The National Aquarium is located at 501 East Pratt Street in Baltimore, Maryland, which is the anchor to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. It is conveniently located downtown alongside Harborplace, ESPNZone, Hard Rock Café, and the World Trade Center. Within walking distance of the Aquarium you will find The Baltimore Convention Center, Camden Yards, Ravens Stadium and many other downtown attractions and hotels.
Parking:
Unfortunately, the Aquarium does not operate its own parking facility; however, parking is available at numerous downtown garages all within walking distance. You can receive discounts on parking at the Inner Harbor Garage, which is just a few minutes from the Aquarium and all of the Inner Harbor’s attractions.
Inner Harbor Garage/Central Parking Address:
100 S. Gay Street, Baltimore, Maryland. Cars and vans are welcome. Phone: 410-659-5825
Public Transportation
Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) provides transportation services such as local buses, metro subway, light rail, and MARC train for the Baltimore Metropolitan area.
WMATA
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) provides convenient connection service from the WMATA system to the MTA Maryland system. You can travel to the Aquarium from Washington, D.D., Northern Virginia, and Metro Maryland using WMATA.
The National Aquarium is home to approximately 16,500 specimens and more than 660 species of animals. The National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland tries to stimulate interest in and inspire stewardship of aquatic environments.
They are Maryland’s leading tourist attraction and an international icon. The National Aquarium in Baltimore provides cultural, recreational and educational experiences for all age groups and diverse communities.
The Aquarium strives to provide effective outreach and conservation programs. At the same time, they conduct research and utilize state-of-the-art technology.
Exhibit Philosophy
The National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland strives to blend naturalistic exhibit elements with the most modern interpretive techniques to engage visitors by focusing on the beauty of the aquatic world in the hopes of eliciting an emotional response to awaken the desires for visitors to become environmentally responsible.
Exhibits replicate natural environments and avoid the unnatural mixing of species. The specimens chosen for exhibit at the National Aquarium are of the best examples of biological concepts in an interesting and accurate way. The aquarium’s collections embrace diverse world-wide habitats.
The world-class facility began with the citizens of Baltimore. The National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland is a community partner hosting millions of Maryland students and teachers free of charge.
The Aquarium addresses the challenges of protecting Earth’s aquatic treasures by mobilizing community volunteers in clean-up efforts to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay.
The local residents are a top priority to the National Aquarium staff. They promise a quality family experience and guarantee free or discounted admission throughout the year. They have December Dollar Days, which is a 20 year Baltimore tradition and $5 admission on Fridays after 5 p.m. programs between the months of September and March.
Through all the efforts of those who operate the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland, their ultimate goal is for the exhibits and programs to spark responsible actions in visitors toward the aquatic environment.