National Aquarium Reviews

What a great way to spend your day. There is something for everyone at this aquarium. Very clean everywhere at the facility. The nicest i have been too.

One of the nicest aquariums we've visited. Not crowded at all on a weekday during Spring Break. Tropical birds exhibit was a nice surprise. Wharf location makes for extra experience with large windows and nice views. Only downside was no one offered to take our picture at the camera station when we came in despite workers standing there and greeting us.

If you are going post COVID, don’t go. This place does not practice social distancing, parents can’t seem to control their kids, kids & parents push in front of you, there is NO MANAGEMENT WHATSOEVER! No one around to help or ask questions. One woman was pushing the revolving doors in the opposite direction. Never been to a place to accommodate more people than they should with NO ONE MANAGING ANY AREA. Save your money!!!! The fish exhibit is very good and they do seem to care for the animals which is good but it’s like a zoo. Take the kids to a park instead. Do very disappointed.

Really well done aquarium. We've been to Atlanta and felt this one was superior. We'd probably give it a 4.5, but still felt it the best we've been to. The size is impressive and the layout helps disperse any crowds. We did go on a weekday while school was in so that may have resulted in lower crowds. The slight deduction is for the somewhat hazy "path" to take. Due to the "artistic" nature of some of the sections, it isn't always clear what route to take to see everything in a logical and efficient manner.

One of the best aquariums that we have ever visited. Definitely take the family if you are here! The jellyfish exhibit is sooooo cool and we touched a few of them.

The National Aquarium is super cool! You get to see all kinds of sea creatures, from colorful fish to deep-sea wonders. The people there are really nice and tell you interesting stuff about the animals. Great for families, students, or anyone who loves the ocean. Plus, they care about keeping the sea safe and happy. It's not just fun, but you learn a lot too!

We were able to safely visit the Museum as a bonus activity. Nice weekend road trip with my husband. Very nice gift/souvenir shop - a lot of variety.

The National Aquarium in Maryland offers a mesmerizing underwater journey. With diverse marine life exhibits, interactive displays, and informative presentations, it's an immersive experience for all ages. A must-visit for ocean enthusiasts and families alike!

The aquarium was wonderful and exciting,there are a lot of homeless people around the aquarium they don't bother you and be sure not to stay at the sleep inn worst hotel ever

Had a lot of fun. Enjoyed watching all the fish. There are some really cool species there. The shark tank was a lot of fun to watch. The dolphins were fun too. One was playing catch with itself! Loved the jellyfish exhibit. Would definitely go back.

We visited the Natl Aquarium on President’s Day Feb 20 . Even though tickets were timed, it was too crowded, too hot, too dark and too expensive $150 for 3 adults. The exhibits were uninspiring and even the shark tanks were a let down. When we left we were told they validated our parking but the garage charges us the full rate $31. A big let down. National Harbor is a no go.

This aquarium is not designed for people with disabilities. It is designed for walking people. Walkers use moving escalators, chairs have to fight the foot traffic to get to a hidden elevator. Do NOT attempt if you are in a wheelchair. They acknowledged their shortcomings and gave us a full refund.

The aquarium was on our must do list when our family visited Baltimore. It’s huge, the exhibits are amazing and the variety of sea life is fantastic. Our visit was great - and when we walked to the dolphin exhibit we were fortunate to arrive during a training session so we were able to see these smart sea mammals play with balls, retrieve objects, get rewarded with fish and even splash some of the audience with seats close to their very large pool.

This wasn’t my first visit here, but reminded me of why I dont visit more often. If this is the only aquarium you will ever visit I’d say it’s great because you can see beautiful sharks and other interesting fish. The jellyfish exhibit was great. My average score is because it’s overpriced for what you see, there is no longer a dolphin show and it’s hard to see everything because it’s too crowded. They maybe need timed entry. Also we wasted almost an hour in a will call line to pick up tickets we already purchased at AAA. The employees seemed aggravated with everything…Lack of order and organization. Also, the design of this building is LOUD. Be prepared and most of the parents just let kids run wild. There were a few times we were almost knocked over from kids. Maybe we just hit it on a bad day, but there are other aquariums with a more pleasing environment. The Inner Harbor I once knew is not at all the same. Kind of run down…

I first went to the Baltimore/National Aquarium soon after it first opened and have probably been more than 10 times. I hadn’t been in maybe 15-20 years perhaps at this point. This review is based on the fact that it costs $50 to enter… thankfully I paid for the Friday night half price deal which still seemed expensive based on our experience.

There are two good exhibits - the Australian one and the relatively new intro to the Amazon Rainforest. Both of these are immersive and amazing. The rest of the aquarium has hardly changed in 40 years- the problem with this is things seem unhealthy, dingy, dirty, not well cared for. Even if all the coral is fake in potentially epic Atlantic Coral exhibit - it’s all dark and dirty and many of the fish have muted colors - probably from years of living in that environment. I’ve been to other more modern aquariums that have mind blowing coral exhibits with living coral in vibrancy. Most of the living coral, which is rare in this aquarium was in poor shape and barely surviving.

Perhaps one of the most depressing things he ever experienced in a museum of any sort is the tank in which the dolphins live. Originally, this entire section of the aquarium was built for shows with dolphins or perhaps beluga whales at the time. Because that is now rightfully considered exploitation of these smart and brilliant mammals, the building now has no purpose and the dolphins still live in the tanks, also with no purpose, seemingly bored, depressed and waiting for nothing. It’s like a ruin of a bygone era, but what’s left is quite depressing and also a bit dingy as with the theme of the 4 decades plus old aquarium.

I did rough math and it seems this aquarium makes more than $1 million per week and sometime considerably more. Somehow, they need to upscale what’s there and modernize the technology to help the beings appear like they are living somewhat to their potential instead of in dilapidated form of imprisonment. The fake coral which is everywhere is old, dirty, faded and looks nothing like its potential. Now granted, I’m a scuba diver and snorkeler and I’m very familiar with what healthy coral and fish can look like - as well as familiar with the fact that there’s only a fraction of healthy coral out in the world at this point.

Ok… and the supposed 4D movie… that also left much to be desired. I wanted our $10 back. Not terrible but it shouldn’t cost extra on top of the exorbitant entry fees. Overall a disappointing experience, but it can be salvaged by spending some of the money they make on refurbishment and upkeep. And please, send other dolphins to the sanctuary you say you’re creating asap. It has been 12 years since you stopped dolphin performances?

There are dolphin training sessions but they refuse to publish the times to view this activity. Why? These sessions might be prime viewing times.
The monkeys have arthritis and are not in the rainforest. The sloths can be seen at 3 PM by looking up at the ceiling. Be prepared. As advertised, it is quite warm in the rainforest.
The stroller “parking attendants” were the most friendly and helpful folks employed by the aquarium.
The scuba divers were friendly and seemed to enjoy interaction with folks and the fish. They were the best!
We went on a Monday at 10 when it was not crowded. Reserve your parking before you go and drive directly there.

This is the best aquarium on the east coast! It takes at least 2.5 hours for a thorough tour inside. Mask is mandatory, dining room sells snack and fast food, gift shop has many cool items. This place definitely provides an excellent and exciting experience,

The aquarium is nicely made, with all regions of America shown in their habitat. They also do a lot of education. They have special pools where you can touch stingrays or jellyfish. The rainforest area with the birds in is also wonderful.
The only hard side is that a single ticket costs 50$. Can be hard to afford with a family.

This was just an "average" aquarium in our mind. We've been to better and more modern aquariums. The Dolphin exhibit looked quite sad and pathetic. On the day after Thanksgiving, the aquarium was absolutely mobbed when we went at 5pm to enjoy their Friday evening discounted tickets. They should be limiting the number of visitors in order to ensure a more positive experience. Until they do that, I would suggest skipping this aquarium.

While the aquarium is beautiful and parking is conveniently located, I can't say we enjoyed our trip to the fullest. We chose to purchase tickets online for the evening slots, which was very simple to do online. The website clearly stated their COVID guidelines and if they were not abided by, that the guest(s) would be asked to leave. I was happy to read the guidelines and happy to think they would be enforced, however, I was wrong. There were clusters of large families crowding exhibits for 5+ minutes at a time, not giving 6ft or even an inch of space from different parties. Children were climbing on tanks, banging on the glass, and constantly getting under my feet.
I also paid $80 for two adult tickets and the entire Rainforest floor was closed, dolphin shows were discontinued, and the main gift shop was closed. I was frustrated to find out we could not tour the entire rainforest floor of the museum and still paid full price.The gift shop closure by the entrance wouldn't of been bothersome, however, the only one open was tiny and was not sizable for the amount of guests in it. The poor two cashiers were slammed with a long line wrapping around the gift shop.
I can appreciate the aquarium's attempt at their COVID guidelines, but they were not enforced at all. They could of used attendants stationed around the museum at certain points to make sure things were evened out. We will not be back until the pandemic lifts.

