Long Island Aquarium doesn’t list a discount for individual teachers. What its pages do offer is for groups: a class or camp group of 15 or more guests gets one free chaperone for each 10 paid admissions, and the field trip FAQ says school nurses and bus drivers are free of charge.
If you’re pricing out a class trip to the aquarium in Riverhead, New York, the free chaperones are where the savings are, so that’s what we’ve laid out below. If you’re going on your own with your family, the last section covers what the promotions and ticket pages offer to everyone.
How To Get The Long Island Aquarium Teacher Discount
There’s no teacher rate to claim at the ticket window. The way a teacher gets a better deal is by booking a school or group visit. The teacher resources page says it’s easy to arrange one (minimum 15 people) and that advance registration is required. You can call 631.208.9200, ext. 426, Monday through Friday from 9:00am to 4:00pm, or use the online booking link on that page.
The field trip FAQ adds the practical rules. Group rates are for groups of 15 people or more all arriving at the same time, the reservation has to be made at least 24 hours in advance, and one person pays for the entire group. It accepts cash, checks and credit cards, and school or organization checks should be made out to Long Island Aquarium. Purchase orders and invoice payments are accepted too, if you arrange them in advance.
What Groups Get
The group tickets page says each group, from Pre-K through college class and camp groups, gets one free chaperone for each 10 paid admissions. The teacher resources page words it as one free chaperone for every 10 paid admissions ages 3-17, or one free chaperone for each adult or senior group. The FAQ gives the age band as 3-21 instead, so ask which one applies when you book a group near the edge.
School nurses and bus drivers are free. Once your reservation is confirmed, the teacher resources page says you can get one free planning pass by calling the same number, and that the pass may not be used on the day of your reservation, so it’s for a visit on a different day than your group’s. The FAQ also says the aquarium can customize its education programs to meet specific teaching requirements.
If your group is going out on the Atlantis Explorer Tour Boat, the FAQ says a $250 deposit is required 30 days in advance, along with a copy of your trip itinerary. The group tickets page lists its per-person prices by season and attraction, and it says to call 631.208.9200, ext. 426 for more details on group pricing. It also says there is a 3.5% discount on purchases made exclusively in cash.
Visiting On Your Own
The tickets page says you can buy admission online or in person at the aquarium, and that there is a 3.5% discount for purchases made in cash. The special offers page lists Senior Thursdays, with half priced admission for seniors (62+) on a Thursday, plus a Green Key Card Holders offer and a free birthday admission when you visit within 7 days before or after your birthday with valid ID (a driver’s license, passport or birth certificate).
If you’re also active or retired military, the page offers you and your family 20% off full price admission, and active law enforcement officers and their families get 10% off. The page notes that you must show proper ID to receive the applicable discounts. None of these offers is for teachers as such, so you’d qualify as a veteran, an officer or a birthday guest, not as an educator.
What We Couldn’t Confirm
If you’ve heard of a Teacher Appreciation Weekend with free admission and a 4D movie at this aquarium, we couldn’t find one. The promotions page, the tickets page, the group tickets page and the teacher resources page don’t mention it. The pages we read also don’t say whether the teacher who books a group counts toward the free chaperones, so ask when you call.
Q&A
Does Long Island Aquarium have a teacher discount?
Not for individual teachers. The promotions and ticket pages don’t list one. Groups of 15 or more get a free chaperone for each 10 paid admissions.
How big does my group need to be?
The FAQ says group rates are for 15 people or more all arriving at the same time.
How far ahead do I book?
The FAQ says the reservation has to be made at least 24 hours in advance, and the teacher resources page says advance registration is required.
Who else gets in free on a school trip?
School nurses and bus drivers, according to the FAQ.
Can the school pay by purchase order?
Yes. The FAQ says purchase orders and invoice payments are accepted if arrangements are made in advance.
Do I need ID for the promotions?
The promotions page says you must show proper ID to receive the applicable discounts.
More Information:
The details above come from Long Island Aquarium’s own pages as they loaded when we checked, and programs change without notice. See more entertainment discounts for teachers.