Discount for National Aquarium (Baltimore)?

[Anonymous]

Does Groupon or anywhere else ever have discounts for the National Aquarium? I've wanted to take my kids for forever but I just can never get past the ticket price. For me, DH, and our two small kids it would be $110 just for tickets! Forget parking or any fun extras like a souvenir or food.

[Anonymous]

Do what we did.. we bought year pass because it was such a great savings.. then we went once and never again....

But you sure as heck save on this first ticket!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do what we did.. we bought year pass because it was such a great savings.. then we went once and never again....

But you sure as heck save on this first ticket!

Our total wouldn't be quite the cost of a membership (one of our kids is 2 so is still free). The membership doesn't even include parking (just a little discount)! I remember loving the aquarium when I was a kid, and going at least a couple of times a year. But it couldn't have been this expensive or my parents would never have taken us!

[Anonymous]

They used to have a cheaper price Friday’s after 5.

[Anonymous]

Not tips on making it cheaper but we went a few weeks back, our kids loved it and so do I.

[Anonymous]

They do good marine conservation and education work. Does it make you feel better of you think of it as a do-good donation with excellent benefits for you?

I buy the annual pass, which is a better deal if your family goes at least twice. Plus you get a magazine that the kids love. You definitely don't need to buy a fun souvenir or food there. We pack a lunch and eat outside in the harbor. You can also take the train there to save on parking.

[Anonymous]

If you are willing to walk a few blocks, you can find parking for ~$10 through spothero or the like. It might even be less now with so many office parking garages likely pretty empty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do what we did.. we bought year pass because it was such a great savings.. then we went once and never again....

But you sure as heck save on this first ticket!

Our total wouldn't be quite the cost of a membership (one of our kids is 2 so is still free). The membership doesn't even include parking (just a little discount)! I remember loving the aquarium when I was a kid, and going at least a couple of times a year. But it couldn't have been this expensive or my parents would never have taken us!

In that case I can make it much cheaper for you right now.
If you can't possibly make yourself spend so much money on something that is otherwise really great family event you need to simply refrain your mind and justify it properly.

I will try to do this for you.

Can you afford a movie ticket for a good movie for the whole family at $13 for kid and $16 for adults. I am talking some amazing movie opening you have been waiting forever... Probably yes, if you played it right. That means 26 for kids plus 32 for adults = total of 58 dollars.

Can you afford a dinner out for the whole family ending up paying 55 Dollars? Once in a blue moon? probably yes.


Now back to the Aquarium. 110 Bucks is a whole lot, but in terms of the movie going or dinner, it is about twice the cost.
Consider that this is first time ever you are doing it and probably won't do it again in couple of years.
Consider that this is a money well spend because unlike eating or movie going the kids can learn a lot from the experience, a whole lot, and adding to this movement, they are also getting a good exercise. So added academic benefit and health benefit.. built into the experience.
Consider the cost of upkeep of ALL MILLION fishes and animals there. It is GARGANTUAN job to keep all this fauna alive. It is impossible task, and so when you pay for the ticket you are not paying for a visit but you are making it all possible. You are paying for what it is really worth and cost.
Is it more healthy to go and see the fishies then eat them or watch them on screen. ABSOLULTELY.

So cook more at home, watch more at home and you probably already did because of covid so you accumulated all those savings by not dinning out or going to theater in a a year so you have a budget!

For the rest of the emotional trauma take the sum and budget it wisely:
file as follows;

Aquarium tickets 10 per person, total of = 40 dollars
Education value per child 20 dollars = 40 dollars
Doing something very special and unique
for the whole family which will be
remembered forever as opposed to
dinner or movie theater ..
so file as Making Lifetime Memories = 20 dollars
the pain that will make sure you
spending so much and so you
will never forget how much you paid = 10 dollars
--------------------------------------------------------------

Total of: 110 dollars



I tell you this, chances are that you really won't be going there
every year and kids will remember this trip forever.

So for the forever memory event, really doable.

Doing it once a month. I would say ouch!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are willing to walk a few blocks, you can find parking for ~$10 through spothero or the like. It might even be less now with so many office parking garages likely pretty empty.

Husband drop the gang off and the gang waits in line for tickets, hubby parks and joins.

[Anonymous]

By a year long family pass and go multiple times throughout the year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:By a year long family pass and go multiple times throughout the year.

This is what we did. We purchased an annual family membership for three years when the kids were little. Two trips and we had saved money on the cost of the tickets. We went 2-3 times per year for those three years. At various times, I got family memberships to the Baltimore Zoo, the B&O Train museum, the National Aquarium, and the current one (my twins are 9) was at MD Science Center, until the pandemic. The kids really want to go back to MD Science Center, so when we feel safe to go back, I'll renew our membership there.

The nice thing about the annual membership is that I can take the kids and we can spend as little or as long as we want. I don't feel the need to "get our money's worth" out of the trip since we will be back at least twice over the year and get our money's worth. So we can go for 3-4 hours or for a day.

[Anonymous]

I think it's a shame that it costs so much because it keeps a lot of poor and middle class kids out. And to the pp talking about movie tickets- we've never taken our kids to the movies, so your argument is moot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's a shame that it costs so much because it keeps a lot of poor and middle class kids out. And to the pp talking about movie tickets- we've never taken our kids to the movies, so your argument is moot.

Definitely this!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's a shame that it costs so much because it keeps a lot of poor and middle class kids out. And to the pp talking about movie tickets- we've never taken our kids to the movies, so your argument is moot.

You are on your own then OP. Tried my best.

File under "academic development then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's a shame that it costs so much because it keeps a lot of poor and middle class kids out. And to the pp talking about movie tickets- we've never taken our kids to the movies, so your argument is moot.

Well how do you expect them to be able to operate the facility without the revenue from tickets?