and contribute to projects locally and globally.
Facebook: The Bradenton Rotary Club
http://www.bradentonrotary.org
The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature is the largest natural history museum on Florida’s Gulf Coast. In addition to permanent exhibitions, The Bishop features a constantly changing lineup of special exhibitions. The Museum is also home to the all-digital Planetarium, the Parker Manatee Rehabilitation Habitat, and the Mosaic Backyard Universe. As stewards of science and nature, The Bishop inspires curiosity, builds connections, and creates impactful experiences.
