The Ultimate Parent’s Guide to the National Aquarium

Introduction to the National Aquarium

The National Aquarium is situated on the Inner Harbor in downtown Baltimore and has been a popular attraction since it opened its doors in 1981. Visitors can get up close with some of their favorite sea creatures.

If the name sounds different, it's because it used to be called the Baltimore Aquarium, but in 2003 it formed an alliance with the National Aquarium in Washington, D.C. to operate as a single National Aquarium with two locations.  

While the two locations continued to operate this way, the D.C. location permanently closed in 2013.

If you're planning a trip to the National Aquarium, our ultimate parent's guide will give you everything you need to know before you go. The aquarium is home to thousands of reptiles, mammals, birds, fishes, and amphibians, and your kids likely won't want to miss a thing.

When you first walk into the aquarium, you have the chance to get a photo taken, but you can bypass it if you want. Regardless of whether you stop for the photo, your kids will be amazed at the awesome waterfall that greets you when you enter the aquarium.

While every family has their own pace, you'll want to plan for at least 2-3 hours to ensure you see all the exhibits. If your kids leave and can't get enough, you can watch livestreams from the National Aquarium from the comfort of your couch.  

Basic Information about the National Aquarium

Address: 501 E. Pratt St, Baltimore, MD 21202

Hours vary monthly at the National Aquarium, but this is what you should expect for October and November 2022.

October Hours: Monday - Thursday 9:00 am - 4:00 pm, Friday 9:00 am - 8:00 pm, Saturday & Sunday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

November Hours: Monday - Thursday 10:00 am - 4:00 pm, Friday 10:00 am - 8:00 pm, Saturday & Sunday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm, Closed November 24 (Thanksgiving), November 25-26 9:00 am - 8:00 pm, November 27 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Cost: Adult (12-64)/$39.95, Child (3-11)/$29.95, Senior (65+)/$34.95

Memberships are available and vary based on level

Phone Number: 410-576-3800

Strollers are not permitted throughout the aquarium; you must leave them in the stroller check area.

Official Baltimore Aquarium Website

How to Get to the National Aquarium

If you are from anywhere but Baltimore, you’re likely wondering about the best way to get to the National Aquarium. Here’s a rundown of the best ways to get there without a major headache.

By Rail

Amtrak: Penn Station: 1500 N. Charles Street—only 1.06 miles from the Aquarium. Taxi and bus services are available from the station, and the free Charm City Circulator and ride-sharing services.

Light Rail: Convention Center and Camden Yards Light Rail Stops

Marc Train: Camden Yards and Penn Station MARC Train Stops

Metro Subway: Shot Tower/Market Place Metro Subway Station

Driving

From Northern Virginia:

• Take I-66 E to I-495 N
• Take Exit 27 for I-95 M
• Take Exit 53 for I-395 N toward Downtown/Inner Harbor
• Continue straight onto I-395 N/Cal Ripken Way
• Slight right onto W Conway St
• Turn left onto Light St.
• Turn Right onto E. Pratt ST
• Turn Right onto Gunther St.

From the North:

If you are coming from Northern Maryland/Pennsylvania, you want to take I-95 S to I-395 N and follow the remaining steps above.

From the West:

To find the aquarium from the Frederick, MD area, follow these steps:

• Take I-70 E/US-40 E to exit 91A-91B toward Baltimore/Glen Burnie
• Take exit 91A and follow the signs for I-695 S/I-95 S/Baltimore/Glen Burnie
• Take the 1-95 N exit and follow signs for 1-95 N/Baltimore
• Take exit 53 for I-395 N toward Downtown/Inner Habor
• Continue straight onto I-395 N/Cal Ripken Way
• Slight right onto W Conway St
• Turn left onto Light St.
• Turn Right onto E. Pratt ST
• Turn Right onto Gunther St.

Parking at the National Aquarium

The National Aquarium has three official parking partners, and you can pay when you go or reserve your spot ahead of time.

Harbor Park Garage (.3 miles from National Aquarium)

55 Market Place, Baltimore, MD 21202

LAZ Inner Harbor Garage (.2 miles from National Aquarium)

100 S. Gay Street, Baltimore, MD 21202

Parkway Lockwood Place Garage (.2 miles from National Aquarium)

124 Market Place, Baltimore, MD 21202

To receive a discount, ensure you bring your ticket into the aquarium for validation.

Food Options at the National Aquarium

You cannot bring your own food and beverages inside the Aquarium but you can use the outside picnic tables and benches if you have something from home. However, you can bring a water bottle and utilize the touch-free refill stations.

There are three places for food inside the Aquarium:

• Pier 3 Cafe (Open Daily) - smash burgers, chicken tenders, bowls, sandwiches, coffee, draft beer, and more.
• Harbor Market Cafe (Open Daily) - sandwiches, personal pizzas, salads, popcorn, mac n cheese, drinks, pretzels, and more.
• Harbor View Room (Open Friday-Sunday and select weekdays) - bar-style food and drinks.

Also, several restaurants are within walking distance, including Chick-Fil-A, Corner Bakery, Chipotle, The Cheesecake Factory, and Hard Rock Cafe.