The National Aquarium is one of the best aquariums I have ever visited across the globe. I was particularly impressed with how they were handling social distancing and limiting the number of visitors at any given time. Bottom line is that if you like sea creatures, then this is an absolute must. If you want to escape the reality of a COVID-19 world and visit the undersea world Jacques Cousteau, then this is an easy way to do it. You will not be disappointed here. If you are military, ask for the discount as they take good care of us.

Nice exhibits, though the dolphin shows have been canceled(I think that is a world-wide decision). It’s crowded, though with patience you can see everything. For me, the jellyfish were the most fascinating and they even amazed our preschool children( they are on the bottom level next to the cafeteria).. The touching areas were a disappointment for the pre-schoolers as they couldn’t reach deep enough into the water. Nice cafeteria, though we didn’t eat there. Gift shop is amazing and you can easily blow twice the admission fee in them, if you have young children try to distract them as you leave.
The exhibits can be seen in about two hours, depending on how much time you spend gazing at them and the size of the crowds.

Having each floor of the building representing from the bottom of the sea up to the rainforest is magnificent!! Make sure you have time to spend here, is worth it. Beautiful display of nature!

This aquarium is way, way overrated. We have been to most of the best rated aquariums in the U.S., including Monterey Bay, CA, Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, Tennessee Aquarium, Chattanooga, Aquarium of the Americas, New Orleans, Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach, CA. This aquarium is very limited in the number of tanks and the number of fish displayed. In my wife and I opinions, the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Aquarium of the Pacific are the best aquariums in America and are much better than this one.

This is a nope for me.

Visited today, a Monday. It was just under $80 for my husband and I, not to mention the paid parking. First thing you notice is the smell. The air was stale, which was not ideal in a crowded, fish filled building.

There were way too many people here to enjoy the experience. I couldn't take my time to appreciate the different creatures because people were waiting behind me, or I was waiting for someone else to move. Lots of kids (and some parents) on poor behavior - tapping on the glass, pushing and shoving at the touch tank, yelling. It was an overwhelming experience for me as an adult. I can only imagine it woud've been tough for a hungry or tired kid, not to mention all the sea creatures subjected to it. I'm shocked to see they don't allow strollers. Of course the littlest kids will be running wild!

A large part of the aquarium was closed for renovations. The escalators in most places were also not working, so you had to take either the elevator or an ugly staircase to the different levels.

The aquarium also also stopped dolphin shows, which I am totally fine with. I enjoyed watching one of the dolphins chase around a ball. One of the caretakers spoke to those of us gathered to talk a bit about the dolphins and took time to speak to anyone with questions. I felt bad for her when she tried to talk about how climate change impacted the ocean's temperature and how that impacted dolphins, only for half of those gathered to walk away. It felt like people just wanted these creatures to perform for them and didn't care at all about how our actions impact the dolphins.

So end of the day, I just felt bad for the sea life stuck here. There were some cool creatures, but it was not worth the headache to see them in this environment. I wouldn't recommend this at all, especially at the cost for families.

Had an absolute blast at the National Aquarium in Maryland! 🐠🌊 The underwater world they've created is like stepping into a mesmerizing dream. The staff is super cool and full of interesting info. Perfect for a family day out or just soaking in the aquatic magic. Seriously, don't miss out on this underwater adventure!

Nothing special. For the price ($45+) I expected much more. The aquarium in Atlanta and Chattanooga is much better. Seemed lacking in exhibits, and content. 4D movie was definitely not even worth the $5.

After we purchased the expensive tickets friends shared that they buy the membership and that can be better if you want to return. An adult ticket was $50 and a family pass runs $250. This was a high cost for families, in my opinion. You can include parking when you purchase online although I chose to use a parking app. When you purchase tickets online you must decide on a timed entry. Strollers were not permitted and there were lockers to store belongings. There was a specific flow that takes you through the exhibits including a touch tank and the humid rainforest with the birds and sloth at the top. Food was available in multiple locations. Plan your bathroom breaks. The lines were long during our visit. There was also a large gift shop.

Nice aquarium lots of things to see, the layout is well done and it spans a large area. it was a great rainy day activity.

Not worth for a $39 ticket, too crowded for Covid times, they have to cut down on the number of people enter each floor. Waste of money

Great place to visit with children. There are staff everywhere to engage and answer questions. The homeschool programs are informative and fun. A little on the pricey side for regular admission but a nice aquarium overall.

The aquarium is very clean and there are lots of different species to see. A must-do if you’re visiting the harbor area!!

I thought this was very educational in a fun way. Staff was very helpful in answering all our questions. We were able to touch jellyfish. The signage is easy to understand and I really enjoyed the visit. I was also pleased to meet a sloth, who was only a few feet away from us chilling. This is a fun activity for children too.

We drove about 4 hours to get here and we were most excited for the Rainforest exhibit. To our major disappointment it is closed until the fall! I didn’t see anything about it in the website! In fact, there is a Golden Lion Tamarin on the very first page of the website. When we arrived an saw that it was closed, I double checked and still see the tamarin on the front page. It’s not until you click on that you see that the exhibit is closed. It just blends in. You would think that there would be an announced at the top of the page if one of your exhibits were closed!

Anyways, we enjoyed seeing the sharks, jellyfish and other fish. My little one enjoyed it as well. The sharks were probably our favorite.

There were just some really odd things about the place overall. You are not allowed to take in strollers. It would have been very difficult to do anyways with the escalators and steps. There were some elevators, but I’m not sure exactly where they were. They do have a free stroller check which we used and locker for rent. I also noticed they had sensory bags available at the stroller check and employed people with all abilities which made me smile. The person who scanned our tickets was very kind and talked to our kiddo. The lady working at the snack bar was nice. Expect $10 beers of course, but we expected that.

Another questionable exhibit is the dolphin exhibit. I was happy to see the shows were not longer being held and they could only be cured in their “natural” state. Nothing about a tank is natural for such an intelligent being, but I did see a sign that they were looking to relocate the dolphins to a better area. Fingers crossed it back into the ocean if possible!

Pros:
Variety of sea-life
Shark exhibit
Jellyfish exhibit
Friendly staff
Sensory bags available
Flexible entry time

Cons:
Confusing layout
NOT stroller friendly (and probably also difficult for wheelchairs)
Expensive food and drinks
Some tanks were very small and difficult to see (can you imagine living in them!)

Obviously I have an internal ethical dilemma about having animals in captivity, but it does seem like they are making positive changes.

It was busy, but we went on a holiday weekend. Incredible experience overall. We LOVED being able to touch jellyfish! So many sharks- and a fascinating building design. We loved this place!!! Food was expensive

The exhibits were amazing! We especially enjoyed the jellyfish and dolphins. If you want to see everything up close, you’ll need to plan for a lot of extra time. We went on a Saturday morning and it was so crowded you couldn’t move in some areas. The lines were long, so plan to be patient!

So crowded! Very rude patrons who pushed and shoved to see the exhibits including not controlling their children ! Have been to Beijing museums who are notorious for crowd pushing. This was worse than Being! Lockers cost $5 we had to stuff raincoats sweatshirts in our backpacks and lug them around all day !
Don’t go ! I could go on !

Indeed that is to say knowing that we are also in the presence of other terrestrial animals such as lazy birds turtles frogs cayman snakes dolphins etc and many plants and shrubs.

Very good Aquarium, among the best in the U.S. but very high priced. Justification is indicated since it claims to contribute to sea and water conservation efforts.

A variety of exhibits with many kid friendly areas, and this seems to be working with many young visitors the summer day I was there. Theshark exhibit is a huge draw.

Grateful for the timed ticket reservations. This is a hot site to see and sooo many people. I was glad they were mitigating they number who could enter. Throughly enjoyed the jellyfish exhibit. Sad the dolphin show was cancelled.

Amazed at the range of aquatic animals they have. SO MANY I had never seen before or knew existed. So many friendly staff on hand to answer questions and give directions. The structure itself is marvelous, clean, and well-maintained. We saw divers IN the tanks, using toothbrushes to clean the rocks and maintain the cleanliness of the "tanks". This is a MUST SEE destination if you are in Baltimore. The price may seem on the high side, but when one considers the expenses they have--the qualified staff to care for these animals, the personnel to deal with the crowds and building, and others, I'm sure--the experience is more than worth the price.

Prices were high, so maybe we should have tried to find discounted tickets. The motorized walkways weren't working, so we took stairs. All the exhibits were great. Loved the blacktip reef. We were there for feeding time for the Blue Wonders tank. The dolphins weren't really doing anything. Maybe they cancelled the shows. The gift shop is $10 more for a shirt than at the Smithsonian facilities in DC, so plan accordingly. The only one open is back by where you enter, not the one at the bottom by the cafe.

