First Responder Appreciation Month is still on at SEA LIFE at Mall of America. If you've spent the year running toward emergencies, the aquarium is letting you in free for the rest of October, and your family and friends get a discount too.
Here's how it works, per the mall's event listing. First responders get in free, and up to 6 friends and family members get 30% off. Children under 2 are always free. One catch: the responder's free ticket only works if the group buys at least 1 discounted Friends and Family ticket. A solo visit doesn't qualify.
Bring proof of the job. You'll need to show a first responder employer ID or a recent pay stub at the admissions desk. Tickets are sold onsite only and are limited, so get there early if you're going on a busy weekend. The aquarium is at 2131 Lindau Lane, inside the mall.
The fine print has gotten messier since this promotion first went up. SEA LIFE's own first responder page now shows the aquarium's August Teacher Appreciation Month instead, so the mall's calendar is the best place left to check the details. That listing says the deal runs October 1–31, 2026. The aquarium's page had earlier listed October 1–30. If the 31st is your only option, call ahead. Otherwise, go on the 30th or earlier.
The copy-and-paste problem has also moved. The mall's listing clearly asks for first responder ID, but its fine print now says that "to redeem a free healthcare ticket," you have to buy a 30% off Friends and Family ticket. That wording appears to be left over from the aquarium's healthcare worker promotion. It doesn't change the rule: the responder gets in free once the group buys at least 1 discounted ticket. Still, if you're not sure your job counts, call the aquarium before you load the whole family into the car. Nobody wants to argue eligibility at the admissions desk with 6 people waiting behind them.
Hours change, so check the aquarium's hours for the day you're planning on before heading over.