I find it best to either bring food and plan our visit around when we will eat, or hit the Chick-Fil-A when we leave. If I give my kids a snack before we go in, they usually are good for the duration of our visit. But, remember, they will do a lot of walking, so you want to ensure you have a plan.

You can always stop at one of the cafes for a snack, but eat lunch elsewhere. While the food inside is fine, it's pricier than bringing from home or going to the drive-thru.

Also, if you are making a day of visiting the Inner Harbor, consider a sit-down restaurant to give the kids a break from all the walking around. Tired, hungry and cranky kids is pretty much the worst combination.

Top Exhibits for Kids at the National Aquarium

The National Aquarium has no shortage of fascinating exhibits for everyone to enjoy. However, I narrowed down my top picks you don't want to miss. For a complete listing of exhibits, you can visit the official site for the National Aquarium.

Living Seashore

My kids love to get up close and personal with sea creatures, and the touch pools at Living Seashore exhibit offer a fascinating opportunity to do that. My oldest is especially interested in aquatic life, and loved the chance to touch horseshoe crabs, rays, and, his favorite, jellyfish.

There also are aquarium staff on hand to help answer any questions your kids may have. In total, the two touch pools have 20 different species with a total of 150 animals.  

I will say, since this is a hands-on exhibit, it can get busy. I recommend trying to fit it in earlier in your visit when the aquarium hasn't filled up.  

Blacktip Reef

If your group loves sharks, you don't want to miss Blacktip Reef, where blacktip reef sharks, colorful fish, rays, and coral all share a home. There is something about watching sharks swim by that never gets old.

The Blacktip Reef is one you'll want to give yourself extra time for because kids can stand in awe for awhile watching the sharks and fish. In total, the reef is home to 69 species of animals, all sharing the 270,000 gallon tank. (You can use that trivia on your kids.)  

Dolphin Discovery

I love dolphins, and always seek them out when I visit an aquarium. Growing up in South Florida, I often would visit the Miami Seaquarium where I loved the dolphin shows. So, I love that the National Aquarium has some of my favorite animals.

The Dolphin Discovery exhibit is home to Atlantic bottlenose dolphins and you can take a peek from the amphitheater or underwater viewing area.

They offer daily talks from marine mammal experts, so it's a great opportunity for the family to learn more about these intelligent creatures.

In addition, you can pay separately to observe the staff during their afternoon training session or take a tour of the exhibit, which includes a visit to the kitchen to watch them prepare the dolphins' food.    

Jellies Invasion

My kids love jellyfish, I mean, who doesn't? The Jellies Invasion gives an up close look at these fascinating, unique creatures. I find the jellies to be quite mesmerizing and could spend hours staring at them. It's actually fairly relaxing, minus the fighting children in the background, of course.

Shark Alley

If your kids can't get enough of sharks, you have to check out Shark Alley, home to various species, including nurse sharks, sand tiger sharks, roughtail stingrays, largetooth sawfish, and so much more.

There is a fascinating experience for $45 per person, where you can walk on the catwalk above the tank and also feed sharks in Blacktip Reef.

Atlantic Coral Reef

The Atlantic Coral Reef is home to thousands of tropical fish, green moray eel (seen above!), and blacknose shark. This is one of the fascinating large aquariums that can keep your kids occupied for a while, especially since you never know what will swim by.

You might also catch a glimpse of scuba divers enjoying the reef! In addition, you'll likely spot the aquarium divers feeding the fish throughout the day.

There is an early access tour where you can feed breakfast to the fish in the Atlantic Coral Reef before the aquarium opens. It's pricey, at $60 per person, so you likely would do it for a special occasion.

Amazon River Forest

The Amazon River Forest is a cool exhibit where you can see an Emerald Tree Boa named Kaa, various turtles, frogs, White-Blotched River Stingrays, and so much more. )

Kids can also enjoy/be thoroughly terrified as they are stared down by a freshwater crocodile, but it makes for great photos. (It's all for the 'gram, right?)

North Atlantic to the Pacific

Finally, if you want to see adorable Atlantic Puffin, you don't want to miss the North Atlantic to the Pacific exhibit. I think every kid loves to see the Puffin, so prepare to encounter a bit of a crowd. However, it's definitely worth the wait.  

The exhibit is also home to colorful fish, a kelp forest, black guillemots, and more. You can also stop by the exhibit to hear more about the puffins, as an expert fills you in on some awesome facts.

Tours & Experiences

While you probably don't want to spend more money, there are tours & experiences available for purchase, like the dolphin one I mentioned. Some of the other options include:

• Family Sunrise Tour - Kids can feed breakfast to aquarium animals, while you enjoy the aquarium before it opens.
• Aquarium Sleepover - Ok, this is beyond cool and definitely worth the experience. Kids can bring their sleeping bag and sleep overnight at the aquarium, and enjoy a behind-the-scenes look.  
• 4-D Films - Likely the most reasonably priced experiences ($5 per person) is one of the 4-D Films. I think this is a great add-on if you don't visit the aquarium often. If I regularly went, I don't think I would add it each time, but it's cool to do once.

Wrap Up

If you are in the Maryland/Virginia/D.C. area, you don't want to miss the National Aquarium. There's something for everyone, and you can get up close with some of the coolest sea creatures, like jellyfish, sharks, dolphins, stingrays, and much more.

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