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National Aquarium In Baltimore
Categories: Active Life Aquariums Arts & Entertainment Museums Aquariums, Museums [Edit]
501 E Pratt StBaltimore, MD 21202
Neighborhood: Inner Harbor
(410) 576-3800
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 9 am - 5 pm
Fri 9 am - 8 pm
Sat 9 am - 6 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
223 reviews for National Aquarium In Baltimore
Review Highlights
"The dolphin show at the end is absolutely amazing."
(in 91 reviews)
"I loved the bird room and the tropical rain forest."
(in 15 reviews)
"...and animals, especially the giant sea turtle and even the..."
(in 4 reviews)
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223 reviews in English
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Review from Carol B.
1/29/2012
Everything that you want in an Aquarium...plus a little bit more.
We recently went on a daytrip to this Aquarium. Although it was a bit crowded and I didn't really care for the layout of the place, it was a great experience and the aquarium had a lot of exhibits.
They have everything from aquarium standards like sharks, rays and eels...to jelly fish, which you don't always see at an aquarium. An added plus was that the place was very well-staffed and everyone who worked there seemed very informed about their section.
The Dolphin Show was pretty cool. Also gets very crowded, so do show up early to your showing. Don't sit in the Splash Zone unless you're looking to take a bath.
We also had tickets for the 4D show which nearly gave me a heart attack. I won't give it away here, but if you have back problems you might not want to take part in this.
This Aquarium also has an indoor "rain forest" and a coral reef exhibit. While I have visited a couple of aquariums, I have never been to one where I was able to see live divers jumping into the tanks to feed and interact with the fish...So that was also a cool experience.
Souvenirs are expensive just like everywhere else...This is a great trip to bring the kids along on. There are also a couple of other museums in the area (African-American History, Children's Museum)...so Baltimore definitely makes for an interesting trip. -
Review from Edward L.
1/25/2012 1 Check-in Here
I was 13 years old the first time I came here on a class field trip. It was fun and educational at the same time. Fast forward to age 31. I came here for the second time ever with my wife since we took the day off work to celebrate our 2nd wedding anniversary. We received our tickets as part of our stay at the Hotel Monaco in Baltimore (great place, btw, see my review). We decided to upgrade the standard tickets to include the dolphin show ($3/person). We arrived 45 minutes before the dolphin show and started our visit of the place by starting backwards. The aquarium is laid out in pavilions labeled numerically. To avoid the crowd of people, we started from the rear. We also did this since the dolphin show would be opening its doors soon and we wanted to get a good seat.
Lots to see and there are even handlers holding animals for you to see up close and even touch. My wife fell in love with the bearded dragon and wants one now. Hopefully, that desire will fade before she goes out and buys one.
The dolphin shows was just as I remembered: cute and fun. The other exhibits were great: sharks, rainforest animals, rays, frogs, snakes, etc. The jellyfish near the dolphin section was a cool one to see.
Definitely recommend it for anyone: kids, teens, young adults, and old adults. -
Review from Joey A.
Ashburn, VA
1/25/2012
I don't get the rave reviews here..... We spent the weekend in Baltimore with our two kids (10/6) and hit this place when it opened at 10AM on a Monday.
The "Meh's":
1. The displays are nothing more than any other "ok" aquarium. Big tanks with rays/sharks-Yep, that's what you pay to see.
2. The route through it was so disorganized (no flow) they actually had staff in a number of places to tell you to turn around. I know there was some construction going on but it appeared this wasn't the reason for the staff being in certain places.
3. Expensive food and gift shop. I don't mind buying a $15 octopus, but at least make it big enough to cover my hand.
4. The younger staff in the shops and support folks (cleaning/maint) were about as friendly as a guppy. Not even a smile when I said hello.
5. Dolphin show. I didn't expect Shamu's Seaworld fireworks, but "lame" is the best word I can think of to describe it.
a. The announcer said her lines like a robot and seemed to have little interest in the crowd.
b. The dolphins did a total of six jumps, which, lets be honest, is what we all paid to see. It makes the kids scream and grown-ups clap. They had the little globes over the pool but only used them once and that was the only time a dolphin actually jumped "high".
c. Three times, we were directed to watch the Dolphin swim around the tank to show off it's power.
The "Good's"
1. The older staff was VERY nice and helpful. An older gent gave us some tips on how best to see things.
2. The place was clean.
Bottom Line:
If you are in Baltimore and need a place to go with the kids, by all means go here. But, if you live north of Baltimore, go to Camden. If you live in DC, sadly, this is way better than the National Aquarium Downtown. -
Review from Joe K.
