An aquarium visit soothes the soul with visions of ambling fish and bubbling tanks that make us nostalgic for the gestation pods in which all human life begins. Come full circle with this Groupon.
$25 for Two Tickets to Sharks After Dark (Up to $49.98 Value)
Choose from the following Thursday events:
- August 9
- August 16
- August 23<p>
At Sharks After Dark, an all-ages event running from 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., guests encounter more than 10,000 sea creatures while snacking on nachos and bobbing to music provided by a live DJ. Tickets include admission to the aquarium and a two-hour unlimited gaming card at the Sky Deck in the Mall of America, valid only for non-ticketing games. Those older than 21 can also enjoy drink specials at the Sky Deck during the event.
####Sea Life Minnesota Aquarium With more than 10,000 [creatures](http://gr.pn/MElrB7), 30 display tanks, and a 300-foot ocean tunnel, Sea Life Minnesota Aquarium gives visitors an up-close look at the sea’s intriguing inhabitants. [Sand tiger sharks](http://gr.pn/MEjEMt) feed on crustaceans and squid, one of the world’s largest collection of [jellyfish](http://gr.pn/MEjIMh) floats under multicolored disco lights, and the popular day octopus emits clouds of black ink to prevent visitors from glimpsing its unfinished autobiography. An interactive quiz trail helps deepen visitors’ knowledge of the sea creatures, many of which are on the endangered list and have been rescued or were born and bred as part of Sea Life’s [conservation](http://gr.pn/MEmmS9) projects.
Sea Life Minnesota Aquarium
The scenes inside Sea Life's tanks are like a Where's Waldo? book come to life, except the protagonists within the underwater tableau aren't awkwardly dressed like candy canes. Thousands of fish swirl through the waters, and you could easily spend hours picking out specific species.
Seahorses, on the other hand, swim in open view. So does other marine life—especially once you enter the ocean tunnel, which simulates the experience of walking across the ocean floor. Blacktip reef sharks roam overhead and flash their menacing teeth at the cownose stingrays, who appear to smile back.
The aquarium's more interactive attractions explain what makes undersea life so appealing. At the touchpool, for instance, education hosts explain the lives of coastal creatures, letting visitors touch everything in the exhibit, including sea stars and hermit crabs.