Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
Located in Bradenton, FL, The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature is a breathtaking wedding venue, meeting space and party location. A number of exclusive spaces set the scene for an unforgettable experience. Guests will be WOW'D by the astonishing spaces The Museum has to offer.
Established in 1947, this inspiring venue is a Museum of natural science and Florida history. Housed on the Gulf Coast, it displays a range of intriguing items unique to the area. This includes fossils, prehistoric artifacts, and so much more. With a number of different venue spaces The Museum offers a glimpse of true Florida beauty.
Our Spanish Courtyard space allows guests to be transported to Spain in the 1900's. This intimate setting is ideal for celebrations big and small. Add a little ambience to your event with our ever present café lighting lending to a romantic and elegant night filled with love. Columns and a lighted fountain add a touch of class and sophistication. There is space to host up to 225 guests in an extravagant affair. One unique feature of The Spanish Courtyard is that The Parker Manatee Rehabilitation Habitat houses majestic manatees who with the help of our Animal Care Team , get released back into the ocean once they are healed and may be present for your special event. The Parker Manatee Rehabilitation Habitat glass walls allow it to be viewable from The Jeanie Kirkpatrick Boardroom, designed for smaller gatherings (up to 60 guests seated) and can serve as a getting ready suite, conveniently located off The Spanish Courtyard.
Soon-to-be-weds can put a unique out of this world spin as The Planetarium Lobby sets the scene for upscale cocktail hours. An open floor plan gives guests plenty of space to wander around and socialize. The Planetarium itself is a great venue for proposals, ceremonies or a display a pre-programed show or personal slideshow for guests during cocktail hour. The happy couple can impress loved ones with the wonders of the night sky.
Need a larger space for a bigger event? The Riverside Plaza sits adjacent to the Manatee River and offers a large, paved, area for your ceremony, reception, and even a band and dancefloor and can house up to 400 guests. This sexy, modern space is for the couples who love to add a special design touch to their day. Adjacent to this space, The West Garden is great for mingling during cocktail hour, with lush grass and greenery spaces. With designated areas designed to house food or bar trucks leave your guests' bellies full and create a memorable experience. Capability to add bistro lighting has been installed to enhance the night sky with some extra twinkle. Additional indoor space allows guest access to our private powder rooms and allows a great cool-off zone for guests.
Come see all The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature has to offer for your special day.
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Pricing details
Couples usually spend $4,800
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Amenities + details
Amenities
Ceremony Area
Covered Outdoors Space
Dressing Room
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
On-Site Accommodations
Outdoor Event Space
Reception Area
Wireless Internet
Ceremony Types
Civil Union
Commitment Ceremony
Elopement
Interfaith Ceremony
Non-Religious Ceremony
Religious Ceremony
Second Wedding
Vow Renewal Ceremony
Guest Capacity
300+
Settings
Beach
Waterfront
Estate
Garden
Historic Venue
Museum
Venue Service Offerings
Rentals & Equipment
Awards and Affiliations
Any questions?
Availability
Reviews
4.7
out of 5.0
29 reviews
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Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
The Bishop Museum is highly praised as a stunning wedding venue with a beautiful courtyard and picturesque surroundings, including twinkling lights and manatees that guests loved. The staff, particularly the manager Danielle, received special appreciation for their helpfulness and professionalism, with one reviewer mentioning Christine's amazing support. Couples found the space naturally beautiful, needing minimal additional decorations, and the staff's assistance throughout the planning process and on the wedding day was commended for making the experience exceptional and memorable. Many reviewers highly recommend the Bishop Museum for its unique and unforgettable setting.
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Samantha C
5.0
1/10/2025
My husband and I recently got married at the Bishop Museum and I am so glad we did. When first touring the space, I had a "this is it" moment. The space itself is beautiful so you really don't need to spend much on decorations. The staff is very friendly and helpful during the planning process. The space is accessible to guests with different physical needs and the twinkly lights make the night feel even more magical. We worked with some other vendors from their preferred vendor list and knowing our team of vendors had worked together before at that location gave me peace of mind. I absolutely loved having my wedding here.