My visit to the Baltimore Aquarium left much to be desired. The facility felt outdated and poorly maintained, and Baltimore’s area look mire and more dangerous.

What was even more disheartening was the steep entry fee that did not match the lackluster experience provided. Additional attractions came with additional fees, making me feel like I was being taken advantage of as a tourist. Overall, I cannot recommend the Baltimore Aquarium in its current state. There are better options available that offer a more meaningful and enjoyable experience at a more reasonable price.

The best aquarium I’ve been too! Favorite was the interaction with dolphins! They flipped and did tricks it was so cool! Overall a huge aquarium and well worth your money!

I went to the aquarium with my five year old. I got timed tickets so assumed there were some COVID controls in place. Instead I found myself rushing through very crowded hallways and surrounded by lots of people, with no social distancing. Kids under 12 were largely unmasked too, and running close to each other. My son, who is used to wearing a mask at preschool kept asking why other kids were not masked. In summary, this was very unsafe and not fun. It would have been too crowded to enjoy on a normal day, and certainly not fun while kids are still unvaccinated. I cannot believe that an institution which is meant to teach people about science is run this way.

It got a Serene airy view.
Educative and historic
Old navy ships and submarines
Restaurants and souvenir shops available.
Loved the boat rides

I'll preface by saying that I work at a large museum/aquarium and understand crowds and steep prices. So yes, this aquarium is not cheap. However, as soon as we walked in (on a Saturday, Summer morning) the crowd was overwhelming. I feel like the layout is likely a big culprit in it feeling so crowded. There is a definite directional flow you have to follow, which makes taking time or changing directions virtually impossible. I really skipped over huge sections of animals and tanks because I didn't feel up for fighting for a view.

I liked the shark exhibit down the ramp on one side of the museum - pretty cool to see a few different shark species. Everything felt particularly dark and the tanks and coral are pretty lackluster.

The dining area downstairs was large and had a system where you ordered from your phone, and it was delivered to your table. Not sure what the reason for that set up is, but it was fine.

Overall - I would opt to do something else if in the area. Or at the very least go at a very obscure time of week and day and know what to expect if you're paying a high tix price.

Enjoyable place, variety of fishes to see, sharks were interesting to see there. Clean and had a good service. The garden side with the small waterfall was really nice. The price is very high for this activity, if they can work on it for bringing it lower, I believe I will go often there with family/friends. I recommend this place at least one time to see.

It was a fun afternoon at the aquarium. We were there for about three hours. No outside food allowed. Price for two chicken fingers and fries was $14, but it did taste good.

I'd heard really good things about this aquarium, so I was excited to visit while I was in town, and it did not disappoint. All of the animals seem well cared-for, which is the highest priority, and everything was clearly labeled with succinct information about each animal. I loved the dolphins, frogs, and all of the birds. The aquarium itself is well-organized and beautiful, with friendly staff and COVID precautions in place. They could use some more benches/chairs for just sitting and admiring the animals, though (or to just rest our feet for a moment).

Visited the National Aquarium today. It’s a beautiful aquarium. Very well done. Exhibits are nice. Covid friendly, for the most part. Oddly, there are no penguins. But there are sharks, dolphin, octopus, sting rays, turtles, frogs, birds and many species of fish. It is right on the water so you get nice views. It took us exactly two hours to go through it. There are restaurants nearby. I saw one souvenir shop nearby. The gift shop at the aquarium is currently open this is a must see while in Baltimore.

The staffs must be drinking some water with salinity. They were all very rude and unhelpful to us, and people with small children. We were very disappointed with staffs' behaviour but the creatures that live in water lifted our mood.

We've been to the National Aquarium a number of times over the years, and can say the facility is well maintained, chock fool of gorgeous aquatic life, excellent with descriptions/guides/education, and a great atmosphere. On two trips I'd taken a ton of photos and each visit had totally different pictures from the experiences. The price of the regular admission is certainly worth it. One of the smaller shops was closed, which was a downer, but the main gift shop was still nice to browse. Upper level rain forest is great, especially in winter. Just hang out there for a while with the tropical birds as the aquarium pays the heating and humidity bills.

On the downside, the 3-D (or 4D as its called) is a documentary too boring for kids and annoyingly kitsch for adults, so not sure who the target audience was here. The 3-D effects are not very good, so I'd recommend skipping the films, there's too much great live stuff to see anyway. Additionally, try to pick an unpopular day/time to go. Once we went and it was so crowded, it was difficult to see anything and too many people were peopling for our liking.

We loved the multi-level layout of this aquarium, it's way better than a straight path because there's always a good viewing spot no matter how many other people are around. The only slight (very slight) downer is the lack of a dolphin show. I understand why they did away with it but you have this grand open "stadium" but not much is going on. We sat and watched as the dolphins tossed balls around the pools for quite a while and some of the trainers were doing something in the back pools but we couldn't really tell what was going on.

Visited the aquarium with family and we were so disappointed. Rain forest closed. No longer doing dolphin shows. No strollers allowed. Wheelchair accessibility poor due to lack of signage. Lots of staff at the entrance for taking photos and the counter to purchase photos, in the gift shop also but not many elsewhere. Photo purchase experience was poor. 2 girls working the desk were sucking on freeze pops with them hanging out of their mouths and talking to customers while trying to simultaneously train a newly hired person. What great examples! A man who appeared to be a manager came over and sat down talking and joking with them while they were waiting on customers. One girl tossed her empty freeze pop, missed the trash can and didn’t bother to pick it up. Needless to say a return trip will not be in our future.

The National Aquarium was one of the best aquariums I have experienced and ranks right up there near the Monterey Aquarium in California and the Shed Aquarium in Chicago. Well organized and impressive displays. My favorites were the Shark Alley and the jellyfish display. You can easily spend 3 hours here. Luckily not very busy when I visited which may have added to my experience. The discontinuation of the dolphin show was disappointing, and the cost of entry at $50 for an adult and $40 for a child is quite high. I would hate to try to bring the whole family here.

This is an exceptional aquarium, well laid out and displayed. Try to go off peak if possible for best viewing opportunities. Parking options are difficult and/or expensive, so be prepared and allow time.

Wonderful aquarium! The exhibit/tour is setup very well and easy to follow. They don't do dolphin shows anymore but you can still watch the dolphins swim and play. Lots of options for food, nicely appointed gift shop, and some very cool exhibits! Right on the pier in the harbor.

Very insightful tour. Had a great learning time seeing all the amazing water and sea animals. Some things from Africa like the cocoa tree and plantain. Touched a jelly fish and some crab . It was great.

The Aquarium was GREAT! The exhibits were all so clean, clear, and vibrant. The staff was super nice, and I learned a LOT of info that otherwise I wouldn't have known. My daughter did a Shark - behind the scenes tour and thought the kitchen part wasn't necessary, but enjoyed the rest of the tour. The 4d theater was pretty cool, but super short.

Another part that was super cool, was the Jelly Fish exhibit. But not just looking at them, you are able to TOUCH THEM!!!! Soooooooooo amazing!

I am slightly disappointed that the dolphins were not doing shows, but we understand their reasoning.

Wish they had bigger sharks, like WHALE Sharks, but we really did like seeing the Saw Fish.

I went on Jan 1 for the reduced Friday rates. The place was insanely packed even though they have a reservation system and supposedly limit the people coming in. I can’t see how that was limited and would hate to see it at full capacity. I wonder if they are just saying that, but are doing whatever they want to get as much money from as many people despite a pandemic. Many people were walking around with masks below nose or taking them down for breaks amongst the crowd. You couldn’t stay 6 feet away from anyone and the kids were running around everywhere. The ventilation will be poor in the rainforest exhibits most likely and I’m not sure if they checked their ventilation system to make sure it’s in CDC guidance. As a caveat, I have been out and about during COVID working, traveling, and going to attractions. So I know the realities that no place is perfect and some places do better than others, but this was just ridiculous in being a potential super spreader event that I couldn’t say nothing. We had to leave quickly because it wasn’t safe at all. I’m still giving it 2 stars because from what I can see the exhibits are nice and I appreciate them planning to move the dolphins to a more appropriate sanctuary to be more humane.

Not terrible, but was actually the most mediocre part of my trip for the price —- at $50 per person. A good portion of the experiences inside charged visitors even more money beyond the admission cost.

We went to the National Aquarium for a second time and enjoyed our visit. The aquarium is just large enough for a pleasant afternoon - though it was a bit crowded around some of the aquariums while we were there. The huge tanks with sharks were a highlight, as was watching the dolphins flip and jump even without a formal "show". We also paid for a Dolphin Tour while we were there, and while the staff was pleasant - I would view paying for the tour as more of a donation to the mission of the aquarium than as an experience - as you don't get much that's unique out of the walk through an underground hallway to a place thats somewhat closer to the glass than other folks get to go.

