Homeschool Families | Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies | Top things to do Gatlinburg, TN | Tickets, hours, events
Homeschool Families

Homeschool Families

Homeschool families are invited to visit Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies at special rates, offered only at the ticket counter.

Homeschooling at the Aquarium

Ripley’s Aquarium offers special programs for all home education students along with discounts at any time with appropriate documentation! For everyday homeschool discounts, pre-registration is required!

Click here to fill out the homeschool discount ticket form!

The link above is for reserving homeschool discount tickets only. All homeschool program inquiries should fill out the Request Program Information form.

Need to Know Info

Experiences

Classroom Programs

September 16, 2026 – Earth Layers/Plate Tectonics

The Earth works like a giant puzzle! Come learn about the layers of the Earth and how these puzzle pieces work together to form mountains, trenches, and more.

October 21, 2026 – Earthquakes/Volcanoes

Let's shake things up! These natural disasters often occur together and can cause a great amount of damage. Learn how scientists collect data to help minimize the impacts from these disasters.

November 18, 2026 – Marine Fossils

We're going to travel back in time and learn more about our Earth's history by studying fossils. Come and discover the ancient marine past of our local area!

*Make your own fossil lab component – see lab requirements below.

January 20, 2027 – Properties of Water

H20! Almost 75% of the Earth is covered by water. In this class, we'll learn all the amazing things that water can do and see some cool experiments that you can do at home.

February 17, 2027 – Weather/Climate

Have you ever wondered where rain, storms, or snow come from? Or thought about the difference between weather and climate? Come and learn the answer to these questions and more as we explore these topics.

March 17, 2027 – Hurricanes

We'll take a quick trip to space in this class as we learn how scientists use satelites to study these massive storms and help predict their paths.

*Hurricane lab component – see lab requirements below

April 21, 2027 – Marine Debris

Did you know that there is a garbage patch the size of Texas floating in the Pacific Ocean? Let's learn how this debris affects the environment and the animals living in it, as well as what we can do to help.

May 19, 2027 – Interconnections

Life on Earth can be connected to form basic food chains as well as complex interweaving food webs. Come connect with us and learn how energy is moved through these systems.

Program Times

Virtual-Grade K-8: 10:30 a.m.

In Person-Grade K-8: 12:00 p.m.

Summer Series K-8: 10 a.m.