Underwater Adventures Aquarium of Minnesota – Mall of America, Blomington Minnesota
Conveniently located beneath the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, Underwater Adventures Aquarium lets you view sea creatures up close while traveling through a specially designed tunnel. The tunnel automatically guides you on your underwater journey via a moving walkway. Guests at the aquarium may feel like they’re swimming right along with the animals.
After a major reconstruction project in 2000, the aquarium now boasts well over four-thousand different types of sea life for guests to enjoy. Built in 1996, this attraction was originally referred to as the Underwater World. Today the aquarium has many extra features in addition to the underwater tunnel.
At Starfish Beach, visitors can experience the thrill of touching a live shark or stingray. There are two separate petting pools at the beach, one to house the sharks and the other which holds the many cow-nose stingrays on display. For those who love excitement, Starfish Beach offers a virtual submarine ride that plunges you to the bottom of the sea.
Underwater Adventures Aquarium also has an outdoor area where tourists get the opportunity to hike along a forest path. Along the way guests can view many types of wildlife including: toads, freshwater stingrays, trout, and a number of different turtles and tortoises. One of the main attractions of the forest area is Brutus, a huge old alligator snapping turtle. The Wild Woods forest strives to educate visitors about native Minnesota wildlife and how to help preserve their habitat areas.
At the Seacrit Gallery, visitors can view extraordinary sea life such as clownfish, sharks, piranha, and an octopus. The gallery has a movie presentation called “The Seacrits of Hollywood” which features several dozen classic movies containing sea creatures. Clips from “Jaws”, “20,000 Leagues under the Sea”, and “The Spy Who Loved Me” are in the film.
Field Trips and Program Information
The Underwater Adventures Aquarium is perfect for family or classroom field trips. There are a number of tours and programs available for children of all ages. Teachers can choose to explore the aquarium at their own pace or schedule a personal classroom guided tour. For an added fee, the aquarium even offers a course in marine science after the tour. The marine science course can be structured to meet the needs of any school age children.
For a night you’ll never forget, why not schedule a sleepover with the sharks? This overnight program is available to entire families or for children only. The program consists of many fun activities including a unique behind the scenes tour, educational instruction, crafts, souvenirs, and a delicious pizza party. Sleeping accommodations for guests are located inside the tunnel corridor. Children under five years of age are permitted but must be accompanied by a parent to participate.
If your child or student has an interest in animal care, the aquarium offers a job “shadow” program that educates both youngsters and teens about the demands of this rewarding career. Students go behind the scenes to see how staff at the aquarium operates on a daily basis. The program is limited to a maximum of twenty students in order to provide individual attention.
Rates, Hours, and Contact Information
The Underwater Adventures Aquarium offers a number of discount rates and package deals for guests of all ages. The following list includes general admission fees and hours of operation:
• Tots (2 and under)- free admission
• Children (3-12) – $9.95
• Adult guests (13 and older) – $16.95
Daily Hours:
• Monday thru Thursday- 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
• Friday & Saturday- 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
• Sunday- 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
For further information, contact the Underwater Adventures Aquarium at:
Mall of America
120 East Broadway
Bloomington, MN 55425
Local: (952) 883-0202
Long distance: 1(888) 348-3846
Fax: (952) 883-0303
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