The National Aquarium, Baltimore, features three pavilions of exciting attractions and a living collection that includes more than 16,000 animals from more than 660 species of fish, birds, amphibians, reptiles and marine mammals that live in award-winning habitats. This location also offers exclusive behind-the-scenes experiences such as sleepovers and special tours. The Aquarium partners with other community attractions and restaurants to optimize the visitor experience in Baltimore.

Address: 501 E. Pratt St. Pier 3 Baltimore, MD 21205
General Information: 410-576-3800
Group Reservations : 410-576-3833 TTY: 410-625-0720
Web Address: http://www.aqua.org

Current Exhibits/Attractions: NEW! Jellies Invasion: Oceans Out of Balance, Animal Planet Australia: Wild Extremes, Our Ocean Planet: The New Dolphin Show, 4-D Immersion Theater

GENERAL ADMISSION PRICES:
Adults   $24.95
Seniors (60+)  $23.95
Children (3-11)  $19.95
3 and under  FREE
Admission includes Animal Planet Australia: Wild Extremes and Jellies Invasion. Admission does not include the dolphin show or the 4-D Immersion Theater.

HOURS: Hours vary by season. Visitors are encouraged to check the website before visiting.

VISITOR TIPS:

• The National Aquarium is the most popular attraction on the Inner Harbor and pre-trip planning is advised. Visitors are encouraged to take advantage of the interactive pre-trip planner at aqua.org or purchase tickets at the Aquarium Ticket Center up to 30 days in advance.
• The Aquarium operates on a timed-entry system to maintain an easy flow of visitor traffic.
• Best times to visit are before 11 a.m. or after 3 p.m.
• Strollers are not allowed in the building, so visitors are encouraged to plan accordingly. Stroller check and free child backpacks are available at the main entrance.

QUICK FACTS

• Total Size: 250,000 square feet
• Water Capacity: More than 2.2 million gallons
• Staff: 275 paid staff and 600+ trained volunteers
• Attendance: More than 1.4 million visitors annually

» Download Aquarium Map (PDF)

EXHIBIT DETAILS
The National Aquarium, Baltimore, is situated in the heart of the Inner Harbor. It resides on two city piers, with the Chesapeake Bay on either side.

PIER 3 BUILDING
The award-winning main Aquarium building, designed by Peter Chermayeff of Cambridge Seven Associates in Boston, Massachusetts, measures 115,000 square feet and holds 1 million gallons of water. One of the largest and most distinctive facilities of its kind in the world, the Aquarium uses sophisticated theme exhibits and an exciting architectural design to recreate underwater environments for its visitors.

The original building features five levels full of exhibits where visitors can journey from the top of the rain forest to the depths of the ocean to explore the magical connection between water and all living things. Visitors will explore one of the largest sting ray collections in the country, displays of Maryland’s diverse aquatic life, the Atlantic Sea Cliffs, an undersea kelp forest and a brilliant Atlantic Coral Reef, where more than 500 exotic fish from species such as triggerfish, porcupine fish and hogfish surround visitors as they walk through the exhibit.

The newest building, which opened on Pier 3 in December 2005, is 65,400 square feet. It features the Aquarium Cafe, Aquarium Shop, Animal Planet Australia: Wild Extremes, and a remarkable 35-foot waterfall for visitors to enjoy as they enter the Aquarium.

ANIMAL PLANET AUSTRALIA: WILD EXTREMES
Named 2008 Exhibit of the Year by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums
The center of the Aquarium’s expansion in 2005, this exhibit is the only one of its kind in the U.S., depicting a typical northern Australia river gorge. It is home to 1,800 individual native animals representing 120 species, including freshwater crocodiles, turtles, fishes, free-flying birds and flying foxes. This slice of Australia in Baltimore offers visitors a truly immersive experience: walking through the bottom of the gorge they come nose to nose with free-roaming lizards basking on rocky cliffs, see colorful birds swooping and squawking overhead, or perhaps feel a squirt of water as an archer fish hunts for its food.

4-D IMMERSION THEATER*
The Aquarium’s Immersion Theater will bring you closer to the sights, sounds and smells of the action. The theater offers a 20-minute movie presentation that includes 4-D effects, which combine the high-definition drama of 3-D film with special sensory effects such as mist and wind.

PIER 4 BUILDING
The Pier 4 building is a 94,000-square-foot building designed by Grieves Associates of Baltimore that opened to the public in December 1990. This building houses a 1.3-million-gallon pool for the Aquarium’s dolphins, a traveling exhibit area and an additional cafe, and is linked to the main building by an enclosed footbridge.

NEW! JELLIES INVASION: OCEANS OUT OF BALANCE
The newest exhibit in Baltimore, Jellies Invasion: Oceans Out of Balance explores these amazing creatures and the impact ocean health has on their success. Jellies live in every ocean, thrive in coastal and open waters, and even live in fresh water. We rarely notice these translucent animals but they have always been there. Because of recent changes to jellies populations including massive swarms, voracious eating habits and habitat invasions, jellies are changing the balance of the Earth’s aquatic ecosystems. This stunning new exhibit features as many as nine different species of these colorful and unique prehistoric creatures.

» Download Jellies Fact Sheet (PDF)
» Download Jellies Species List (PDF)
» Download Jellies and the Environment Sheet (PDF)

OUR OCEAN PLANET: THE NEW DOLPHIN SHOW*
The Lyn P. Meyerhoff Amphitheater showcases the majesty of the Aquarium’s 10 Atlantic bottlenose dolphins in a 1,300-seat amphitheater that is open daily for dolphin shows. The National Aquarium’s new dolphin show, Our Ocean Planet, explores the depths of the ocean by exposing the beauty, grace and power of a dolphin’s world and teaches visitors that the world is one shared watery planet.

» Download About the Dolphin Show (PDF)
» Download A Dolphin’s World (PDF)
» Download Dolphin Profiles (PDF)

* Exhibit not included in general admission fee