1/13/2012
I love the Aquarium, and so does everyone else. Internationally, Maryland attracts attention to their Aquarium. Over the years the facility as grown to offer a better assortment of Jungle birds, frogs, spiders and plants.
The Dolphin show was always one of the best things to see, however over the years the prices have gone up and tickets sell out quick, so make sure to get their early or order online prior.
You'll start by seeing the rays swimming throughout the tanks, and a mix of other fish. As you progress to the top of the facility you will ride escalators over their tanks, making the trips in between floors visually stimulating.
Dolphins, Sharks, Fish, Jellies and so much more in the aquatic offerings at the National Aquarium. Once at the top you will get into a smaller bird, jungle plants and species . There is a much larger display of birds and other jungle life.
There is food at the end of the fish mazes you'll end up running into it and you may exit the facility or re-enter to get back to a show or a different floor.
Staff is awesome, and their dedication is amazing. You'll find some of the best knowledge through their tours.
- Handicap accessible
- Field-trip pricing is offered through their website, please refer to their website and book a head of time.
- An excellent place to visit and a must during your stay in Baltimore.
- Friday's offer discounted pricing for visiting after 5pm.Listed in: Best of Inner Harbor -…
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Review from Dena G.
Cranford, NJ
1/2/2012
Decent aquarium. I was expecting to see more exhibits but what they provided was very clean and well presented.
Skip paying extra for the dolphin show and go down to the lower level where you can see them in the tanks underwater while the performance is going on. It's awesome! While waiting for their next trick they frolic with each other and that's the real entertainment.
All in all, a nice, clean aquarium that I'm sure is much enjoyed by the little ones. -
Review from pracheta t.
Pittsburgh, PA
1/19/2012
Great place. We haven't been back since we were little kids so we decided to make a trip. Even as an adult, I remained in awe and rediscovered that sense of wonderment. Price wasn't bad and made for a great way to spend an afternoon.
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Review from Denise M.
Apex, NC
11/20/2011
There's a special on Friday nights after 5pm that includes the dolphin show for less than the price of regular admission; although you can't enter after 8pm, you can stay until 9:30. 3 hours is plenty of time. The dolphin show is great - not many aquariums have a full arena with a show like this.
Most of the bottom floor is an open aquarium with walking paths over the water, where all kinds of rays and small sharks swim free - and there's also a giant sea turtle - he doesn't come out often, but when he does, it's a treat!
There are also plenty of unusual animals - an 8' octopus,several nautilus (nautili??), and I didn't know there were so many different kinds of jelly fish.
Highly recommended! -
Review from Jenn H.
Fullerton, CA
11/14/2011
Went here on a recent visit to the Inner Harbor and was not disappointed. We did all three attractions (the aquarium, the dolphin show, and the 4D movie).
The aquarium was fantastic (especially the Australian exhibit). The dolphin show was fun although corny. The girl who was the announcer was very scripted but the trainers were good. Probably could have skipped the 4D movie although the experience was pretty funny to see people screaming when air or water is blown on their face or the back of their seat pokes them. However, the movie was a Planet Earth segment and the 4D experience really took away from the amazing film in my opinion. I would have liked it better in a 2D format...but that's just me. I'm sure the kids in the audience loved the effects.
Overall, worth the money to visit the aquarium if you are visiting the Inner Harbor.Listed in: Baltimore Inner Harbor
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Review from Nick N.
Washington, DC
Food: 1/5
Service: 4/5
Cleanliness: 5/5
Decor & Style: 5/5
Yes this is one of the bests i've seen in the US. But I still rank it as my 3rd favorite one. However, the dolphin show here was better than Sea World Orlando! The dolphins mimicking the trainers was hilarious. Something I did not see in Orlando.
1. Monterey Bay
2. Dallas
3. B-More
Oh and don't eat the pizza here. -
Review from Christina G.
Durham, NC
10/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
Really stellar aquarium. I've been going here since I was just a tot spending summers with my grandparents. I've been dying to see the Australian build-on since it was added several years ago, and finally found time to do it this Monday.
If you're planning to visit, make it a weekday if it all possible. Getting through the ticket line was a breeze, and we didn't have to volley for face time with nearly any of the exhibits. They've made some great updates since I'd last visited -- particularly with the touch-activated signage by the rays exhibit -- you can select the type of fish you're interested in learning about, and hone in on details like size, diet, location, and video footage.
