Chattanooga, Tenn. (Sept. 9, 2026) – That new semester smell is still lingering in the air, but is there ever a bad time to take a break from classes, especially when the distraction arrives with a hefty discount?
During the Tennessee Aquarium’s biannual College Days and Partner Days celebration from Thursday, Sept. 10, to Wednesday, Sept. 30, college students, faculty and staff receive 50% off admission to the Aquarium and tickets to 45-minute IMAX films. This same discount is available to employees of Aquarium sponsors and corporate partners during this period.
To receive the discount, tickets must be purchased on-site at the Aquarium’s Riverplace Ticketing Center (1 Broad St.) or the IMAX 3D Theater box office (201 Chestnut St.). Guests must present a valid college ID, transcript, employee pay stub or workplace ID.
These discounts apply to an eligible individual’s entire visiting party and reduce individual tickets to $20 for guests 18 and older (reg. $39.95) and $15 for youths ages 4–17 (reg. $29.95). Children younger than 4 receive free Aquarium admission.
With the discount, 45-minute IMAX film tickets for adults and youths ages 4–17 are $5 (reg. $9.95). This discount does not apply to feature-length film screenings.
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In this scene from Wild Asia: Life at Extremes 3D, three Bengal Tiger siblings filmed from a drone in Western Nepal, spend daylight hours hiding in the long elephant grass. This helps them keep cool from the intense heat in the months before the monsoon. (Credit: BBC Studios / Henry Lin) -
A snap of a shoal of Snappers taken in Raja Ampat, Indonesia, seen in Ocean Dreams (Credit: SK Films)
There’s plenty to see for new and returning visitors in the new Scuttlebutt Reef gallery, which opened in March. Designed to dispel animal rumors you might have heard around the “scuttlebutt” — a sailing ship’s precursor to the modern watercooler — this latest addition to the Ocean Journey building features a whimsical collection of 11 exhibits showcasing marvelously mysterious, delightfully misunderstood marine animals.
The gallery’s centerpiece exhibit is a 6,000-gallon reproduction of the Coral Triangle, a massive and diverse region of the Indo-Pacific Ocean. This bustling aquatic community features more than 40 species of fish, corals and other marine invertebrates. As guests explore the rest of the gallery, they’ll encounter extraordinary marine life including double-jawed Green Moray Eels, power-punching Peacock Mantis Shrimp and suction cup-like Siberian Lumpsuckers.
Need fun on an even bigger scale? At the IMAX 3D Theater, Wild Asia: Life at Extremes 3D takes viewers on an epic journey across the varied landscapes of the planet’s largest continent. From elusive Snow Leopards prowling the Himalayan Mountains to Long-eared Jumping Jerboa using a grab-bag of wild adaptations to survive the heat of the Gobi Desert, viewers learn about how animals thrive in some of Earth’s most-extreme habitats.
Viewers hoping to learn more about aquatic life can embark on a global adventure beneath the waves with Ocean Dreams 3D. From the towering fjords of Norway to the life-rich waters of Indonesia’s reefs, the film invites viewers to dive with Wolffish and soak in the brimming splendor of the Bikini Atoll.
Want to extend your visit and enjoy a year of wonder at the Aquarium? Eligible guests can save 15% on annual membership during College and Partner Days.
Learn more about College Days at tnaqua.org/college-days/
The Aquarium is proudly supported by more than 75 corporate partners and sponsors. To see if your employer is a partner — or to learn more about how corporate sponsorship can benefit your business while aiding the Aquarium’s non-profit mission — visit tnaqua.org/partner-days/