Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium announced Thursday it plans to build a new $130 million aquarium on 5 acres of land at Nathan Benderson Park. Plans for the new facility include 110,000 square feet of space and 1 million gallons of exhibit water, more than doubling the size of Mote's current aquarium. The center will also include interactive teaching labs, onsite diving programs, scientific demonstrations and a host of other new features, with the mission of providing an informal science education to a larger and more diverse audience. If the aquarium's fundraising goals are met, construction could begin as early as next year; commitments for over 20 percent of the facility’s total cost have already been made.