Great aquarium. My family has gone to numerous other aquariums and this is definitely a close second to the Georgia aquarium. This place is well done and even with a packed crowd there was still space to see everything.

The National Aquarium is amazing - the exhibits are so well done and it's mesmerizing to just be in some of the spaces. The traffic flow is guided well - instead of a free-for-all like most aquariums, people walk through one of several guided paths which keeps the flow moving and relatively unobstructed.

In particular the shark reef is amazing - a multi-story all glass enclosure where you walk down a slope in the middle of the tank instead of being on the outside while the sharks glide effortlessly around you. The jellyfish room I could sit in for hours - super tranquil and mesmerizing. We also liked the Australian exhibits quite a bit and the 4D movies are pretty fun.

Lots of kids, strollers, wheel chairs and hot! We went during mlk weekend. There were so many people. Not greatest crowd control. Many families hung out on displays, blocking fish. Kids crawling on sills near glass. Sort of a crazy time. Beautiful fish. Next time I'll go early when first open and leave when crowds start. Maybe not enough staff to handle crowds?? Give 2 hours to do whole aquarium. It was very, very hot inside aquarium. Not sure if there was a coat check.

The aquarium is wonderful, however, don’t plan to grab lunch at the cafe. It took a half hour to get a $10 hot dog for a hungry kid. This is not an eating option that works for children (or most adults!)

The National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland, is an underwater wonderland that's bound to captivate visitors of all ages. From the mesmerizing jellyfish exhibits to the playful dolphins, it's a truly immersive experience that offers a deep dive into marine life. The rainforest section, complete with exotic birds and lush vegetation, adds a unique twist to the adventure. However, it's important to note that tickets can be a bit on the expensive side, especially if you're visiting with a family. While the experience is undeniably fantastic, the cost can be a drawback for budget-conscious travelers. Nevertheless, the educational and awe-inspiring journey through the aquatic world makes it a worthwhile visit.

We had a great visit at the aquarium. The special showings were very interesting. The price was better than other aquariums that we have been to.

Amazing displays with fish, marine life in natural habitats. The Australian exhibit is astonishing. We love the leisurely walk down through the shark tank.

A word about Covid prevention techniques. 95% of the attendees followed the social distancing protocols. We rarely felt unsafe. When the occasional group barged through the otherwise social distanced lines, it was easy enough to let them through and move away from.

We did not feel unsafe at all. My 14 year old daughter is very Covid phobic and my wife has severe lung issues so we are very Covid conscious. We read the many reviews indicating that the Aquarium was unsafe from a Covid point of view, and am happy to report that was not our experience at all.

Take your time, go early in the day, and simply move out of the way of those who are not concerned about spreading Covid infections and you will have a great experience. The CDC says museums such as this one which are well ventilated and roomy are fairly low risk. And get vaccinated! It is time to re-enter the weld and enjoy life again.

The National Aquarium has a great layout/footprint. The exhibits/tanks are all quite large and allow for the marine animals to have more space than most aquariums provide. There is a definite emphasis on animal health and well being. For instance, plans are under way to move their dolphins out of the aquarium and into a sanctuary. Dolphins do not do well in captivity, and this move shows that the National Aquarium values their well being more than the revenue they generate.

This aquarium has a wonderful mix of displays and other attractions. The whole family can enjoy this attraction.

Every time we go to Baltimore,  RogueTrippers always visit the National Aquarium.  
It is located right on the harbourfront, making it an easy place to visit.  

This is a world-class aquarium with amazing exhibits of various sea life from around the world. 


The Aquarium is rather large, and there are a lot of amazing creatures and displays. 

Plan a few hours for your visit to enjoy it in its entirety. It can easily be included in your day at the Harbour. Including shops, restaurants, attractions, etc. 
In our Roguetrippers 48 hour itinerary we did the aquarium and many many other things in Baltimore.
 
Canadian visitors: If your credit card needs a PIN, order your tickets ahead of time online.
The aquarium doesn’t have the appropriate equipment to handle PIN access cards, which is very frustrating, although not completely disruptive.
 
The cost is hefty,  like most aquariums.

The National Aquarium is worth visiting if you have the money. It's $40 for adulta and $30 for kids. The best time to go is early on a weekday before it gets too crowded. The displays were very well taken care of and the collection of different species is comprehensive.

So crowded we couldn’t view the exhibits. We just shuffled around the hoards of people. It felt very unorganized and not at all welcoming. It was a disappointing visit to say the least.

Overall not terrible but extremely busy for the weekend and at $50 a person and it really made it hard to enjoy it for what we paid

Enjoyed my visit to the Baltimore National Aquarium. The design and layout was cool, it was easy to navigate. The massive tank that you immediately see was very cool and being able to see the fish from above and below gave you the chance to see so many fish from multiple angles. There were so many types of tanks and I appreciated the fact that there were tanks that had a lot of local area fish from different area of the state to educate you visitors on what’s in the area. Next time I come I’ll have to check out the dolphin’s exhibit.

Visited after 15 years and seemed the maintenance and upkeep is downgraded. Instead of improvements, I saw missing galleries like whale shark, frogs exhibit, and the rainforest on top is no more. The dolphin show doesn’t exist anymore either. The aquarium is over crowded and isn’t fun to enjoy time anymore!

Went there today and it took us about 2.5 hours to go through the exhibits while reading a lot of the informational signs. The shark tank didn't have an overwhelming number of sharks and I would have liked a place to sit just to watch them go around. We like the display of different tree frogs. I only saw 3 dolphins in the dolphin pool, not sure if they have more than that, but there aren't any shows that are done with them. Just an area you can sit and watch the dolphins swim around. They have membership discounts, but no military/veteran discounts, and I agree with some other reviewers that it was a little expensive for adult entry.

This was our second visit to the National Aquarium and a big part of our reason for returning to Baltimore. I found it inspiring and wondrous. The exhibits provide healthy and lovely environments for the inhabitants and there is so much information about their lives and the impacts of humans on the natural world.

Treat yourself to one of the 4D Experiences! Just $5/person (15 minutes), a film with fun extra surprises (thus the 4 vs 3D). I especially recommend Octopus.

Support this great institution!

Beautiful aquarium on several levels. One of the most beautiful in the EU. Many other visible species such as snakes birds turtles monkey frogs etc... Really interesting.

Went at 10:30 am on a Saturday. The place was very crowded with lots of kids around, I highly suggest going on a weekday if possible.

The aquarium itself is very nicely designed and contains a beautiful selection of marine life, including turtles and sharks.

It was nice that they had stations where you could dip your hands in water and touch some animals like the horseshoe crab and the stingray.

A big pool for dolphins, but no more dolphin shows. For an extra 5$ you can purchase your ticket to watch 4D movies about certain animals. They are short, not so deep, but still entertaining. I ended up watching a documentary about octopuses.

Recommended on a weekday.

PS: Entry ticket price is 39.95$ for adults.

I wish I could give this place 0 stars. We read on Tripadisor that we should com early at 9 or 10 am to avoid crowds, but it was still CROWDED!! There were people everywhere. There were no lines just arrows on the floor pointing in different directions, but no one helping guide people to see things. You have to find an opening and rush up, look, and move out of the way to be kind to the next person and young children (who this facility is for). It is nice that they have little steps for kids to stand on to see, but these poor kids had to struggle to get through the crowds to the front. There should ave been someone there to help them!

I almost saw a fight between a mother and a nasty, rude woman who almost assaulted her child because the child (God Forbid) was trying to get closer to the fish exhibit where there was an open space. How was the child supposed to know what is going on when there isn't any type of organization in the mass amount of people? That poor child and later I saw the SAME woman shove a toddler into wall, so she could get a better look.

Why was this lady allowed to remain in the aquarium by the staff? This place is THAT desperate for money that they allow someone who is this crazy to be in this overly crowded space.

There wasn't anything that impressive to see if you could see anything besides the large tanks, dolphins by chance, and maybe the sharks. All the other small exhibits were too crowded to even get a chance to see anything. Avoid this place until they get their act together and enforce some crowd control.

We traveled to the Aquarium for the day this past Tuesday. You do have to purchase your ticket online and select your time slot, however going during the week, we basically had the place to ourselves!!! It was a wonderful experience. Everything was very clean and hand sanitizing stations were readily available. They guide you through with decals on the floor so as to keep people socially distanced. Overall it was a nice change of scenery and we had a lovely day.

Aquarium was. OK! Definitely NOT worth the $50 (general) or $30 (group rate) admission! Was through there in about 1 1/2 hrs. Parking garages expensive also. Won't be back!

We came on a Sunday and it was so crowded that we could not get close enough to most displays to see much without waiting for the crowd at each display to move. Display were great when you could see them.