Leah K
5.0
11/25/2024
Honestly I could not be happier with the Bishop Museum as my wedding venue. Originally I picked it because the courtyard is already absolutely stunning and in my opinion, needs very little additional decoration. It did not disappoint. My wedding was beautiful and the best day of my life. That being said, I have to say a special thank you to the manager, Danielle. This wonderful woman eased my anxiety so much and helped make sure that everything went off without a hitch. Thank you so much for all of your hard work and helping me take a breath and just enjoy my special day. I’m so appreciative.
Any questions?
Mackenzie C
5.0
1/27/2024
The staff at the bishop helped me with all my questions throughout the planning process and I felt they were there if I needed help! The venue is beautiful and I couldn’t imagine being married anywhere else !!
Alyssa D
5.0
12/08/2023
I’m so happy that I found this venue on the knot. The location was amazing, there was so many things to do within walking distance. The courtyard was STUNNING and let’s not forget the manatees, they were a huge hit with my guests (and me of course). The staff was so kind and helpful. I did go through two different event coordinators, but honestly it didn’t change a thing. I’d get married here again 100 times.
Kristina G
4.0
10/23/2023
I want to start this by saying overall; we are extremely happy with how our wedding day turned out and the experience working with the Bishop as a whole. I would say our biggest issue was communication- the venue went through 3 different coordinators in the 1 year we spent planning and it seemed like my contract wasn’t handled the best. My contract would reflect one thing, but then I’d be told something else. I would say if you book here- get everything (even if you don’t think you need it) in writing.
Christine was lovely, professional and very helpful- she was the one who pulled everything together in the end for us and we’re super grateful for her!
Farrah P
5.0
9/14/2023
We had a super intimate wedding with our closest family and it was a dream!! Staff was so helpful through the whole planning process and wedding night! You can rent tables and chairs there so one less thing you have to worry about. It’s an added bonus that the courtyard is so naturally pretty you don’t need to do much to make it a beautiful wedding!
Amanda S
5.0
8/25/2023
We booked the courtyard and the conference room. Everyone at the facility was very responsive and helpful in coordinating the walkthrough and the day of.
Ashley R
5.0
4/24/2023
I recently had the pleasure of holding my wedding in the beautiful courtyard of the Bishop Museum in April 2023, and I cannot recommend this venue enough! From start to finish, the entire experience was nothing short of exceptional.
Firstly, the venue itself is absolutely stunning. The Bishop Museum's courtyard is a true oasis in the heart of Bradenton, with lush greenery, beautiful flowers, and a tranquil fountain providing the perfect backdrop for our ceremony and reception. Our guests were blown away by the natural beauty of the space, and we couldn't have asked for a more picturesque setting for our special day. Once the sun set, the twinkle lets kept the magic going. I cannot say enough positive things about this space -- it is stunning!
Our guests also loved that we had cocktail hour in front of the manatee tank. Many guests were not from Florida and had never seen a manatee before. It was such a fun and memorable detail that we couldn't get anywhere else!
On the day of our wedding, everything ran like clockwork thanks to the professionalism and organization of the Bishop Museum team.
Overall, I cannot recommend the Bishop Museum enough as a wedding venue. From the stunning setting to the exceptional staff, everything about our experience was top-notch. If you're looking for a unique and unforgettable location for your special day, look no further than the Bishop Museum.
Hannah O
5.0
1/30/2023
We held our ceremony in the courtyard and reception in the Riverside plaza. The bridal party got ready in the boardroom all while watching the manatees swim about. The venue was beautiful and the staff was great to work with and very accommodating.
The ceremony under the lights of the courtyard was exactly the old Florida vibe I wanted for my wedding.
response02/12/2023
Hi Hannah! Thank you for your review. We love that you had multiple areas and the pictures...
came out beautifully! Thank you for choosing us! We wish you and your family a very happy ever after!
