Looking for discounts in the Twin Cities? Don’t just search the web – bookmark this page for all the ways you can save at places around the Twin Cities!
And keep checking back – DISCOUNTS WILL BE UPDATED AND ADDED REGULARLY.
Note: Hours for each attraction are not listed and discounts may change, so check before you go!
Featured Discount!
Device Pitstop of Maple Grove
Device Pitstop is Minnesota’s No. 1 repair store and refurbished electronics retailer for iPhones, laptops, tablets, Android-based smartphones, game consoles, drones and much more. It’s also owned by a Twin Cities mom! I wrote about my first experience there here.
Save 15% off any service, 10% any accessory or get a FREE charging cable at Device Pitstop of Maple Grove! No expiration. Click on the image below to open in a new window and print, or show on your phone in-store!
Twin Cities Newspapers
I have exclusive subscription deals for the Star Tribune and/or Pioneer Press! Check out my video and learn more here.
Save money with my exclusive newspaper subscription deals!
Twin Cities Attractions
These are many ways Twin Cities families can enjoy discounted or even FREE admission to local attractions.
Alexander Ramsey House
- Free for children up to age 4
- Free for MNHS members
- $4 admission for 18 or over or FREE for children age 17 and under if you qualify for the MHS limited income program.
265 S. Exchange St.
St. Paul, MN 55102
http://www.mnhs.org/ramseyhouse
American Swedish Institute
- Bring your kids to Kids at the Castle family gatherings every third Friday and Saturday of the month from 9-10 a.m. It’s only $8 a family and you’re welcome to stay longer! (Ideal for ages 2-5.) Plus they have other great events and programming for youth and families.
- FREE admission for up to 2 through the Melsa smARTPass program (when available).
- Free admission for kids ages 5 and under and ASI members (household membership is $75).
Bell Museum
The new Bell Museum & Planetarium in St. Paul opened in July 2018!
- Free gallery admission year-round for active duty military personnel and up to 5 family members.
- Free for ages 2 and under and members (memberships start at $55).
- Discounted admission for limited income families that qualify through their Explore and Curiosity programs. Qualifying guests receive free museum gallery admission passes and discounted planetarium show tickets ($4 for adults/seniors; $3 for youth). Curiosity Memberships are available for purchase at our front desk for $15, and offer a year of free gallery admission and $2 planetarium tickets.
Children’s Theatre Company
I list discounts regularly for Children’s Theatre Company productions, when available.
In addition, the Children’s Theatre Company lists a number of ways to save on tickets on their website:
- Everyday discounts: Children (to age 17), students (full-time college students), seniors (age 65+), and military families save on tickets every day.
- All shows start at $15: There are multiple price levels available in both the UnitedHealth Group Stage and Cargill Stage, and tickets always start at $15.
- Preview Performances: Be among the first to see the newest show at CTC! The first Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday performances of each show in our regular theatre season are Preview Performances. Preview tickets can be purchased in advance and are sold at a substantially discounted rate.
- Rush Tickets: Starting 2 hours prior to each performance, any unsold seats will go on sale to the general public for $15 each at the CTC Ticket Office. This offer is available in person only.
- ACT Pass Program: This program allows patrons with financial barriers to purchase tickets to select performances at a greatly subsidized rate in addition to receiving scholarships to Theatre Arts Training Camps and Classes. To apply for the ACT Pass program please click here.
2400 3rd Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55404
https://childrenstheatre.org/
Como Zoo & Conservatory
- Admission is always FREE. A voluntary donation of $3 for an adult and $2 for a child is appreciated though and helps Como Zoo care for their plants and animals. (Everyone is always welcome whether or not you choose to make a donation.)
- FREE Lil’ Explorer Thursdays program is from 10:00AM-noon each Thursday in the Visitor Center. Perfect for the 1-3 year old to meet animal and plant visitors, see story time, play games and many other fun activities. Different theme each week!
1225 Estabrook Drive
Saint Paul, MN 55103
http://www.comozooconservatory.org/
Crayola Experience Mall of America
- BEST DEAL: Get Discounted Tickets for only $13.99 through my special link (regularly $21.99; save $7 per ticket!). Just click on my personalized online store web link (URL) and enter the access code TCFM. (Or visit https://tickets.crayolaexperience.com and enter my personalized store name: Twin Cities Frugal Mom) You’ll be able to purchase and print the tickets right away, saving you time waiting at the entrance turnstiles and bypassing ticket booth lines! And they’re valid for up to a year.