We were told we needed to come here by the person we sat next to on our plane into Baltimore and needless to say it was a great recommendation. This aquarium is awesome. It was actually kind of nice going during a pandemic since it wasn't crowded and people respected your space as well as they could.

Just having visited the Georgia Aquarium we had pretty high expectations. It wasn't GA but we were not disappointed.

Exhibits were well set up and the groupings made sense. Not too crowded, so we were able to see everything.

This wasn't all about water. There were several areas where birds native to the location were also included. Made a fun addition.

Worth stopping in for a few hours if you're in the area.

Seeing an aquarium thru the eyes of a child, is magical.
They get lost in the wonder of the underworld!!

Our tour group attendant let us inside about 8 or ten minutes late....why is this being mentioned? We visited in January which is winter and this place sits off the water, so it was COLD.

With social distancing in effect, we were limited on our route.
It entailed a bunch of looping around and some in our group got dizzy.

A few of the escalators leaned in a fashion that we felt like extras in a Micheal Jackson video and the kids felt uneasy- this needs to addressed...perhaps with better lighting or an audible to hold on and be aware of what's ahead.
Just something......

Overall, I was underwhelmed by the display.
The dolphin show was axed, but the flow had us pass by them and they splashed guests in front of us. So that was sorta cool. A couple of the workers were more knowledgeable on animals and questions our kids had than others....one guy in school, tall with glasss was a deightful fellow who crafted time to explain avian and other potential career paths.

Streamer insight on where to park (to get the validation) needs to be better conveyed.

It was fun for the kids . Great exercise and beautiful day to be close to the marine life . I think because the dolphin show wasn’t available I wasn’t blown away! A ton of walking but it was enjoyable ! The food was average , overly priced as expected but my kids had fun so mission accomplished. I do think the ticket prices should be adjusted if certain shows and entertaining exhibits are available. Just saying

Great time! Went to sea world, took great photos.finished off my all you can eat 🦀..Great weather, fresh seafood, what’s better than that…

The price was a bit of a deterrent at first but I am glad we went as they had some animals that I have not seen before. The layout of the aquarium is really cool and the exhibits are top notch. The exhibits are very informative and easy to read. There is a jellyfish touch pool which of the likes I have never seen before. A few of the fish they have there were some of the biggest I have seen of those species. The highlight of the experience was getting to see the “Irwin’s Turtle,” the “Australian Lung Fish” and the absolutely massive fish in the Amazon exhibit. I loved the layout of the main exhibit when you first walk in and the seemingly stacked tanks when you get to the shark/reef exhibit. The only thing I did find upsetting was the dolphin exhibit as it was basically a big tank which is good as they have room to swim but yet the only enrichment the animals had was a ball that we saw. There were no rubbing rocks or anything like what we have seen at other aquariums that had dolphin exhibits. The national aquarium needs to look at how the Georgia aquarium has its dolphin exhibit set up as it’s much more cetacean friendly versus a big empty metal tank.

My husband and I took out kids out to the aquarium. The kids (4 and 6 years old) loved their visit. We spent about two hours and felt safe with the protocols that are in place. We saw a lot and it was worth the money (and parking validation!).

We decided to stop here on our way home from Virginia. We haven't been here for years so we were excited! We walked in and what a mad house it was! Absolutely NO social distancing at all! Couldn't even get to see some of the exhibits because it was to crowded!

We went to the cafe to get a quick snack! Well the tables were not wiped down at all. My shoes got stuck to the floor due to it being sticky!! The pretzel I got had a few ants on it! Didn't say anything because we were already disappointed and ready to leave but we had tickets for the 4d show!

We go to the 4d show and saw that the glasses were in a garbage can like thing! We decided to skip the show because were those glasses clean and sanitized? Didn't want to risk it so we skipped that and out of $15 dollars!

The amount of money you spend at the aquarium for the entrance to the food was not worth it at all. Very disappointed should of spent another day at the beach. With that all said I highly doubt I will ever be back or recommend going here

It was a little crowded with large groups but the aquarium was beautiful! So many fascinating creatures!

Worth to visit. Amazing experience, advise everyone to see this wonderful world.
Will cone once more time for sure soooooooooooooooooon.

Great location on Inner Harbor. A little pricy but once inside you see why. There is plenty to see and exhibits are VERY well done and spectacular! We worked our way leisurely through and took over 2 hours trying to see it all.

Aquarium had an awesome assortment of wildlife and aquatics. Be prepared for add least 2 1/2 hours to get through everything in a timely manner. Definitely a bang for your bucks.

There’s a reason it’s so expensive! It’s amazing! Cant miss in Baltimore. The upstairs is amazing with the “rain forest”

Our adult children chipped in to give us a membership for Christmas. We took one daughter and her family who were visiting from out of state. Even though it was crowded, it was easy to move through thanks to the Aquarium's design. The grandkids had a chance to touch jellyfish, stingrays and horseshoe crabs. The staff was expertly informed and very pleasant. Afterward, one grandson said it was the best day of his entire life.

It was hard to believe we were in a museum! Great place for families with children. Some parts are also interactive.

We have visited the aquarium once before and have wanted to go back every since. This was our 2nd time there and it was a good experience. Covid restrictions have made for timed tickets which is rough for us with our little ones as that makes us late for almost everything. Luckily it wasn't a big deal that we were late. After reading reviews about long wait times during the weekend to get in we did visit during the week and had no wait. Other visitors were spaced well and we had no problem seeing all the exhibits. I can see how easily things could get difficult on the weekends with more people so I definitely recommend going during the week if you are able. Overall I think they are doing their best with the restrictions and this is still one of our favorite aquariums to visit. Hopefully next time we can bring extended family with us.

We got tickets through our B&B and took the vouchers to Will Call the morning we wanted to tour the aquarium and the process for trading the vouchers for actual tickets was very easy.
We thoroughly enjoyed the 3 or so hours we spent in the aquarium. Everything is kept very clean. Other guests didn't do a great job of social distancing or looking at an exhibit and moving on but you can't fault the staff at the aquarium for people's lack of sense.
A great place to visit in the Inner Harbor.

Amazing place for all ages . Came in from philly gifted my husband a day at the aquarium . We had a blast . Dolphin tour was our favorite part.

We enjoyed the aquarium EXCEPT…the ridiculous dolphin experience tour. At $25 a person you think you are getting a really special experience. You are not! They take you to the nose bleeds of the amphitheater that is open to the general public…ask you a few questions about dolphins. Then you walk to the back to a “prep kitchen” where they have literally a sink and an ice machine. Then they have you grab a dead fish out of a bucket…you think cool, I’m going to feed the dolphins! Nope, you are only going to hold a dead fish and give it back. Then use the sink to wash your hands. Then you walk back out to the main room and stand a whopping 3’ from the general public and stare at an empty tank while they tell you the dolphins sometimes feel antisocial and don’t want to be seen. Mean while, the general public can see the dolphins from above where we are standing, swimming in back pools. What a complete joke. No interaction of any kind with dolphins. The person leading the tour was loud and everyone in the amphitheater got the same tour, minus the dead fish, for free. Save your money. Go to the amphitheater when it’s the time of the tour.

OK - so we DIDN'T actually go to the National Aquarium - however we did purchase admissions tickets, tickets for the VR experience, tickets for the dolphin adventure and the 4-D movies. We purchased on-line ahead of our planned visit. Unfortunately the evening before our visit our grandchildren both got sick. We called the Aquarium to cancel our visit and hoped that our purchases would be refunded. They were - with no questions asked. We really appreciated this and will definitely visit in the next few weeks - at which time I will write about our experiences - which I am sure will be amazing. Everyone that we spoke with were understanding and helpful.

This is a beautiful aquarium, lots to see. Species I have never seen before. My teenage daughter enjoyed it as well. We spent over two hours there

Visited 12/29/25 and it was crowded! I’m not sure timed-entry worked because it didn’t seem they were checking the tickets. Glad I got a discount from AAA. We were here many years ago and the exhibits (the ones we were actually able to get close to) were very nice. I did not know they had dolphins here. They don’t do shows but we watched the trainers during training and feeding time. So caught some jumps and ball playing. Probably would no longer return here.

If you visit Baltimore the National Aquarium is one place you should definitely visit. It’s one of the best aquariums I have visited, and the exhibits and sea life are very fun and informative.

The aquarium is an activity for people of all ages to visit, also it’s located at the Inner Harbor, which is a very scenic area of Baltimore.

Very disappointing and over priced. One attraction basically, a 4D movie that I'm sure is an upcharge and dolphins swimming in an empty tank. Will not return.

What has happened to Inner Harbor?

I have been to a lot of big city aquariums and this one is ok, but just ok. It was crowded but everyone wore there mask which was required, and everyone was considerate. It was a good day trip from Richmond and we honestly enjoyed going around the inner harbor just as much as the aquarium. We enjoyed riding around and seeing the ball fields and the city. Very clean and easy to get around at inner harbor. Parking was high even though we got a discount from the aquarium.