Kelsey C
4.0
12/21/2021
The courtyard at this museum was a dream. It didn’t need much decoration, it was beautiful on its own. I have a special place in my heart for rescued manatees, which pretty much sold me on the location with their habitat located right there. The entire thing was a great value compared to most venues we looked at. You will need to hire from their caterers list, which wasn’t a problem for us. HIGHLY recommend renting the conference room located to the side of the courtyard. You are not supposed to set up before 3:30pm and you cannot begin the ceremony before 5:10pm, so it made prepping that much easier. Also it was very kind of the venue to note that the security (we were required to pay for) never showed and they returned the cost with our security deposit :)
Like others, I’m giving it 4 stars because the communication with the venue wasn’t great. Our original venue contact was amazing and extremely responsive. Once she left without notice, we were left in the dark for a bit before someone finally responded. The new contact contradicted a lot of the things that were mentioned by the previous coordinator so please document everything you have been told so you can back up any changes. Besides the miscommunications, Brandy was pleasant to talk to and very responsive. I’m sure taking on all of the previous weddings was an adjustment. We did not see her the entire day of the wedding, nor did we know who we were supposed to meet with for questions or support until closer to wedding time when our day of coordinator met Alex from the museum. Also, we had originally planned for a late afternoon rehearsal the day before, but luckily I had tried to confirm that was still the case and the venue only told me then that we had to be in and out before 2pm because of another wedding. This is an extremely DIY venue, so if you have a lot of needs this may not be the place for you. We did a lot of figuring it out as we went.
I don’t want these comments to discourage anyone from considering this place. While these things were hiccups, it doesn’t compare to the amount of success the night was for us. Everything that was promised to us, we received. All of our guests were in awe by the location and had nothing but wonderful things to say. I would recommend anyone to consider checking out this venue.
response12/28/2021
Thank you Kelsey for your review! We truly appreciate that feedback and patience. Taking o...
ver 8 months post the last event manager has definitely been a task, without any paperwork or communications left for me to follow so we appreciate that. With 17 years experience plus new staff joining we are so excited about where we are headed. We do recommend a day of coordinator as we do not attend the weddings however Alex is onsite and amazing and super helpful! We are sooo honored you chose us and continued to stay with the Museum through the transition and we wish you the best and most magical of married days!! Congratulations!!
Erin W
4.0
12/16/2021
I fell in love with the courtyard and the "extras", like the manatee viewing tank and veranda entrance, the Bishop Museum had to offer for our wedding. With the lanterns and twinkle lights set above, you and your guests will feel whisked away into a Spanish-style escape. There were a few staff changes during our planning stage but they were always open to questions. In addition, you have to follow museum protocol and open hours so rehearsals and start times are definite that you may need to workaround. I will forever remember my breath being taken away the first time I saw the ceremony and reception space, truly beautiful.
Jessica D
4.0
11/03/2021
We loved this venue! It doesn't take a whole lot to dress it up, so if you are planning more of a destination wedding, that will work to your advantage. Also, how can you go wrong with a venue that has manatees?? Only minor downsides- your rehearsal has to be over a lunch hour which can be hard to get all your people to the venue to practice, and they do give you a specific list of vendors that they will allow (although this wasn't a deal breaker for us as Sarasota Catering did a fantastic job!) My only regret is not booking the holding room in which your bridal party can be tucked away while the guests filter in. Truly, you can't go wrong!
Demi G
4.0
7/03/2021
My wedding turned out beautiful! My reasoning behind 4/5 stars is due to lack of communication from event staff at Bishop. There was a change in event coordinators during my wedding planning process which led to a few miscommunications. I just wish the process went a lot smoother than it did. The price for renting the courtyard was very competitive compared to any other wedding venue around. I stayed at the Hampton Inn next door which made transportation so easy for my bridal party.
All in all it was an absolutely beautiful venue that offers scenery you don't find in a lot of wedding venues nowadays. I definitely recommend Bishop as your wedding venue. But just make sure you over communicate with the staff so you don't have any surprises.
Lauren B
4.0
5/24/2021
Awesome, beautiful venue exactly what I dreamed of. Communication was lacking the first coordinator working there we loved, but she left to another job. The fountain was supposed to be off for the ceremony and speeches, but was on. The only other thing was the coordinator did not help much at the rehearsal so you need to hire a separate coordinator for that, which I did not know.
Caitlin C
5.0
11/13/2020
The Bishop's Courtyard is absolute beautiful all lit up at night and everyone loved the manatees! It was such a lovely and unique venue!
Samantha B
5.0
7/08/2020
We highly recommend this venue. Our wedding was beautiful and unique. So thankful we found The Bishop Museum.
Lauren F
4.0
5/28/2018
We were so happy with this venue! We took a little risk with the outdoor venue but it was so worth it to have a perfect night under the patio lights in one of the classiest venues in the area! And you can’t beat the price! The only reason for 4 stars is the lack of communication with us and a few disappointments along the way- first no de Soto statue, and then construction on the manatee tank so no manatees!