- Special promotions are offered for teachers, nurses, hotel employees, etc. throughout the year.
- Visit after 4:00 p.m. and save 50% off admission. (They close daily at 7:00 p.m.)
Crayola Experience Minneapolis
Mall of America, 300 South Avenue, Level 3
Bloomington, MN 55425
http://www.crayolaexperience.com/mallofamerica/
Extreme Sandbox (Hastings, MN)
- Save $100 off any of their packages when you use my exclusive coupon code FrugalMom. Here’s a link with info about their packages.
Extreme Sandbox
1901 Glendale Rd
Hastings, MN 55033
https://extremesandbox.com/
Firefighters Hall & Museum
- FREE admission for up to 2 through the Melsa smARTPass program (when available).
664 22nd Ave NE
Minneapolis, MN 55418
http://firehallmuseum.org/
Hennepin History Museum
- FREE admission for up to 2 through the Melsa smARTPass program (when available).
- FREE admission on the first Thursday of the month from 1-8 for the museum galleries, and 1-5 for the archive reading room
- Free for kids ages 6 and under
2303 Third Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55404
612-870-1329
https://www.hennepinhistory.org/
Hennepin Theatre Trust
- FREE admission for up to 2 through the Melsa smARTPass program (when available).
Manages the Orpheum, State and Pantages Theatres.
State Theatre Box Office
805 Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55402
612.339.7007
https://hennepintheatretrust.org/
Historic Fort Snelling
- Veterans and active military receive $2 off admission every day, and free admission every Memorial Day.
- Museums on Us: One free admission for Bank of America and Merrill Lynch card holders the first full weekend of every month. Bring your card and picture ID.
- Free for children up to age 4
- Free for MNHS members
- $4 admission for 18 or over or FREE for children age 17 and under if you qualify for the MHS limited income program.
Historic Fort Snelling is located at the junction of Minnesota Highways 5 and 55, one mile east of Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport (MSP).
http://www.mnhs.org/fortsnelling
James J. Hill House
- Museums on Us: One free admission for Bank of America and Merrill Lynch card holders the first full weekend of every month. Bring your card and picture ID.
- Free for children up to age 4
- Free for MNHS members
- $4 admission for 18 or over or FREE for children age 17 and under if you qualify for the MHS limited income program.
240 Summit Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55102
http://www.mnhs.org/hillhouse
Mill City Museum
- Museums on Us: One free admission for Bank of America and Merrill Lynch card holders the first full weekend of every month. Bring your card and picture ID.
- $4 admission for 18 or over or FREE for children age 17 and under if you qualify for the MHS limited income program.
704 South 2nd St.
Mpls, MN 55401
http://www.millcitymuseum.org/
Minneapolis Institute of Art
- FREE admission on the second Sunday of the month from 11:00am – 5:00pm for “Target Family Day.” Every month there’s a different theme.
- FREE admission for up to 2 through the Melsa smARTPass program (when available).
2400 Third Avenue South
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404
https://new.artsmia.org/
Minnehaha Depot
- Admission is FREE, though is only open Sundays in the summer from 1-5
Minneapolis, MN 55417
http://sites.mnhs.org/historic-sites/minnehaha-depot
Minnesota Children’s Museum
- $2 off admission with my EXCLUSIVE code TCFM when you order tickets online! No limit. https://mcm.org/wp/visit/
- Macy’s Play Dates- Free museum admission for Macy’s cardholders from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Non-cardholders receive $2 off admission from 1p.m. – 4 p.m. (These days are offered a few times per year.)
- FREE admission on the third Sunday of the month thanks to Target.
- FREE admission for up to 2 through the Melsa smARTPass program (when available).
- Free and reduced-priced admission through the “Play for All” Program. Minnesota Children’s Museum in St. Paul provides free and reduced-priced family memberships to low-income and foster care families and is available to any family living at or below 200% of the poverty level. More info on their website.
Read my review of our first visit to the Minnesota Children’s Museum after it re-opened in June 2017!
Note that they’re closed Mondays (except for some during the year).
10 West Seventh Street
St. Paul, MN 55102
651-225-6000
https://mcm.org/wp/visit/
Minnesota History Center
- FREE admission Tuesdays from 3:00 – 8:00pm.
