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National Aquarium, Baltimore, MD

Photo: Matthew Binebrink, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

AttractionsIconicFamily FavoriteRainy-Day Pick

National Aquarium

501 E. Pratt St · Baltimore, MD

Why you should go…

The National Aquarium opened on Pier 3 of the Inner Harbor in 1981 and holds more than 17,000 animals from over 750 species. You walk through habitats that include Blacktip Reef, an Indo-Pacific reef, the multi-story Atlantic Coral Reef, an upland tropical rain forest, and Australia: Wild Extremes, a river gorge with rainbowfish and crocodiles. Dolphin Discovery, home to Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, sits on Pier 4 beside Jellies Invasion. Strollers are checked at the main entrance.

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  • #sharks
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  • #inner harbor

Good to know

General attractions guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Book the time slot, not just the ticket

    Timed entry is now the norm at big-draw attractions, and online tickets are often cheaper than the gate.

  • Grab the daily schedule on arrival

    Feeding times, keeper talks, and shows run on a posted timetable that changes day to day.

  • The first hour is the quietest

    Queues build through late morning and peak after lunch, so an early start buys you the shortest waits.

  • Budget past the ticket price

    Parking, lockers, strollers, and food inside the gates are common extras worth planning for.

What's around here?

The closest stops to National Aquarium, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sightseeing
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    Inner Harbor

    Free

    Stroll a waterfront promenade lined with museums, historic ships, seafood restaurants and boat tours in downtown Baltimore.

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    American Visionary Art Museum

    Under $25

    Explore art by self-taught creators, from Vollis Simpson whirligigs to kinetic sculpture, on a campus beside Baltimore's Inner Harbor.

    0.3 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

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    Maryland Science Center

    $25–$50

    Explore three floors of hands-on science exhibits, dinosaur skeletons, a planetarium and an IMAX theater on the Inner Harbor.

    0.3 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

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    Oriole Park at Camden Yards

    Under $25

    Watch the Baltimore Orioles play in a retro ballpark backed by the old B&O Warehouse, with Eutaw Street running between them.

    0.8 mi awayMore like this

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    Under $25

    Watch the Baltimore Ravens play or take a guided tour through the locker room, club level and sidelines of this downtown stadium.

    1.0 mi awayMore like this

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    The Maryland Zoo

    $25–$50

    Meet African penguins, polar bears, giraffes and elephants, then ride the train and carousel at this zoo in Druid Hill Park.

    3.5 mi awayMore like this