I love the layout of this place too -- it's very intuitive; you don't even need to use the map. And it's pretty impossible to miss any exhibits because of this. One of my favorite areas is the spiral ramps that take you down the center of the large tank featuring a few species of sharks among other sealife. So amazing to observe these creatures so up-close. I also particularly enjoyed the temporary exhibit of jellyfish -- great variety, and just beautiful in their movement and colors.
The Australian area honestly ended up being a bit of a letdown. It's only two levels, and considerably smaller than I'd anticipated. I couldn't find many of the birds that were posted, and the marine life seemed to be more of the same.
I would recommend paying the extra few bucks to upgrade your ticket to include the dolphin show. This is about a 20-minute feature with five bottlenose dolphins that are trained to show off their smarts and agility with tricks and jumps that will be entertaining for both kids and adults.
The only reason I can't slap a 5th star on here is because the cost ($25-30 for an adult) really is steep. So much more than going to the zoo (which is pretty equally awesome) back home. If they offered some more interactive opportunities with animal trainers or marine biologists, perhaps it would help boost that value.
Plan to spend about 2-3 hours in order to leisurely enjoy everything that's there!Listed in: Maryland
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Review from Jessica C.
Toms River, NJ
11/28/2011
There is nothing to add that the other reviewers haven't already said. This place is ginornous, and beautiful. The amount of different species is astounding. There were very few empty exhibits. The rain forest room I could have hung out in for days. The 4D experience was awesome and the food court was delicious. We went on Halloween weekend so there were pumpkins hiding in many of the tanks and displays. It was so cute.
My only complaint is that I am saddened by any dolphin show, there is way too much information out there about how inhumane they are for me to enjoy it. -
Review from Jennifer M.
Sterling, VA
10/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Wow. Not only are tickets expensive, parking is quite expensive too.
The aquarium... is not a small one. But it's not a big one either. And they don't really have too much variety in terms of viewing. And it gets reaaaaaally crowded with all the folks who just will not stop taking pictures of every little thing in the tank. We literally had to wait as people had some intense photoshoots.
Honestly, wasn't too worth it. I expected a lot more from a "national aquarium" -
Review from Julia R.
11/9/2011
Review for Adults. Not for kids.
I was so stoked as someone who has studied marine biology as was a career scuba diver to go to the aquarium when I had a friend visiting.
So. Disappointing.
For kids, fine. Kids like anything bright and shiny and moving. For anyone else? The rainforest is depressing, the Jellyfish exhibit is actually stupid and tiny, and the actual sea-life is totally limited. -
Review from Patricia S.
New York, NY
11/7/2011
There are four magnificent areas:
Sharks and Other - this is the largest main part and the highlight for us was the GIGANTIC Octopus. It is massive and beautiful. I have never seen anything like it, and I've been to my fair share of Aquariums and have been scuba diving multiple times.
Dolphins and Jellies - it really is just those two things. The dolphins are so neat to watch and so are the Jellies. They're sort of in separate areas and are kept apart from the rest of the museum.
Rainforest - There are birds flying around and other neat things to notice, but the best thing is the Sloth. Hopefully he's a bit active while you're there, because he is really cool.
Australia - This reminded me of the Rainforest part in look and feel. It's smaller though, but still nice.
Yes, an adult ticket is $24, which is a bit steep for a 2 hour activity, but it was gobs of fun! We made some great memories there!
Other highlights: Gigantic sea turtle, uber small poisonous frogs, a couple Tarantulas, and electric eel. -
Review from randy b.
Baltimore, MD
Updated - 10/17/2011
Good news! The aquarium is still great.
Bad news... you can no longer upload pics to Facebook for free.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/27/2010
Get a membership. Just get one. Go 3 times a year and it pays for itself. The 4D theater is good for… Read more »
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Review from Juliann A.
Washington, DC
9/21/2011
It's an outstanding aquarium. Even though the expensive tickets have your tour times printed on them, there can be a gazillion people in there. I'm sure some of the aquatic creatures and marine mammals are like, "I've seen some large schools of fish before, but WTF are all these people doing in here? I feel sorry for you humans packed into this place like sweaty, smelly sardines."
If you can, I suggest you go on Friday evenings when it's not so crowded and "prices dive after five," to only $8. -
Review from Sarah B.