- Veterans and active military receive free admission with ID on Veterans Day
- Museums on Us: One free admission for Bank of America and Merrill Lynch card holders the first full weekend of every month. Bring your card and picture ID.
- Free for children up to age 4
- Free for MNHS members
- $4 admission for 18 or over or FREE for children age 17 and under if you qualify for the MHS limited income program.
345 W. Kellogg Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55102
http://www.minnesotahistorycenter.org/
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
- FREE admission third Mondays of the month from 8:00am – 5:00pm (Visitor Center and buildings close at 4:30 p.m.)
- Free admission for children 15 and under
- Free admission for members year-round (memberships start at $60)
3675 Arboretum Dr
Chaska, MN 55318
http://www.arboretum.umn.edu/
Minnesota Renaissance Festival (2019)
- Save up to 20% with their Groupon deal! (While it lasts)
- Save $3 per ticket when you pick up a coupon at participating Dairy Queen locations.
- Check out their promotions page. Depending on when you attend, you can get discounts and even free tickets when you donate blood, bring food donations, or even bring your pet. (They even have a Frugal Friday!)
12364 Chestnut Blvd
Shakopee, MN 55379
http://www.renaissancefest.com/
Minnesota State Capitol
- Admission is FREE. Suggested donation of $5 for guided tours.
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155
http://www.mnhs.org/capitol
Minnesota Zoo
- Military Discounts – One thing I really like about the Minnesota Zoo is that they give great discounts to military personnel and their families. Two times a year – in November and December, and for a week in late June/early July – military personnel receive free admission, free parking, and half-price admission for family members. The rest of the year, military personnel receive $2 off regular admission and $1 off regular admission for family members.
- Free admission for qualifying individuals and their dependents through the Free to Explore Zoo Admission Program. To qualify, must be enrolled in a program listed on their website.
13000 Zoo Boulevard
Apple Valley, MN 55124
http://mnzoo.org/
Nickelodeon Universe
- AAA members save $13.88 on the All Day Unlimited Ride Wristband when purchasing tickets in advance
- Costco has offered discounted wristbands
- Tickets for both Nickelodeon Universe and SEA LIFE Minnesota Aquarium combined can be purchased online for $47.99. Or purchase tickets for Nickelodeon Universe and FlyOver America for $46.94. (See their special offers page.)
- Toddler Tuesdays: Five hour toddler wristband for $13.99 + plus tax
- Twilight Savings: $29.99 Unlimited Ride Wristband after 5 p.m. daily. Not valid during special events or with other discounts.
- Military Discount: $10 off an Unlimited Ride Wristband with Military I.D.
5100 Center Court
Mall of America
https://www.mallofamerica.com/directory/nickelodeon-universe
Oliver Kelley Farm
- Free for children up to age 4
- Free for MNHS members
- $4 admission for 18 or over or FREE for children age 17 and under if you qualify for the MHS limited income program.
15788 Kelley Farm Rd.
Elk River, MN
http://www.mnhs.org/kelleyfarm
Science Museum of Minnesota
- Preschool Playdates on Tuesdays: Visit with your preschool-age children between 10 a.m. – noon on Tuesdays, and take part in a special promotion. Purchase a regular price adult ticket and receive a free child admission (ages 5 and under).
- Student Discount – Fridays after 5pm.
- Limited Income Discounts for Omnitheater + Museum Admission $5 or Museum Admission $3 if you qualify.
120 W. Kellogg Blvd.
Saint Paul, MN 55102
https://www.smm.org/
Sea Life Aquarium Mall of America
Read my review of the Sea Life Aquarium where I also shared these tips for how to save.
- First – right now (still active February 2019), Groupon has a deal for up to 18% off admission! You can get:Child admission, Monday to Friday: $14.99
Child admission, ANY DAY: $15.99
Adult admission (13+), Monday to Friday: $19.99
Adult admission, ANY DAY: $21.99 CHECK AVAILABILITY! - Save $5.00 per admission with this printable coupon from Bloomington-Coupons.com (check out their other great deals, too).
- Buy online. Online super saver tickets are discounted as much as $5
- AAA, College and Military discounts. The Sea Life Aquarium offers discounts of $4 off for AAA members with ID, and $16.99 admission if you have a Military ID.