I think the crowds took away from the experience. We have been there before but never saw it this crowded. You couldn’t see any fish because the displays were so deep in people. The dolphins were the best part.

Our trip to Baltimore was a great experience. We had a great time seeing the sharks and the rest, even though it was crowded. I would highly recommend it and you won't be disappointed. The staff was extremely professional.

We particularly looked forward to visiting this aquarium, but were disappointed. There is no longer a dolphin show and the vignettes were underwhelming. Living near Chicago and having access to The Shedd Aquarium may have jaded our opinion of this aquarium.

Good visit. Easy entrance with the set time zones for entrance. It was very busy and crowded. Good view of the sea life and good exhibit set up. We also enjoyed the Australian exhibits as well. Alot if walking but not too many places to seat in between. Overall, well worth the entrance cost.

This aquarium was SUPER AMAZING! Probably one of the best I've ever been too! They had a very wide selection of animals on display, including large sharks, dolphins, birds, reptiles, and even SLOTHS! Of course many, many beautiful fish as well and a sea turtle! This place was FANTASTIC and lived up to the cost to get inside! It is a bit expensive but I think it was totally worth it!

The food at the eateries was also good, though a bit overpriced in my opinion. I wish they would let you bring outside food in, they could just allow you to eat it in the eatery areas; but I understand it's a money-making thing.

One thing that was SUPER HELPFUL was the refill stations for water bottles, you can bring in an empty water bottle and just fill it up FOR FREE! As many times as you want! So no need to waste money on drinks!

One thing I would say is that I did not like the somewhat frequent mentions of the theory of evolution on the plaques and even by one of the staff. That theory is, politely, full of absolute crap and I wish the aquarium just focused on the beauty and life of the animals without pushing a skewed worldview onto its guests. That was distasteful, but easy enough to ignore, God's creatures being all around!

One other thing I would say is that I think there should have been more staff around throughout the aquarium. One, it would be nice to ask more questions about the animals in question, because while some plaques were informative, others not as much and it would have been cool to learn some more about God's amazing animals on display.

Also more staff would have been helpful, because I witnessed two separate incidents where guests were frightening fish with flash photography and their phone flashlights( completely inappropriate behavior). I felt a lot of pity for the fish, who literally cannot blink and were obviously frightened by the sudden bright lights. More staff members being present could stop thoughtless, or purposely unkind, guests from disturbing the animals, who otherwise seem very well cared for.

I will say if you are an animal lover, plan to stay for at LEAST six hours. I stayed for seven and just barely got to see everything the aquarium had to offer. If you are not as enthusiastic, a few should be fine, but know, you won't get to see everything.

Also prepare to be somewhat patient at peak times as while it never got overly crowded to the point where I felt uncomfortable, some of the display tanks are smaller and you have to wait your turn to see the animals. Nothing terrible but it's something to know, things got less crowded and more convenient later into the evening when some of the guests headed home.

Over all, while I had some issues, I LOVED my experience! God blessed me and my family with a wonderful time! The staff we interacted with were pleasant, the habitats for the animals all humane and beautiful, and the animals themselves FANTASTIC FANTASTIC creations of God! So beautiful! Really, it's worth a trip! I would 100% go again!

This was our second time coming here and boy did we have a blast! The Aquarium is so large and there are a ton of different displays to to look at! The dolphins of course are the main attraction. Though they are not doing dolphin shows anymore, they do have training sessions that you can watch. (An inside tip to know.)

Since we are still in the Covid, the few to no mask were a bit problem with the amount of people in there. It was very unsafe with the amount of people there, especially the kids with out a mask who are not vaccinated.

Other than the mask issue, this place is great for kids of all ages… and adults too! Definitely would recommend this place to anyone stopping by in the Boston area.

Do not go there on a weekend! Way too crowded! Spend $$$$ only to be 10 feet back from each tank. The aquarium was once awesome, but that was 25 years ago.

The price point of $40 per adult was spot on for this excellent aquarium. It was impressive start to last. The variety of floors and themes was a great way to shuffle up the experience. It was a huge assortment of fish, fins and frogs- okay and turtles! Loved it! Things I would note are-no strollers, also if you have mobility issue you may find it a bit of a challenge.

The 4D dolphin film for an additional $5 was good as long as you know three things
1. You will get a tiny bit wet
2. You will get more of a story than an education
3. It’s 10 minutes long.

I still recommend going- it was fun!

I strongly recommend this if you can afford it. We saw the exhibit for two hours, then the movie, then finished with the jellyfish as the dolphin exhibit is closet. It was well worth what we paid!!

Very clean, and perfect for a pandemic trip. They have it perfectly organized for a one way distanced tour through the whole place. Only aquarium I know that has monkeys. Also has Dolphins but they go to sleep after 5. Half price on Friday nights!

We were pleasantly surprised by how much we loved our experience at the aquarium this time around. One of my sons won community tickets from the kids' summer reading program at the public library (Thank you!), so that helped offset the high ticket costs. Since this was not our first time, we aimed it around the puffin feeding and the archerfish feeding which was really, really cool. The jellyfish invasion exhibit is always a winner and I think they rolled out some new varieties so we were treated to some more cool jellyfish varieties. The touch pool is always a winner (make sure to bring a change of shirts!). It was also great that we caught the Amazon Rainforest exhibit after renovations. Overall, the boys had fun and it helped that they are at an age where they can appreciate it better also.

I read a lot of reviews on here but still decided to give it a chance. My biggest complaint is that it’s so overpriced. It should be at least half of what it costs, especially since the dolphins aren’t a big part of the draw now.

I thought it was clean and while some reviewers commented about the smell, we didn’t notice it.

We went on a Wednesday and got there around 11:30am. We left around 2pm. It wasn’t crowded at all.

We were excited to see the dolphins. We knew there weren’t shows anymore, but we at least wanted to see them. They weren’t even in the tank where you could view them from above or below. They were in the two areas behind the big viewing tank. At this point, just transfer the dolphins to a dolphin sanctuary and find something else to do with that big arena. It’s a huge let down.

We had breakfast before going there (at Miss Shirley’s, which is amazing), but we got a snack. A 1oz bag of Utz chips was $4.25 and a small can of apple juice was $4.75. Ridiculous.

I thought the rainforest was fun. I loved the birds and we did catch a glimpse of the sloth. It is a humid area, so be prepared to be hot while you’re in there.

I’ve been to other aquariums and while this aquarium’s size is impressive, the quality just isn’t there. I would not recommend making this a part of your itinerary unless you get deeply discounted tickets, or haven’t been to many aquariums or zoos and have low expectations.

For the most part I enjoyed my visit with my grandkids. The biggest thing I DID NOT LIKE was the non mask wearing. There were plenty of kids that I know were under 12 not wearing mask. I truly did not understand why mask wearing was not enforced for that age range???

Overpriced and to many people to enjoy. Was surprised at the volume of people considering COVID. No dolphin programs at all due to COVID. I understand that they need money to run aquarium but don’t expect a lot for $40 per person. Had been there in the past and enjoyed but wasn’t as nice this time.

The aquarium was good, there is a lot to see and it's laid out well with the ever popular sharks featured well. We did go while pandemic restrictions were in place. The timed entrance and directed path seemed to bunch people up and actually limit social distancing but that could be because there were two school groups mixed in with families and couples. I would also mention selecting shoes carefully as 2 exhibits involved wet floors. They are textured so slipping is not the concern wet shoes and feet however may be.

My family and I (husband and 3 young children) went to the National Aquarium for the first time and loved it!! My 7-year-old son was requesting to come here for weeks! We arrived around 3:30pm and parked in a nearby parking garage (LAZ on Lombard Street) which was less than a 6-minute walk to the aquarium. The aquarium does validate parking, and we paid $19 for 4+ hours.
There were no lines at the ticket counter when we arrived, so we were able to walk right up and purchase general admission tickets. The woman working at the ticket counter let us know that if we wanted to wait until 5pm entry time than ticket prices would be discounted. My kids were excited to go at the time of arrival, so we passed on the option. However, this information was good to know for a future evening visit.
Once inside, it was amazing! I will say that the signage to assist with navigating was subpar and we only saw staff at the entrance, near the gift shop, and at the eateries. We did not encounter any guest services staff while walking through the exhibits. This was our first time here and wayfinding was not easy, and it definitely would have been helpful to see staff walking through the exhibits to assist with any guest questions and/or wayfinding needs.
We entered the aquarium at approximately 3:45pm and left at 8:15pm. It was hard to believe that we spent so much time in there, but there was so much to see! We enjoyed seeing the various fish, reptiles, turtles, sharks, birds, and dolphins! I am sure that we probably still did not see everything! My daughter was disappointed that there was not a dolphin show. We entered the dolphin exhibit and noticed that other visitors were seated in the stands as if a "show" was about to start. We found a seat and waited for the "show". After 10 minutes a guest services staff member came in the area and let visitors know that they do not perform dolphin shows, but was there to answer any questions had concerning the dolphins. My kids started to get bored as the dolphins were very inactive. Eventually, a staff member and/or trainer tossed a ball into the water and that seemed to get them active for a bit.
One thing to mention, that we loved and was handy, is that they have water refill stations! It was hot inside, some areas warmer than others, so I would encourage you to bring a reusable water bottle for your visit! The food prices were expensive, so we only purchased a large bag of popcorn and ate in the Harborview area which was really nice.
Overall, we had a really good experience and would definitely visit again!

