Memberships

Memberships support the care, feeding, and home of our animals, our innovative research, education programming, conservation initiatives and our Manatee Rescue Team.

Memberships are a donation to DRC and become non-refundable 24 hours after the donation is made or after being used for admission to DRC

Dolphin Research Center memberships are good for one year from the date of purchase until the end of the same month the following year. Example, a membership purchased on 1/1/2022 will be valid until 1/31/2023.

“One-time passes” are available to share with friends and family. The member does not need to be present when these are used.

“Annual admission” is the total number of admissions the member can use each day throughout the membership period. The member must be present and show ID. For example, a membership that has four annual admissions would enable the member to bring up to three guests each time they visit.

Major donors ($1,000 per year and above) receive an unlimited number of admissions and shareable guest passes.

As a non-profit organization, we rely on membership and admission revenue for support. Requiring a photo ID protects the value of all memberships. We appreciate your understanding.

To change the address information associated with your membership, please contact our office at 305-289-1121 ext 229 or email the updated contact info to us at membership@dolphins.org.

Absolutely! To apply your admission fees, stop by our tour desk in the Welcome Center with your receipt and we’ll be happy to credit the price of applicable tickets to the next higher membership level of your choice (no refunds allowed). Please have your receipt handy. Only general admission fees may be applied toward a membership; interactive program fees are not applicable.

No. Funds raised by DRC’s membership program support our animal family. Memberships are non-refundable and non-transferable.

There are no discounts on interactive programs. However, all memberships (except E-Dolfriend & Keep-in-Touch) include a 10% discount on most items in our Gift Shop and all photo purchases.

DRC is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. We are closed on Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. For more information, visit DRC’s website.

Yes, memberships are tax deductible.

Your membership benefits at DRC can begin as soon as we receive your application and payment. Please read the following for processing and activation times.  If you obtained your membership:

• At DRC: Your membership is active right away.
• On the phone: Your membership will be active right away.
• Online or through the mail: Your membership will be active within two to three working days (M-F) of receiving your payment.

Yes. If you don’t have your card with you, you can always show your receipt and a photo ID at the tour desk in the Welcome Center.

No. Membership cards and privileges are non-transferable and are only valid for the individuals listed on the card. We will ask to see your photo ID at the time of your visit. However, each membership level includes a certain number of one-time use, shareable guest passes. The member does not need to be present when friends or family use the one-time guest passes. Major donors ($1,000 per year and above) receive an unlimited number of shareable guest passes.

While on the DRC eMembership Card App, choose “Membership Benefits”, then “Guest Pass”. In the upper right, you will see a sideways V with dots. Click on this and you will see a circle appear in the middle of each shareable Guest Pass. Click on each pass you would like to share and then share with your friends and family. VERY IMPORTANT - do not share a pass more than once.

Yes, gift memberships can be ordered by choosing the “Gift” option or by calling 305-289-1121 ext 229.

No. Funds raised by DRC’s membership program support our animal family. We do not assign credit for time the membership was not used. Even if you have not yet downloaded your card, you are able to visit DRC when you bring a photo ID starting the first day of your membership.

Yes. Physical cards are still offered at this time, but will eventually be phased out.

Your membership includes general admission, so members don’t need to book general admission in advance. However, when planning your visit, especially during holidays and school breaks, we recommend booking interactive programs well in advance of your visit to ensure availability.