Family Fun Directory

Sea Life Minnesota is a for-profit aquarium owned by European-based company, Merlin Entertainments. The aquarium is located on the first floor of the Mall of America. Families can view sea creatures, including sharks, seahorses, jellyfish, sting rays and a variety of other fish in large aquariums and end the visit in a petting zoo. This tends to be more of a tourist thing since the Minnesota Zoo is just 15 minutes away, costs less and provides more. Not to mention that a household membership to the zoo allows you to bring all your minor children. However, a possible upside of Sea Life is that it is housed in the MOA, where parking is free and there are other activities that are also free or offer annual memberships.

Sea Life Free Option

Whether or not you are going to visit Sea Life, it makes a good destination when visiting the MOA with small children. My kids love to hang out and watch the fish in the aquarium at the front of the store. No, this is not anywhere near as cool as the actual aquarium, but for families with toddlers, it can be part of your route when you visit. It is right next to Barnes & Noble, so you can time it to a story hour and maybe even get a treat at the chocolate counter across the hall before walking over to the Lego Store for some playtime.

Sea Life Admission Prices

It is always best to buy your tickets online ahead and if you live in Minnesota, choose the resident deals, they are lower than the already discounted online deals As of November of 2019, online admission was between $19.99 and $24.99. Find the most up-to-date admission prices here.

Sea Life Discounts and Coupons

Let the tourists pay the high prices. There are ways to save for savvy locals. First, Twin Cities Frugal Mom offers these Tips on how to Save on Sea Life Tickets. For Twin Cities residents, membership may be your best bet. A family of four paying full admission would pay $84.96 on the first visit. It does not look like Sea Life offers a family membership any longer. However, individual annual passes are still close to the price of a single visit, so separate annual passes for each family member may still be your best option if you plan to visit more than once in a single year.

Free Child Admission in 2019: This discount was offered in the Toddler Tuesday Q1 Pamphlet: "One free regular child admission with the purchase of a regular priced adult admission. Limit 1 discount per group. Not valid with any other discounts, offers, online tickets, or combo tickets. Blackout dates may apply. " Expires 12/31/19.  Use Online Code: ToddlerFC19.

Birthday Parties at Sea Life Minnesota

Birthday Party Packages start at $129.00 for admission only for up to 10 people. To add a party to your birthday party, the Ultimate Party Pack costs $299.00, admits up to 15 people, and includes a 30-minute party as part of the package.