In one word out visit was AWFUL. We traveled from NY to visit and were initially excited. We have visited many other aquariums and museums that have been incredible. This is by far the worst visit we have ever had.

After purchasing the tickets we were informed that strollers are not permitted in the aquarium. Given that an aquarium is typically a family friendly place we were shocked. We had a two month old infant with us so we inquired further. The representative informed us that we could just carry "it". Hmm "it"... this is a person not a handbag?! No understanding of the needs of families. We spent the entire time chasing a toddler and holding an infant.

In addition, the exhibits are underwhelming. For the price of the we expected better than this. Most tanks were small with a few fish of one kind. Larger exhibits were closed. Nothing was at eye level for children. This is certainly NOT a family friendly place.

We visit the aquarium during our weekend trip to Baltimore,the location is good,walking distance if u are staying at the inner harbor area,the aquarium is nice and kids had a nice time,but I don’t think is worth visiting again,it does not have many exhibits and interactive attractions as other places.The price is too high for what they offered.
The building is nice and everyone was friendly,the 4 D dolphin movie was nice but not worth the extra 5 dollars.
If you are in the area and have a couple of hours to spear is for sure a good option,kids will sure have a good time,but I would not plan a special visit.

Underwhelming and overpriced! $350 for 8 adults and 2 small kids, then another $100 for a light lunch that was really more like a way overpriced, and not good snack. This organization smacks of its own pretentiousness! Better to save your hard-earned money and take a trip to the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. The Smithsonian runs this zoological park, and hence it's a first-class operation. It'll cost you $30 to park at the zoo which goes directly to the zoo, admission is free. I forgot to mention we spent another $60 for downtown Baltimore parking in a public garage, and not the safest! all in all, an extremely disappointing and expensive day, and not worth the hassle!!!

Too crowded and during this covid times I find it very strange that this would happen. Especially since it’s not cheap

Aquarium was very dark and overcrowded. Could not get close to the glass to see the fish/exhibits. Strollers not allowed. Had to carry the 2 year old around. Miserable experience.

We were a group of 9 adults and were as excited about what we saw as the children were. The jellyfish, the stingrays and sharks were particular highlights but the whole place is lovely to be in and so informative and fascinating - we all loved it.

One of the best aquariums we have ever been to! It’s clean and well-kept, laid out perfectly, and has a large selection of creatures (more sharks and dolphins, for instance, than any other place I have been to). The dolphins were not all that visible, as they were swimming around in their large pool, but we got to see their fins from time to time. We went on a Friday evening and it was not very crowded, which was nice. It’s pricey, but definitely worth it! I definitely suggest going!

Great thing to kill some time in the inner harbor and take visiting friends. We had kids with us and they had a blast.

Very uniquely designed aquarium. Takes you on an unexpected path through the oceans and seas. We were impressed by it’s design. Not a lot of interaction with the sea creatures but the exploration made up for it. Great restaurants in the area so no need to bring lunch. Be prepared to walk around the area after.

Very nice aquarium, lots of fish to see. The squeeze is big and pleasant to walk by the fish tanks. I recommend this place for a good time.

I didn't visit it on this trip buy have done so on a number of occasions in the past. Wonderful experience for the whole family!

Even after their remodel today's visit 8/2025 left me disappointed. Still such a small # of sharks in the bottom spiral viewing area at the end. Plus the dark walls & no lighted walk paths continues to disappoint. Having various ocean sounds & at least soft light colored walls with small purple/blue/green tracking lights on walls & flooring edges away from glass displays would be much more inviting. The small aquarium size tank opening need to be be 2 to 3 times larger for the crowds. This aquarium could do much better.

OKAY, let me start by saying if you've never been, go now. Pack your bags and go. We've only been to a few aquariums but this one was definitely our favorite. They are very covid conscious, and they have an easily navigable set up going on. You start with the large open water area where you see HUGE stingrays, tons of fish and some sharks! Then you proceed on to some small exhibits, lots of little plaques and things to look at. As you go further in, you end up working your way upwards in the aquarium. First through the bird enclosure, which was really neat but not much to see except for this BEAUTIFUL bird. Then there are more fish and amphibians, and eventually you end up making your way down through one of the BEST parts! The ramp circles around through the middle and the whole room is surrounded by shark tanks! It was incredible. There were signs everywhere showing which sharks were in the tanks and you could get right up close to them it was so cool. And right when you think your visit is over, it just gets better. The dolphin exhibit was a huge surprise and even though there wasn't a show going on it was really near watching them play in their pools. Once you get go through the "stadium" type area you can go down below to the underwater observation area and see the dolphins really interact and swim around... BUT WAIT, there's more! After that the final exhibit was the new jellyfish encounter which was really neat to see up close. There were big, small, different colored and so many species of jellyfish floating around in the tanks for you to see. It took us about 2 hours to stop and see everything. The timed tickets were nice because you weren't on top of other people, the little escalator and ramps inside are also nice for getting around and staying on the right route. We will definitely return In the future!

I must admit, I was somewhat disappointed with this experience.

1. They need more crowd control. The place was packed and people would just stand around in areas for long periods of time. They should have signs encouraging people to keep it moving after a couple of minutes.

2. The A/C was not adequate on a hot July day.

3. The touch tank had a few stingrays and horseshoe crabs. With the amount of people and everyone just standing around, it was hard to touch anything. Once again, it would be helpful if the staff monitoring the area would encourage people to keep it moving. They did have a jelly fish tank that was well stocked and it was pretty cool to touch one. They should add hand washing stations to the touch tank area. All they had was hand sanitizer on the way out.

4. For such a large building, I was left feeling like I didn't see much. Especially for costs.

I wouldn't visit again, but overall it was an ok experience. It would have been better if there weren't so many people. I visit aquariums when I travel and I have to say, the Tennessee Aquarium is around this size but has so much more for a cheaper price and with better sanitary practices (and this was before COVID). Someone who works here should visit that one and see how they run things.

5/5 lots of walking, got to touch jellyfish, see sharks and dolphins, and even ended up taking a nap. Solid aquarium, would recommend

We loved the aquarium, and we would go again on our next visit, it’s a great experience! Couples and families would love it

Not a family-friendly trip for families with toddlers.

Please be more upfront about your No Stroller policy. It's a highly unusual policy that I've never encountered before and was not expecting. It should be front and center when people are booking tickets.

The policy was not listed when we went to book our tickets online, even when we booked a child under four ticket. I only found the information later, and it was basically hidden. If I knew in advance that strollers were prohibited, I NEVER would have spent money to bring my two year old. She's at an awkward age where she's too heavy to carry but too little to safely walk (she'd get trampled).

We basically wasted our money because we had to leave after only 5-10 minutes. If I'd known in advance that strollers were banned, I would have waited a few years to bring her.

So much fun! There were so many exhibits it kept us busy! Definitely one of the best experiences! It wasn't too crowded and we could take our time! Definitely coming back!

It is a beautiful place to visit but not during spring break. The unruly, undisciplined children screaming and running wild all over the place and their "parents" are there just letting them do what ever. It's a shame that a person who pays a good price to see the aquarium and have the experience dashed by the likes of undisciplined children and parents who won't control them.

Greeting staff to the Aquarium were loud and having discussions between themselves about smoking drugs on April 20. We used the access elevator to each floor and a staff members took us to the ground floor where this person was sitting at a large desk she had the brightest green hair. This person was rude and yelling level 1 you can’t be on this floor. I had a second interaction with this security person with green hair when I was looking for my mothers lost phone. Nadine with the bright green hair was rude loud and was asking about my mothers wheel chair claiming it was her property. My suggestion is not to go to the Baltimore National Aquarium all staff are unprofessional just look at the security staff.

Enjoyed our time at the Aquarium. Very well done with plenty of knowledgeable staff nearby to help and point out things of interest. They do not allow baby strollers. They have a stroller storage area for you but if you have very young children or some very busy youngsters you may want to take extra help. Public parking nearby.
Plenty of places to eat in walking distance.

