Science Museum of Minnesota doesn’t list a discounted day ticket for teachers. What it does sell educators is a discounted membership, the Educator Explorer Membership, listed at $149 for two members plus dependents under 21. The membership page says individuals employed by a K-12 school, licensed homeschooling educators, and informal educators, such as museum educators, are eligible.
If you take your own kids to the museum a few times a year, or you’re a homeschool parent who wants a standing plan for a rainy Saturday, a membership is the educator discount the museum’s pages describe. Here’s what they say it costs, what comes with it and what they leave unsaid.
How To Get The Science Museum of Minnesota Teacher Discount
There’s no code to enter and no teacher ticket to pick. The discount is the membership itself. The membership page says educator memberships are available to purchase online, in person, or by calling (651) 221-9444. The visit page lists the Educator Explorer Membership at $149 and describes it as designed for K-12 educators, homeschool educators and informal educators, a discounted membership that covers two members plus dependents under 21.
Neither page says what proof the museum wants from an educator, so call the number above if you’d like to know what to bring before you buy.
How The Price Compares To The Other Tiers
The membership page lists the Explorer (Dual) tier at $115 for two named members or one member plus one free guest, and the Explorer+ (Household) tier at $179 for two named members plus dependents or grandchildren under 21. The educator membership, at $149, sits between them and covers two members plus dependents under 21.
The pages call the educator membership discounted but don’t say what it’s discounted from, so we haven’t put a percentage on it. If it’s just two adults and nobody under 21 in the group, the Dual tier costs less, so ask which perks differ before you pick.
What The Membership Includes
The educators page says the Educator membership provides member benefits for any K-12 school teachers, licensed homeschooling teachers, and informal educators, and lists free museum and Omnitheater access plus discounts on parking, shopping, and at local museums.
The membership page’s list for all membership levels adds members-only hours from 9-10 a.m. daily and a 10% discount on Explore Store purchases. The educators page doesn’t repeat those two, so confirm them by phone for the educator tier.
Try A Visit First, Then Decide
The visit page lists adult tickets at $34.95 and youth tickets, for ages 4-17, at $24.95, with children under 4 free. It also says you can apply the value of your admission tickets toward a membership after any visit. The offer is valid up to two weeks following your visit, credit can’t exceed the cost of membership, and refunds aren’t issued.
The membership page says tickets bought for general admission and Omnitheater can be applied toward any level of membership. It doesn’t name the educator membership specifically, so mention it when you ask at the lobby desk or by phone.
Bringing A Class
School trips aren’t a teacher discount, since they’re priced per student, but they’re the other place the museum gives schools a break. The field trips page lists standard school groups at $10 per student for the museum plus an optional $7 per student for the Omnitheater. Reduced-price eligible groups pay $3 per student for the museum plus an optional $3 per student for the Omnitheater, and schools with 50%+ students on free/reduced meals qualify for reduced pricing.
The page says it requires one chaperone for every 10 students and will admit chaperones for free up to a 1:5 chaperone to student ratio. Additional chaperones pay the student rate. For other groups, the visit page says groups of more than 15 people save $3 per ticket.
What We Couldn’t Confirm
We couldn’t find what the $149 is discounted from, what proof of educator status the museum asks for, or whether the museum applies the ticket credit to the educator membership in particular. The visit page’s ticket list shows adult, youth and income-based rates and no teacher rate, and the page never uses the word teacher. The membership page also says membership levels, benefits, and prices are subject to change without notice, so check the price when you buy.
Q&A
Does Science Museum of Minnesota give teachers a discount?
Not on day tickets, as far as its ticket list shows. It sells a discounted Educator Explorer Membership at $149.
Who can buy the educator membership?
The membership page names individuals employed by a K-12 school, licensed homeschooling educators, and informal educators, such as museum educators.
Who does the $149 membership cover?
The visit page says two members plus dependents under 21.
How do I buy it?
The membership page says online, in person, or by calling (651) 221-9444.
Can I put a day ticket toward a membership?
The visit page says yes, after any visit and up to two weeks following it. Credit can’t exceed the cost of membership and refunds aren’t issued.
Do chaperones on a school trip pay?
The field trips page says chaperones are admitted free up to a 1:5 chaperone to student ratio, and additional chaperones pay the student rate.
More Information:
The details above come from Science Museum of Minnesota’s own pages as they loaded when we checked, and prices and benefits change without notice. See more entertainment discounts for teachers.