Alyssa H
5.0
4/12/2017
We had our wedding reception in the Spanish courtyard, and we got exactly what we expected. Everyone raved about this location. Debbie at the museum was very responsive to all our emails and questions. We lucked out with perfect weather, which is a blessing because there would not have been enough covered space for our 150 guests to be comfortably covered if it were raining, but we knew that going in. Highly recommend!
Brittany W
4.0
3/31/2017
My husband and I were very pleased with this venue! We did our ceremony in the chapel and the reception in the courtyard. Everything was beautiful. The chapel was a little bit small. It says on the brochure that it can fit 80... It was a very, very tight 80. Probably closer to 60 comfortably. The courtyard was my favorite part. It offered plenty of space for dancing, caterers to set up, and guest tables. The lights and lanterns gave it a very magical feel- just what I was looking for, actually. My only complaint would be that they don't offer a 'bridal room' or place for the wedding party to be hidden away from guests but still on the campus without additional costs.
Natalie C
5.0
1/27/2015
Laurie at South Florida Museum was hands down, the easiest person to work with while planning our wedding. I sent her numerous emails, and her replies were always prompt, sometimes within just a few minutes. She even went the extra mile and reached out to another couple who had recently gotten married at the museum to ask them about a recommendation for me. Laurie did everything she could to make me feel like our event was important to her and the museum. The museum itself is beautiful and unlike any other venue, which is why we selected it. Our family and friends continue to comment on how nice of a setting the museum was, and we couldn't agree more! Just remember if you do decide to have your wedding here to add one more spot on your guest list- for Snooty!
Deanna I
5.0
6/26/2012
The South Florida Museum courtyard is beautiful, and working with Tara (event manager) was great!
Jennifer H
5.0
4/30/2012
This place is amazing! We had our wedding reception here and my guests can't stop talking about it. We had our reception in the spanish plaza the first week in April. It was perfect weather.
The spanish plaza has beautiful string lights strung all across the plaza lighting up the night gorgeously. And to top it off, they have a manatee aquarium right next to the courtyard where you can see one of the oldest manatees in the world swimming as you dance the night away. We also rented out the boardroom off to the side so guests could go in the A/C if they were warm. (It also acted as our rain plan in case the weather didn't go our way).
The staff are very friendly and were very helpful to all of our needs. Beautiful place!
Barbie R
5.0
10/11/2011
The Spanish courtyard connected to the museum is the best kept secret on the Florida West Coast. The cost is right and the ambiance is incredible. There is a small chapel attached to the courtyard, so you can have both ceremony and reception in one location. The venue is beautiful, not much extra decor is required. All of my guests are still commenting on how cool the place was. Tara with the museum is very helpful and knowledgeable. She is always there to assist. Very easy to work with and will allow hot food prep.
Stephanie M
5.0
6/05/2011
In the day and age of way too expensive venues where you have to hire to bring in lighting and worry about handicap access or bathrooms or they are cheap with no character, the South Florida Shines through. The museum is absolutely stunning at night. Completely accessible with adequate bathrooms and affordable!
Samantha K
5.0
5/13/2011
The South FL Museum was a pleasure to work with. We had to reschedule our wedding 3 weeks before the 1st date due to a medical emergency. The museum worked with us and we were able to change the date. They didn't charge us a fee and we got all of our security deposit back. The day of the wedding the museum was wonderful!!! The price was great! We got extra time so my DJ and caterer could set up early and everything cost $2,100.
Jaimee G
5.0
5/12/2011
This venue was great.
Debby D
5.0
12/20/2010
They have several different type of venues available to suit your needs. I worked with Tara and she was awesome. The venue we selection was inexpensive and absolutly beautiful. They are great for any type of venue you are looking for.
Sheryl B
5.0
6/28/2010
We got married at the south florida museum on feb 17,2008. My parents were married there as well. When we decided on this location for our wedding we were so excited. It really does not require many decorations because the building and desgin are so beautuiful themselves. The staff was great. The only con was we had to be out by 12, and couldn't start until 5. But other than that I have no complaints.
Erin C
5.0
5/10/2010
Error 2029;-It's outdoors, so you take a risk with the weather
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