Virginia Aquarium doesn’t list an everyday discount for teachers, but it does hold a Teacher Open House, a single evening when teachers and one guest each get in free. The most recent invitation, as a local news write-up of the aquarium’s announcement reports it, welcomed “public and private educators from any city school system as well as daycare employees.” It ran from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
If you’re a teacher near Virginia Beach weighing a field trip, the open house is a chance to see the exhibits and meet the aquarium’s gallery educators before you book anything. We couldn’t find the next one announced, so here’s what the last invitation said and what you can use on an ordinary day.
How To Get The Virginia Aquarium Teacher Discount
There’s no standing teacher rate to claim, so the way in is the open house evening. The news write-up says to visit the ticketing desk in the North Building when you arrive to receive your complimentary admission tickets. School ID is required for entry, and no more than one guest is permitted per educator. If you don’t have a school ID, it says pay stubs can be accepted for admission.
An older listing for an earlier open house on the aquarium’s own calendar says no registration is required: you simply arrive with your school ID. The newer write-up says capacity is limited, so plan to arrive early rather than count on a spot.
What The Open House Offered
The write-up says admission is free for teachers plus one guest and that you can explore interactive exhibits, attend live animal encounters and meet the gallery educators. The older calendar listing for an earlier open house also mentioned a chance to enter to win a free outreach or virtual program for your class. The newer write-up doesn’t mention a drawing, so don’t plan around one.
Who Counts
The announcement welcomes public and private educators from any city school system, and daycare employees too. We didn’t see a state or school-district limit in it. It’s a one-night event at the aquarium in Virginia Beach, so in practice it works for teachers who can get there that evening.
If You’re Planning A Class Trip
The aquarium’s schools and educators page lists science and nature-based programs for students from toddler age through grade 12. It also describes Access Aquarium grant funding for Title I schools, which, if awarded, would cover 50% of your student cost for a visit or an outreach program. Applications have to be in at least 3 weeks before the program date you want, and the page says not to book a trip that depends on the grant until you’re approved. For questions, it lists the School & Youth Programs Coordinator at (757) 385-0278.
One catch if you’re a member: the page says membership admission privileges may not be used with field trips or group visits.
Visiting On Your Own
On an ordinary day, the admission page lists adult tickets at $35 for ages 18 and up. It lists a $2 discount on adult and youth rates for active military and veterans with a valid military ID, and special rates for groups of 15 or more with reservations made at least 24 hours ahead. It doesn’t list a teacher discount. The membership page doesn’t mention teachers either, and it says that to use a discount, memberships must be purchased in person with the required documentation.
A Teacher Code At The Adventure Park
The Adventure Park at Virginia Aquarium has its own discounts page on a separate website, and it does list teachers. It offers a 15% discount off full General Admission tickets when you book with a promotion code, and the teacher code is TEACH15, entered at checkout. Qualifying ID must be shown at the park. That’s a discount on the park’s own tickets, not on aquarium admission, and the page says it can’t be combined with other offers.
What We Couldn’t Confirm
The aquarium’s own calendar page lists boat tours and behind-the-scenes tours but no teacher open house, so we couldn’t find when the next one will be, or whether it will keep the same hours, guest limit or ID rules. The details about the most recent evening come from a news write-up of the aquarium’s announcement, not from a page on the aquarium’s own site. The older listing on the aquarium’s site is for an earlier event.
Q&A
Does Virginia Aquarium give teachers a discount every day?
We didn’t find one. Its admission page lists member, military and group admissions, and its membership page doesn’t mention teachers.
What did the Teacher Open House include?
Free admission for teachers plus one guest, with interactive exhibits, live animal encounters and gallery educators, according to the news write-up of the announcement.
What do I bring?
The write-up says school ID is required for entry, and that pay stubs can be accepted if you don’t have ID.
Can I bring more than one guest?
The write-up says no more than one guest is permitted per educator.
Do daycare employees count?
The announcement says it welcomes public and private educators from any city school system as well as daycare employees.
Does the Adventure Park teacher code work on aquarium tickets?
No. The TEACH15 code is on the Adventure Park’s own discounts page and applies to its General Admission tickets.
Who do I call about a school trip?
The schools page lists the School & Youth Programs Coordinator at (757) 385-0278.
More Information:
The details above come from Virginia Aquarium’s own pages, a news write-up of its announcement and the Adventure Park’s page as they loaded when we checked, and they change without notice. See more entertainment discounts for teachers.