1/7/2012
Just visited the National Aquarium in Baltimore. What a great time we had! Just about every exhibit we went to we were greeted by friendly staff who seemed genuinely enthused about being there and seeing all the kids so overjoyed by the experience. It was really thrilling for our 2 year old and her friend. Though we didn't make it to the dolphin show, we covered pretty much the whole place in about 2 hours (we were taking our time). It was really an awesome day. The food is obviously overpriced, so we opted to eat across the street at Potbelly's, definitely a good call. Lots of people complain about how much it costs to get into the aquarium, but kids under 3 get in for free and I'd say it was worth the $24.95 per adult, no question. I could think of a lot lamer ways to spend 25 bucks! Oh, favorite exhibit of the day, SHARKS, no doubt. The kids were blown away walking down the windy ramp as the sharks zoomed by. Definitely looking forward to heading back to the National Aquarium soon.
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Review from Firstname L.
Kingston, NY
10/8/2011
I never do this. I feel it's unfair to leave a review for a place that you haven't actually been to, especially if it's a low rating.
However, this really was my impression of the place so I felt compelled to leave this review. In August 2011 I visited Baltimore with wife and offspring. I was here for work and figured the wife and kid could go to the aquarium on one of the days I was working.
However we looked it up and found that it would cost WAY TOO MUCH for just one adult and one child. An adult is is $24 and a child (3-11 years old) is $20!! Since there's no mass transit that stops at or near the aquarium, if you add up the train ride from our hotel plus a taxi, it would have cost nearly $70 for my wife and young child to go to the aquarium. And we only have one kid! With two kids it would have been closer to $100.
Forget it.
I don't care how great the aquarium is, it's not worth this much to do one thing. Kids will get bored in 2 hours no matter how good the place is, and will want to move on and do something else.
You can have a lot more fun doing a lot more (different) things for a whole day in this area for $70... and they did.
Sorry, National Aquarium - you need to lower your prices to make it accessible for the average family. -
Review from Michelle B.
Audubon, NJ
8/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
I have not been here since a class trip in 1997. Dare I say that not much has changed?
The building itself is impressive from the outside and I felt the excitement to see all the marine life.
The Australia exhibit was the highlight for me. The kookaburras were cracking up while we were walking through and the rainbow lorikeets were gorgeous. I didn't see any frilled lizards, unfortunately.
I felt the staff was 50/50: 50% marine enthusiasts who were friendly and informative, and the other 50% were derelicts lurking in the corners. We spent a good four hours there, taking our time throughout the exhibits. Signs stated they closed at 6:30 but by 4:30, you could tell the workers were over it for the day and were not the least bit helpful. There was a special event being set up and it was super unclear where to go for the damn jellyfish exhibit. To get there, you had to go through a ton of catering people, chairs laying all over, no signs pointing you in the right direction. The jellies were really cool, so were worth the hassle to get to.
I find a lot of the other reviews deduct stars for silly things. How much would you prefer the admission to be? $2? This place costs so much to maintain. There are also complaints of the escalator stairs supporting one person per stair at a time, how it's laid out like a maze, etc. This is obviously to control the crowds. How many people would you prefer ride next to you on an escalator? There are, understandably, a lot of goons rolling through here from all over the world so I prefer to take my time and not have my personal space compromised if at all possible.
I enjoyed my visit and feel that's it is one of the more worthwhile things to do while in the harbor area. -
Review from Frances L.
Los Angeles, CA
8/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
While visiting boyfriend's family in York, PA, we were trying to find an activity to do with his two young neices. The original plan was to take the train to Philadelphia, but because it was over 100 degrees that weekend, we ended up driving over to Baltimore instead. Naturally, the best indoor kid activity was the National Aquarium. I had heard so many great things about this aquarium over the years, so I was pretty excited. However, I was disappointed that it did not live up to the hype.
At $30 per person, I expected to be blown away. However, many of the tanks were not well kept and the variety of sea life was pretty generic. There were some parts of the aquarium that were much nicer than others and when visiting a place and paying that much money, I'd like to see some uniformity or continuity when it comes to quality. Highlights for me included the shark section which was large, dark, and moody. I also enjoyed their jelly fish section and their cool simulated rain forest. However, everything else was just "OK" and the 4-D theater show was a total let down. The show was basically 20 minutes of a Planet Earth episode with the added 4-D surprises like mist and a part where the shark pokes you in the back (which actually hurt a lot).
I also got a little depressed watching the dolphins...mostly because I have watched The Cove and these dolphins didn't look too happy. This place is worth a visit if you're with small children and need something to do indoors...however, for a clever date or to explore some great sea creatures, I can't highly recommend it. The Aquarium of the Pacific and the Monterey Bay aquarium have got them beat. -
Review from Bob L.
