Mall of America® is turning 20!

On August 11, 2012, Mall of America® celebrates 20 years of fun. Since its opening, MOA™ has grown to be the nation’s largest shopping and entertainment complex, with more than 500 stores, no sales tax on clothing or shoes, family attractions galore, 50 restaurants and over 400 (free) events each year. With two decades of fun under its belt, MOA is just warming up! More than 800 million visitors from throughout the world have visited MOA during the last two decades, including about 12,000 groups annually.

Mall of America® is also the place for school trips! Whether you’re looking for fun, education, or a combination of both, MOA™ will keep your students engaged for hours… maybe even days! From marketing presentations to music performances, we have something for all ages and class curriculums. Located just 5 minutes from the MSP International Airport and with quick access to Interstate 494, you can fly or bus your groups to MOA smoothly and efficiently. The Mall of America is also just 15 minutes from downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul! School buses use the dedicated drop-off/pick-up area at the north entrance where our representatives will greet your group and begin your activity.

Field Trip/ Group Travel Planning

Mall of America® strives to create valuable experiences for field trips and realizes that variety is the key to fun and education. The Mall offers student group programs, shopping, attractions (amusement park, aquarium, mini golf and more), restaurants (large selection of both sit-down and fast food options), and entertainment (for upcoming events check www.mallofamerica.com/events). We know that budgets are tight and will work with you to include as many activities as we can to maximize your time and budget. Group discounts are available on group services, tickets, and meals; free bus parking and convenient shuttle/light rail transportation are also available to make your experience rewarding and memorable.

If your trip involves overnight lodging, rest assured that you will find a quality (and affordable) stay at one of the 37 hotels located within 10 minutes of the Mall, in Bloomington. All hotels offer free shuttle service to/from MOA™ and MSP International Airport.

Here are some of the exciting programs Mall of America® has to offer student groups:
  • The MOA Music Series® offers schools and community groups an opportunity to perform before 100,000+ guests visiting the mall on any given day. The music series runs during the school year and is available on select days. Program details and available dates
  • Looking for a fun and adventurous way to teach the laws of physics? The Physics Program at MOA™ is your answer. Learn things like how the seats on the Avatar Airbender rotate and how much water is displaced on the Log Chute as your class explores Nickelodeon Universe® to experience a hands-on physics assignment in the nation’s largest indoor theme park!
  • Learn the business and marketing aspects that go into maintaining MOA™’s success during a 45 minute Student Presentation. Students are invited to participate in discussion as well as hear about many job opportunities within the Mall. Presentations can be customized to meet the interests of class curriculums including fashion, retail, security/law enforcement, engineering and others. The informative presentation touches on all three aspects of the Mall—shopping, dining, and entertainment. The presentation also includes a brief history, target markets and consumer demographics, new stores and retail turnover, and the past, present, and future enhancements to MOA.

“MOA’s Student Presentation brought classroom marketing concepts to life and provided my students an opportunity to see marketing in-action! The informative presentation allowed my students to feel the excitement of the Mall from a different perspective and ask questions at any time. The experience has inspired many classroom conversations and will be a field trip my students will talk about for a long time!” – Karen Bates Business Teacher

  • The Mallquest Scavenger Hunt is a great add-on to Mall of America’s® Student Presentation or a fun activity on its own. Students experience a fun and informative scavenger hunt to find as many correct stores, attractions and products as possible with their team in 60 minutes. It’s an effective team-building and leadership activity.
  • The Anchor Drop, in combination with the Ghostly Gangplank, creates the ultimate adventure course. Reach new heights on the Ghostly Gangplank, the tallest Sky Trail® ropes course in the world, challenging guests to climb 56′ above Nickelodeon Universe®. Then take the plunge on Anchor Drop, a brand new spiral slide experience that will wind you down to the ground. A fun teambuilding and leadership activity!
  •  SEA LIFE Minnesota Aquarium offers an interactive, hands-on experience for schools. Students can see first-hand over 10,000 sea creatures at the Aquarium and go behind the scenes to discover how we care for hundreds of sea creatures. SEA LIFE Minnesota Aquarium is a creative way to excite and inform students as they explore an amazing underwater world.
  • NEW South American Rainforest! Be one of the first to explore a breathtaking adventure and come across fascinating creatures such as Caiman Crocodiles, piranhas, Poison Dart Frogs and more within the lush two-story setting of the South American Rainforest.
Beyond the Mall

Minneapolis and St. Paul are filled to the brim with world-class culture, history, beautiful parks, and entertainment. Students won’t be sorry if you extend your stay to venture beyond Mall of America®. Also located in the Twin Cities are the Water Park of America, Minnesota Zoo, Great Clips® IMAX® Theatre, and the Science Museum of Minnesota®. Get admission to all of these attractions plus Nickelodeon Universe® and SEA LIFE™ Aquarium by purchasing the Big Ticket™ Attraction Pass. The Big Ticket makes it easy and affordable to maximize students’ educational experience by providing a bundled 3-day pass with 30% savings on admission and access to 6 top Minnesota attractions! For more information, visit http://www.bloomingtonmn.org/page/1/big-ticket-detail.jsp.

More Information

For more information on MOA™ student services, contact Millie Philipp at 952-883-8843 or mphilipp@mallofamerica.com. You can also visit our website designed specifically for booking student trips to MOA: www.mallofamerica.com/visit/field-trips. We hope to see your group at Mall of America® soon for a memorable day of fun and education!