An Aquatic Adventure for the Entire Family

Kids and adults of all ages will love a trip to the aquarium. Featuring more than 20 species of fish like lake trout, paddlefish, and walleye, as well as seahorses, stingrays, frogs, turtles and snakes, birds, and river otters, this is an environment that will delight and educate sea lovers. Exhibits includes an aviary, a critter corner, the Amazing Amazon, Otter Cove, and more, and teach and entertain visitors to the aquarium. The building is open from 10 am until 6 pm daily, and admission prices range from $8 to $15. There are discounts available for seniors and children under three years old are free.

Membership packages are available for the museum and entitle members to a gift shop discount, a newsletter, and special events. There are also opportunities for members only viewings. The memberships are tax deductible and can be designed to suit a variety of preferences. You can joins as an individual, an individual plus which entitles you to a free visit for a guest, a family or family plus, or a group care membership. All of the membership rates are very affordable and most can be purchased for less than $100.

A trip to the aquarium would not be complete without a trip to the gift shop. You can choose from a variety of souvenirs and gifts including games, patches, mugs, puzzles, stuffed toys, and books. Those looking for an educational experience will love a visit to the aquarium. There are self-guided tours designed to encourage exploration of the exhibits, classes that are geared toward specific age groups, overnight programs that allows kids to spend the night with the otters, a Whirligigs preschool program, and scout programs that offer workshops designed around badge requirements. Field experiences allow kids to take a two-hour field class that gets you out and about, exploring the world of the sea and lake.

Homeschool groups love visiting the aquarium because they receive lessons from trained educators who offer a whole new look into aquatic life. The aquarium's outreach program brings many of their onsite classes into the classrooms in the area, as well as festivals, youth centers, and childcare centers. This is a great way to experience aquatic life if your group is unable to visit the aquarium. Finally, the MinnAqua Program allows kids to experience fishing as a sport through an onsite and field trip outreach program.

The aquariums conservation program features many components. They allow people who have adopted aquatic pets to donate them to the program if things should not work out at home. The aquarium features lessons for those who want to learn the best way to care for the aquatic environment such as gardening, proper disposal of waste, and how to protect wildlife from invasive species. There is also a Minnesota Beach Sweep program that annually takes volunteers onto the shorts of Minnesota beaches to get them in tip top shape and clean them up. Giving back to the community, while sharing and educating is what the Great Lakes Aquarium is all about.