7/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Ever since my wife and I purchased our Buddy 50 scooter about a month ago our world has really opened up. Now that we no longer have to worry about the expense and aggravation of parking in the city we're free to scoot to just about anywhere we want to go. On a recent day of playing hooky, my better half and I decided to take a trip to the National Aquarium in Baltimore. I've visited plenty of aquariums (Dallas, Washington DC, San Francisco to name a few) in my short time on this Earth and they've ranged from the truly sublime to the decidedly mediocre. Baltimore's rendition of the aquarium ranks somewhere in between.
Most of the other reviews on here mention how expensive the admission fee is. I guess if you're lugging around a gaggle of screaming children and the gads of parental baggage that goes along with it things could get pricey. For my experience I thought the $56 it cost us (we went with the general admission +4D movie bundle at just about $28 a piece) was pretty reasonable. Being smart enough to pretty much avoid all downtown tourist attractions during the weekend summer months we decided to hit up the aquarium on a Monday morning. If our experience is any indication of how crowded this place gets on the weekends, I can't imagine anyone wanting to put themselves through the pain.
We got into the building around 9am after purchasing our tickets on-site and the crowds didn't appear that bad; that is until we made our way deeper into the belly of the beast. For 9am on a Monday morning the place was a madhouse and I'm not going hyperbolic on you here. Whining kids, shuffling seniors with canes, lost foreigners babbling in their native tongues, giant groups clad in matching fluorescent green t-shirts, it was truly an agoraphobe's worst nightmare. I'm not quite to shut-in status yet, but places like this have me inching ever closer. If you have any problems with tight spaces of throngs of people everywhere you turn I recommend just buying Planet Earth on Blu-ray and staying home.
On with the tour. Basically, the building is set up in five levels that have you wandering, roughly single-file up and then back down again through a series of mechanical people-movers and escalators. The Baltimore aquarium has the usual suspects like incessantly circling sharks, a big open tank with divers and manta rays swimming in interspecies harmony, maniacally grinning dolphins and plenty of artificial dioramas with their respective inhabitants. Some of the highlights are the tropical rainforest display at level 5 and the Australian experience which is actually housed in its own building. The jellyfish exhibit is also pretty cool if you're into that whole gelatinous no spine thing.
The 4D movie that we purchased as a $3 add-on to our tickets is definitely something best left to kids and adults less jaded than me. The theater holds about 200 people and is equipped with various special effects (vibrating chairs, fans, lighting, and a snow machine) to "immerse" you in the movie experience. The movie we saw was called Planet Earth: From Pole to Pole and it was a bit of a disjointed compilation of nature movie footage showing the changing of the seasons from winter to spring. The 3D was not very effective in this instance but the snow machines and blowing wind were pretty entertaining. If you've done similar things at Universal Studios or Disney skip it here lest you be disappointed.
If there's one thing that did stand out in a positive way it would have to be the aquarium staff. Clad in blue golf shirts and nearly always wearing a smile (except for one staffer we found texting away up in the rainforest. You know who you are...) the aquarium staff appeared to be engaged, helpful, and friendly. It was a strange sight, but I think they were actually enjoying their jobs. I don't think I've ever witnessed anyone enjoying their job before, but I have to think that if I had this is what it would've looked like.
Our aquarium experience lasted about three hours from start to finish and this included the 25 minute 4D movie. We made the up and down trip twice to visit a few things that were too crowded on our first pass, but most of this time was spent waiting. Be prepared to languish in slow-moving lines for your chance to peer into the various exhibits constantly mobbed by dozens of pediatric plecostomi and parents who seem to think that they're the only ones on the planet. It's rough and you'll want a shower when you get home but there are glimpses that'll pepper your day and help temper the ills with wonder. The Baltimore aquarium is not necessarily something I'd jump to do again it was a welcome diversion and something I'll remember, at least for a little while. -
Review from Phillip Y.
Des Moines, IA
1/4/2012
We have visited here at least twice and the exhibits are just fantastic. One issue that have to address is the crowd. Be prepared to enter at least 30 to 90 minutes from when you purchased your ticket at the booth. The ticket agent didn't even tell us so it was annoying. If you go first thing in the morning, then you will get in with no delay. The major exhibit which is first bldg with rainforest is probably the best. Afterwards, the special exhibit is a bit lacking in magnitude and ummphh. Just a bunch of jellies which I have seen better done at the Mystic Aquarium which is smaller than Baltimore. The other exhibit which is minor in comparison to the first bldg is the Australian bldg. Nothing too special here since it almost looks like the rainforest with some desert exhibits that differentiate it. I think they need to rethink the Australian exhibit to something totally different like the Arctic with penguins, whales, seals, etc. With the ticket price at $25, don't expect a new exhibit to keep cost the same-- only goes up. Then again, it looks like people still flock with exhibits still the same since 10-15 years ago.