- Printed Coupons. Coupons can be found everywhere – check Subway restaurants in the Twin Cities area, Sea Life advertisement kiosks at the Mall of America, and coupon inserts in the Sunday paper (I’ve found coupons in the paper show up once every few months). Otherwise, currently they list Dairy Queen, SuperAmerica and Margaritaville for offering SEA LIFE coupons. Typically these coupons will be for $4-5 off an adult admission and $2 off a child admission, OR Free child admission with the purchase of an adult admission.If you’re interested in combining a Sea Life admission pass with other attractions:
- Buy tickets for the SEA LIFE Aquarium with another Mall of America attraction and SAVE! For both Nickelodeon Universe and SEA LIFE Minnesota Aquarium tickets can be purchased online for $46.99. And for a limited time you can combine SEA LIFE Aquarium tickets with FlyOver America (and FlyOver Canada) tickets. It’s $29.99 for adults and $22.99 for kids. Visit their website for all combo deals.
- The Big Ticket. Visit BloomingtonMN.org for information about The Big Ticket. This can be purchased online or at the Mall of America North Gift Store. It offers 30% savings by offering admission to up to 6 attractions including Nickelodeon Universe, Sea Life Minnesota Aquarium, Minnesota Zoo, IMAX Theatre at the Minnesota Zoo, FlyOver America and the Crayola Experience. The Big Ticket is currently: Adults $89.00 and Children $79.00 (ages 2-13).There are also other options including year-long membership (prices range from $49 – $129.99) though specials are often available.
120 E Broadway
Mall of America
Bloomington, MN 55425
https://www.visitsealife.com/minnesota/
Stages Theatre Company
- FREE admission for up to 2 through the Melsa smARTPass program (when available)
- FREE and reduced cost tickets, bus subsidies, and tuition assistance to low income families, schools, and social service agencies through their Open Door program
- Pay What You Can performances
- $2 or otherwise discounted tickets to shows for military personnel and their immediate families
1111 Mainstreet
Hopkins, MN 55343
https://www.stagestheatre.org/
Valleyfair
- FREE pass for your preschooler! The Valleyfair Pre-K Pass grants FREE admission to children ages 3 to 5 years old for the entire season. But it’s only available for a limited time. (Registration for 2019 ended June 9th)
- Good Any Day Ticket – Buy a ticket online and save $20. Visit any day the park is open to the public in 2019.
- 2-Day Ticket – buy one get a second for less than $17 more
- Friday after 4pm Bundle – Visit Friday Evenings with Four or More Guests and Save $33!
- Visit their Daily Tickets & Admission page for other current deals!
One Valleyfair Drive
Shakopee, MN 55379
https://www.valleyfair.com/
The Works Museum
- Regular admission is $8.50 per person, but you can get admission for $6.50 per person with my special code! (Children 2 and under are free.) For $2 Off Admission: Use code TCFMB$2OFF in the “member code” field on the shopping cart page. (Not valid for special events) Purchase via THIS LINK.
- You can also save on family memberships: $5 Off Family Memberships (includes Dual, Family, and Family Plus memberships only):
Use code FRUGAL5OFF at checkout. Purchase this at: https://theworks.org/hands-on-kids-museum/membership/. Discounts are valid through December 31, 2018. - Discounts are offered for special events if you buy tickets in advance. Follow their website and social media pages for updates.
- $4.25 admission for limited income families through their Gateway program
9740 Grand Ave S.
Bloomington, MN 55420
https://theworks.org/
There are also many other ways to save on family fun and more in the Twin Cities!
Deals & Events Calendar – View my calendar of local family fun.
Limited Income Discounts – Many local museums and attractions offer free or discounted admission for families who qualify. View my full list!
MELSA SmARTPass Program – FREE passes to local museums and performances! Includes more than I’ve listed above. You just need a library card from one of the 8 library systems in the Twin Cities area.
Groupon – For discounted tickets, dining, shopping, travel and so much more.
Goldstar – See my Half Price Tickets page for half price and otherwise discounted tickets on local events from Goldstar!
Kids Eat Free – My list of Twin Cities restaurants where kids eat free with purchase of an adult meal.
100 Birthday Freebies – You and your kids can get tons of freebies on your birthday!
Do you know of more ways to save?
Do you have a local discount you’d like added here or in another guide?
Would you like your business’ discount featured at the top of this page?
Email me at twincitiesfrugalmom@gmail.com! -Lisa
(Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links that help support this site at no cost to you. All opinions are 100% mine.)
