The Tennessee Aquarium takes $5 off adult and $3 off youth admission for K-12 educators, and the discount only works if you buy your tickets onsite. The Educators page says certified homeschool teachers count too, and that you show an employee ID, a paystub or your certification when you buy.
If you’re bringing your own kids, the part to like is that the page says the discount is applied to everyone in the paying party, so it isn’t just your ticket that comes down. The rest of this page covers what to bring, what the membership discount looks like, and what the page leaves unanswered.
How To Get The Tennessee Aquarium Teacher Discount
Buy your tickets at the Aquarium and show an employee ID, a paystub or your certification. The page says discounted tickets are available for purchase onsite only, so the discount isn’t something you can add to an online order. The FAQ page names the River Place Ticketing Center in the Aquarium plaza as one place to buy tickets in person.
The Aquarium is at One Broad Street in Chattanooga, per the Educators page. If you have a question about the discount before you drive in, the page asks you to email the addresses it lists, and it gives the Aquarium’s phone number as 800-262-0695.
Who Counts As A Teacher
The page says K-12 educators, including certified homeschool teachers. For a homeschool parent, the word that matters is certified, because the page says to show employee ID, paystub or certification, and a parent with none of those has nothing to show. The page names no state or residency requirement, so the offer isn’t limited to teachers who live in Tennessee.
It doesn’t say whether substitutes, school staff who aren’t in the classroom, retired teachers or preschool teachers are covered, so call or email before you plan around it if you’re in one of those groups.
The Membership Discount
If you’d rather visit all year, the page lists a membership discount of 20% off Family, Dual, Family Deluxe and Dual Deluxe memberships. It’s onsite only: you buy at Member Services in the River Journey building and arrive with an employee ID or paystub and a form of photo ID. Memberships purchased online can’t be discounted after the fact, so don’t buy first and ask later.
The page says the membership discount applies to all new membership purchases and/or full-year membership renewals. The membership line lists an employee ID or paystub but doesn’t list certification the way the admission line does, so if certification is all you carry, bring a paystub as well or ask first.
If You’re Bringing A Class
The Educators page has a Group Visits entry for planning your next field trip, and the Groups page has its own pricing. It says group discounts begin with 15 guests and must be scheduled in advance, and it lists education rates for any pre-reserved, accredited school of 15 or more students: $11 for a student Aquarium ticket, with the required chaperone free for the Aquarium and IMAX. The page also says groups that arrive without a reservation won’t be accommodated.
That’s a separate price list from the educator discount, which is for you personally and is bought at the Aquarium. The Educators page also lists Aquarium Educator Guides, which it describes as standard-aligned lesson plans for your visit.
What We Couldn’t Confirm
The Educators page doesn’t say whether the admission discount applies to IMAX or combo tickets, since its wording covers admission only. It also doesn’t say whether the educator discount can be combined with group or education rates, how it defines youth, or whether there’s a limit on how often you can use it. We couldn’t find a start or end date on the page.
Q&A
How much is the Tennessee Aquarium teacher discount?
$5 off adult and $3 off youth admission, applied to everyone in the paying party.
Can I get it online?
No. The page says discounted tickets are available onsite only, and that memberships purchased online can’t be discounted after the fact.
What do I show?
An employee ID, a paystub or your certification for admission. For a membership, an employee ID or paystub plus a photo ID.
Do homeschool teachers qualify?
Certified homeschool teachers do, according to the page.
Is there a discount on memberships?
Yes, 20% off Family, Dual, Family Deluxe and Dual Deluxe memberships, bought onsite at Member Services in the River Journey building.
Do I have to live in Tennessee?
The page names no state or residency requirement.
More Information:
The details above come from the Tennessee Aquarium’s own Educators, FAQ and Groups pages as they loaded when we checked. Offers change without notice. See more entertainment discounts for teachers.