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Review from Lauren G.
7/22/2011
Dolphins, sharks, Nemo fish, and other awesome animals. What more could you ask for? I love coming here at least once a year. I would come more, but it is a little expensive. And really, how many times can you see the same fish over and over?
However, it's still a great place to visit with the family, or to kill an afternoon. -
Review from vanessa g.
Washington, DC
12/6/2011
This is a big & impressive aquarium. The staff seems pretty informed of what they talk about during the tours & are happy to answer questions. Their shark display is no joke either, that alone will keep you busy for a while. Plenty of entertainment, gift shops & species to explore. It's very kid friendly and many times they have workshops at designated times.Tickets are kinda pricey but if this is your cup of tea it's not a bad deal.
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Review from Tricia B.
Bethesda, MD
7/29/2011
Great for kids! I love this place, even though I'm heading towards my 30s : ) The coolest thing ever was the octopus they just got in. I always spend at least three hours in there (and that's without any shows; that's literally just walking around the place). Maybe I'm biased because I love fish, but I could stand and watch them for days (and yes, I have my own tank, but not with the extravagant fish they have here).
The best part about this place? The volunteers/workers who walk around talking about the fish. You don't really understand how cool they are until you get the details from these guys, so if you see one standing next to a tank, make sure you ask questions!
Get there early or get there late. It gets awfully crowded, especially on the weekends and holidays! -
Review from David V.
Baltimore, MD
7/6/2011 3 Check-ins Here
How much money does the city of Baltimore give this place? A sizable amount, if the bond measures asking for aquarium money when I vote in this city are any indication.
Next question: How much of a discount do Baltimore residents receive since they, through tax money, foot the bill for this money sink? Zero, zip, nada.
How many visiting friends have I taken to the aquarium because I can get in at a discounted rate? Zero.
Don't get me wrong, it's a nice aquarium. One of the best on the east coast, in fact. But it does burn me, just a bit, that they can't throw out a bit of love for the residents of the city.
Is that asking too much? -
Review from Kelley D.
Allston, MA
9/28/2011
Visited while in town visting. The outside of the building is very pretty and surrounding area looks new and fun. The aquarium easily keeps you entertained for ~3 hours, which is actually bettter than I can say for a lot of aquariums.
DO.NOT.GO on a Saturday! I didn't try on a week day but I would assume it's way less of a nightmare. You cannot get near any exhibits or tanks, and parents with children will literally hit and shove you out of the way to let their kid be front and center.
The glass could stand to be cleaned, on a lot of exhibits.
The dolphin show is really nothing special. I am assuming maybe throughout the day the dolphins shows differ, but the one I saw was lame to say the least. It's just a bunch of dolphin facts thrown at you and a few splashes, not really great. -
Review from Linda W.
New York, NY
11/22/2011 4 photos
I spent a good portion of the afternoon with my husband just in awe and amazement by all the wonder of the exhibits anf of course, the main attraction of the huge aquarium. I def agree with Nicole L. to get the $30 ticket for acess to all shows. I love the bottom level of th aquarium where it opens up to all marine life- dolphins, sting rays, dolphins, sharks, jelly fish, tropical fish, sea turtle (amputated flipper), plants...I can go on all day. Love the informative staff who actually takes the time to educate and talk to all visitors particularly fun facts about the animals! Our visit was concluded with a stop to the gift shop for souvenirs. I brought a coin purse, T-shirt, and jelly beans for the trip back home. Def a cool place to visit if you're visiting Baltimore!
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Review from gregory p.
Brooklyn, NY
8/20/2011
Went to Baltimore with a couple of friends and the day before we went home we stopped my the aquarium, best decision we made for the whole trip. This aquarium is simply breath taking.
The atmosphere is great, never once do u feel rushed or told to go somewhere u aren't willing. The workers are great help too, answering any questions u have with a smile on there face.
Yes, their are a lot of kids there, but i went to the aquarium with friends near the age of 30 and never once were we bothered by a cry baby or have kids stepping on our feet. great place to bring a girl or just to hang with some friends.
In overall, i couldn't give the National Aquarium a better review. If ur ever in Baltimore make sure to find ur way to the aquarium, the prices r very affordable! -
Review from Dee B.
6/14/2011
Nope, it's not cheap and yes, it's very busy on the weekends. However, this aquarium has an amazing variety of wonderful things to see. I particularly enjoyed the jellyfish exhibit and the Australia exhibit - be sure to not miss those!
Be prepared to spend a million bucks on parking. 3hrs at a garage across the street cost $17, and the coupon from website/aquarium would have only saved a measly 3 dollars. I recommend parking a bit further - that should be a tad cheaper I'd think.Listed in: Summer Resolution Tour 2011, Charmed in Charm City
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Review from MiC g.
Silver Spring, MD
5/15/2011
I guess size doesn't matter.
Granted that I have only been to two other aquariums in my lifetime; one being the National Aquarium in Washington DC (which is a glorified pet store), and the other being the North Carolina Aquarium at Roanoke Island, but when comparing the overall experience between these museums - Baltimore does not blow away the competition. Well, it does blow away the National Basement of the U.S. Commerce Building (aka the National Aquarium in Washington DC), but most pet stores blow that place away.
First, let's compare prices:
Baltimore - $25 for adult and $20 for a child (ages 3-11)
[for the full experience - $30 for adult and $25 for a child]
Roanoke Island - $8 for adults and $6 for a child (ages 3-12)
Yes, the Baltimore Aquarium is certainly bigger than the Roanoke Island Aquarium, but in spite of the two buildings, multiple levels, and various exhibits, it took us only 2 hours to check out the entire Aquarium. In fact, you spend more time riding escalators and walking down ramps than you do actually observing sea life. True, the Baltimore Aquarium does have a few more things to see than most other East Coast Aquariums; the penguins and puffins, the Australian exhibit, and the Rainforest exhibit (where we did not see anything other than a couple of birds and mist being sprayed), but I have a hard time justifying three times the price of a 'smaller' aquarium.
At least the Roanoke Island Aquarium had some interactive exhibits where you were allowed to touch sea life, such as sting rays and starfish. The only thing you are allowed to touch at the Baltimore Aquarium are the dolls at the (one of many) gift shops.
I suppose I would recommend visiting on a Friday after 5pm (the aquarium closes at 8pm) where they have a reduced price, which of course, they don't really advertise, and you would get the true value of your dollar.
One last note - the dolphin show isn't much of a show. It's about five minutes of having dolphins doing flips, waves, and splashing around for fish treats. If you really want to see a dolphin show - go on a dolphin tour the next time you go on a beach vacation, when they are feeding out in their natural habitat and not being forced to beg for treats like a circus poodle. The first part of learning about nature and our earth's wildlife - is to have respect for it.Listed in: Kid's Stuff
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Review from Candi K.
6/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
This was my first visit to a real aquarium - before, I had only visited aquarium areas in zoos.
Yes, it is not cheap. But zoos aren't cheap either. We opted for the main ticket + dolphin access (they were not doing the dolphin show due to the birth of the new babies) for $27.95/each. We got lucky and were able to score the last tickets for the 11:30 dolphin access at 10:15; when we exited around 2 o'clock, they were completely out of dolphin access tickets. So if you want to see the dolphins, you might want to think about buying your tickets online to guarantee your spot (it's 1.95/ticket to do that).
We spent 45 minutes perusing the Australian exhibit and the jellyfish before lining up for the dolphins at 11. It was plenty of time to see both exhibits - and the Australian exhibit isn't ridiculously hot & humid (the sign on the door scared me a bit due to asthma concerns). The dolphins were definitely a highlight. Instead of the show, they talked a lot about the dolphins and then showed us some of their training techniques. The dolphin trainers did an EXCELLENT job working with the never-ending-questioning coming from the many children in the audience. They did allow a few children to participate as volunteers toward the end and I think it was a highlight of their trip.
Afterwards, it took approximately 2 hours to tour Pier 3. It's actually not that large, but we were there during peak times and the crowds were crazy. I most enjoyed the rays and the rain forest section on the top floor. The education parts were excellent - the info boards were well done and easy to understand for many age levels.
Would I go again? Probably not without taking someone who hadn't been or until they add something new. But I'm glad that I went! -
Review from Leslie L.
9/21/2011
National Aquarium is great fun for families, couples and yes school field trips. One of the safest locations for a field trip. Really enjoyed myself as much as the kids did and loved the dolphin show. ;) Great layout and lots of exhibits to view. One of the few cool places to visit in the summer months and prices are affordable. Gift shop is cute and fun for the kiddies.
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Review from Laura D.
Gaithersburg, MD
5/26/2011
Two adults + 5 kids = a pretty hefty entrance fee. Just be prepared. Overall, we all really enjoyed our visit and the kids were really into the dolphin show. The biggest drawback was accessibility for wheelchairs. We were given a map when we first arrived, but it was not very easy to understand, which meant we spent a lot of time just searching for accessible elevators. Some of the pathways were pretty narrow and a bit difficult to navigate, so keep that in mind if you are in a wheelchair.
Skip the DC aquarium and go here! The jellyfish are worth the fee. If your heart is set on seeing the dolphin show, call ahead. They aren't always doing that. Think $5 to see the 15 minute 4D movie is too much? No, it's not. Don't skip it. -
Review from Jen L.
7/17/2011
In comparison to the Chicago Shedd Aquarium, eh.....I have seen better. They could use some renovations and some fresh ideas for exhibits, but overall it was nice way to spend a weekend afternoon.
This is still an old school aquarium where it's VERY dark and not a lot of interactive displays. The walkways are not very wide some sometimes the crowds can be a bit much.
The Australian exhibit is newer and more to my liking. Their exhibit design was much more integrated and made it feel like you are actually in the habitat. I love how it also included the birds flying above and hearing their calls. That added a whole different experience to the marine/aquatic exhibit.
I did find that even though it was crowded, it was pretty manageable for gimps in wheel chairs. Once you knew where all the elevators were it was fairly easy to get around. On the ramps for the big coral reef tank, make sure you a have a buddy helping you down those ramps or else gravity will get the best of you.
The 4D movies are always fun. But they are very short (like 20 min). That seems to be the same across most aquariums that I have been to. 4D is not fun for those of you that spook easily or have kids that get scared. Be prepared to get wet!
If you are military, check for your base installation for discounted tickets!Listed in: Military Love
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Review from KJ S.
Lorton, VA
11/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
Too crowded. Great place to throw away fifty bucks for nothing.
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Review from Dimitrios D.
New York, NY
7/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
Decent, but quite expensive and not as wow'ing as one might hope for.
But cool sharks! -
Review from Ing A.
Pasadena, CA
4/11/2011
***this is my experience on June 2009***
I have to say I don't like this aquarium. And I don't want to go back again. You can walk through the whole aquarium in 1 hour. Remember to bring your own food or eat before you go, because their food were just too expensive and terrible. This is how much I paid for my visit on June 2009.
$27.95 ticket
$20 parking
$3.69 bottle water -
Review from Amanda K.
Santa Rosa, CA
6/24/2011
This aquarium pretty much knocked my socks off in a lot of ways, most especially how incredibly - really, ridiculously - friendly the staff was. We got welcomed by the security staff at the front, who remembered us from the morning and asked how we liked it when we left. EVERY SINGLE staff member that we passed greeted us with a friendly smile and an attitude like they were happy to see us. This is customer service WAY above the norm, and it definitely put us in a good mood.
I loved that the aquarium is set up in a way where you get to see some of the bigger things from multiple angles - like the manta rays, and the sharks/Atlantic fish. The rainforest room was very cool and interesting. I didn't get a chance to look at all of the smaller tanks as much as I would normally have loved to, but got a glimpse of the flooded Amazon river and gawked at the enormous fish they have in there.
I absolutely want to come back here and take a more extensive look at everything they have. -
Review from Cat D.
Herndon, VA
7/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
I'm a huge fan of aquariums, and of museums and general, and this is my third lengthy visit to this aquarium.
The pricing is a bit much (it's about $22-24, even with a AAA discount], but I think the aquarium is very well run.
Coming from the West Coast, I've seen a lot of good aquariums, and while this aquarium can't compare, it is easily one of the best ones to visit on the East Coast (don't even bother with the one in D.C.) The displays are well organized, with different levels with different exhibits, all surrounding a large pool with stingrays, sharks, turtles, and divers. It's really quite a cool effect, especially since the lights are dimmed and set to a greenish-blue tone, with reflective surfaces on all the escalators.
One of the nice things was how progressive each of the "stages" or levels were - it started at a local level, but then progressed to more worldy places, before finally ending in the rainforest level. There's also descending levels to the shark area, which was also one of my favorite parts of the museum. There's then a long walkway to the jellyfish and dolphin portion of the museum. The jellyfish exhibit was extremely cool, with many different species, and if there's no show, you're free to sit in the dolphin area to look at the trainers play with them.
My only complaint that it was not quite as "wow!" as I expected, though the displays were good (my favorites was the lower area for the sharks, and then the jellyfish). However, even though my friends and I came around 10AM, it was extremely crowded, which made trying to see the smaller exhibits really hard. While I usually stay 3+ hours in an aquarium, we had to go through this one fairly quickly (at least the smaller exhibits on the levels - we hung around the sharks for a while) since there were so many people shoving.