Loved it. Lots of different sharks and jellyfish. Only thing I did not see was an octopus. I may have missed it. I did not like the entrance where you have to have your picture taken.

The aquarium was a very nice place to visit. The exhibits are well done and it's easy to move through them. The dolphin exhibit is a bit hit-and-miss since there's no actual show anymore. You just have to wait for the dolphins to come into the exhibit tank.

My Honey and I decided to kill some time during our last visit to Baltimore a couple weeks ago, and visited the Aquarium. The main focus of our latest visit to Baltimore was to attend a couple night games at Camden Yards. We were getting our steps in during the day at the Inner harbor area and noted no lines at the Aquarium. Usually there are long lines and large crowds which is why we a have avoided the last couple years. We seized the opportunity and spent 1 - 2 hours touring the fascinating exhibits. I had taken my nieces here about thirty years ago and I don't recall all the exhibits I we saw this time. My Honey and I enjoyed the Sharks, Rays and Dolphins the most. So much fun! The cost for admission is a bit high, but we thought it was well spent. There was a lot of people in attendance but the Aquarium areas are expansive and foot traffic was smooth and timely. We didn't feel overwhelmed by the crowds at all. We were very pleased we had this opportunity and highly recommend a visit here also. Outstanding time!

So many different regions of the world covered by fish. Very educational experience. Staff very helpful

So many things to see, it's set up nicely. A bit expensive it's like 75 a ticket. The fishes are cute love the baby sharks. During Covid its quiet and empty, took us about 2 hours to walk and that is walking extremely slow.

We visited the aquarium today (2/18) from colorado and I just wanted to say that the staff were so friendly. We had two people helping us with my husband's wheelchair to get through level 4 of the aquarium that were so sweet and great with my kids. Our server at the first floor cafe was very friendly (guy with prior brain surgery) and in a great mood. The cashier at the jellyfish cafe was also very friendly and accommodating and allowed me to try a taste of a drink before purchase. Overall I just want to commend all of the employees we met today as we didn't have anyone in a bad mood or not welcoming. Thank you!

Maybe a weekday visit made the difference, but very enjoyable. We visited in July on a Wednesday morning. Place was busy but not overcrowded at all. Admission isn't cheap but it is a very nice aquarium with good exhibits and helpful employees. The visitors also were all quite pleasant and courteous. Air conditioning was fine, not very cold which suited me. Place was clean. After reading so many negative reviews, I was reluctant to go but glad I did. I took my wife and three small kids aged 5, 7 and 9. They loved it. Only disappointment was the dolphin shows were not happening. Not sure why. We saw the dolphin show area which looked really nice. I would suggest visitors first inquire about the dolphin shows before visiting. It would have made the visit much more fun for the kids especially.

As an aside, the Inner Harbor waterfront area was rather dead during this time, but I imagine it is busy after 5pm and on weekends. Lots of decent restaurants to chose for lunch, including Cheesecake Factory, Shake Shack, Chic Fil-A, IHOP, etc. All in close proximity to the aquarium.

We enjoyed our visit to the aquarium. The exhibits were well done. Some were interactive; all were educational and entertaining. Our favorite were the Jellyfish. Every staff member we encountered was friendly and helpful. Due to surgery, I was in a wheelchair. Their accessibility standards were top notch. Parking in the garage was convenient with easy access to the street. I would recommend!

Have visited in the past. However on this trip, tried to buy tickets using my UK cards. Told no international cards accepted. Pretty weird policy for a tourist destination.

Decided to go to Port Discovery instead - who are quite happy to take internation cards..

We had a great day. The place was not crowded since we went the Tuesday after Memorial Day. I don’t think it would have been enjoyable if it was packed.. We paid extra to do the dolphin tour. The guide was knowledgeable and informative. The food was actually pretty good. We had a po boy and pretzels. They charged over $5 for a bottle of water which i find unfair. You are able to bring a packed lunch though.

We visited most of the exhibits and everything was amazing. Found the dolphin pool relaxing. We did not feel overwhelmed with the written explanations. Staff were knowledgeable.

A nice collection of marine animals set in a few different tanks and ecosystems. It's a nice visit for all ages but especially kids.

My husband and I love Aquariums and this one is AMAZING! The learning experiences and layout of the aquarium is beyond fascinating and I could have easily spent all day reading everything and learning about all the different species and habitats.

Well, we are not living in a covid time anymore. The aquarium was so packed that people were just on top of eachother. I am not sure why they have timed admission because it's still way too packed. I didn't feel comfortable with my 4 year old son walking so I had to carry him the whole time. I would like to point out that I did visit on a Saturday. So this could also be a big reason why it was so packed.

We visited the National Aquarium while visiting Baltimore. We've visited multiple aquariums throughout the US and this is one of the best. It is an excellent aquarium and has many species we had not seen elsewhere. The cost is a little high at $50 per adult. The way the museum is designed the majority of the exhibits are on an one way "path." It is nice because of the number of exhibits you don't miss anything but because it is an one way flow of the crowds it is hard to get away from the mass of people. We spent about 2 1/2 hours here and could have easily spent longer. While we were there, there were several presentations by educators which were very well done and informative. There were also employees throughout to answer questions and point out things in the exhibits. Everyone was extremally helpful and nice. We will definitely visit again.

Great collection from around the world housed with an amazing structural design, Am amazed it still has (unfortunately) dolphins in a pool. Sad, but at least no more cheesy shows.

The positives-staff were friendly and helpful; parking garages convenient; half price Friday evening and tickets easy to purchase online.
As an aquarium this one underwhelms. There are not a lot of exhibits. No shows available when we visited. Traffic flow inside is not well thought out.
Glad I went once but once is enough. Definitely recommend taking advantage of half price night and plan for about a 90 minutes visit.

Love the aquarium, the exhibits are as always awesome. There was lots of sanitizer available and bathrooms all over the place. Everyone was wearing masks but the was absolutely no social distancing and no order at the exhibits. So even if you try to keep a social distance and “wait for your turn” the next family just barges through. It would have been nice to have a little more organization and distancing as we walked through the exhibits.

We went to the National Aquarium at 11 a.m. on a Friday. The groups of kids from camps or preschools or whatever made it very unpleasant, running around, yelling, sometimes pushing into us. The Aquarium showcases beautiful and strange fish swimming serenely in fabulous settings, but it's hard to enjoy them when chaos is all around. The folks at the info desk told us to come back at 9 a.m. when the Aquarium opens -- and any weekday but Friday.

We enjoyed our visit here and learned a lot. I am glad we went but would not return. The sharks and dolphins were incredibly disappointing. The admissions price are also too high. There were only two of us, but it makes me mad and sad when museum prices are so high. It would be cost prohibitive for some families, which I cannot in good conscious support. It was also very crowded. If you are set on going, go first thing in the morning when it opens.

It's a huge aquarium, many levels to it. There is so much to see there even though it took us about an hour to get through. We went on Friday after 5pm where tickets are cheaper. $20 kids, $25 adults.

This was a wonderful experience! I would recommend visiting the national aquarium 100%. Loved the sharks!

The six of us went with Starr Tours for a bus ride to and from the Aquarium. The NA has a lot of fish of different varieties. There is a lot of different settings and tanks to display the fish. We took two sessions, both equaled about 3 hours to see the whole place. One of the highlights was watching the interaction of the dolphins with the training staff. The overall staff was friendly and eager to answer any of our questions. The weather was beautiful, so we enjoyed the short walk to and from the site.

Just returned from a weekend trip to Baltimore and decided to go to the National Aquarium. Due to the Pandemic, they required reservations which need to be made on-line for a particular time slot and need to be paid for in advance (with no refund). Not so bad, I thought, at least we could walk right in if we go at the reserved time. Wrong, we arrive 15 minutes before the reserved time to a huge line with zero to no social distancing. We waited in the line for 40 minutes, before being given access. Upon entry, we were instructed to social distance and out temperatures were taken. I guess there were no worries about us when we were waiting in line for 40 minutes. Horrible experience!!!!

This was fun and super interactive. I loved the focus on conservation and shark species. I do not recommend going on a Saturday as it is extremely crowded.

Wow!
What an amazing place. Every fish, you can imagine. From tropical fish, Sharks, piranha's poison dart frogs and even the hardest puncher on the planet (and it's only a shrimp!)
It's a shame they don't do the dolphin displays any more. Would have loved to have seen them in action.
It costs around $40-adults and $25-children.
But I think it's worth every bit. It's around 1 mile all the way around.

The National Aquarium is something you should definitely do at least once. They have some really amazing displays and it will keep the family busy for hours. The Australia and Amazon exhibits are really interesting. Over all it's just a great day

Great place to visit. Just so much to see. Went two days. And still didn't see it all. Great location.

Absolutely beautiful aquarium from start to finish. Staff seem to really care about the animals. Large variety of sea life. Black tip reef is absolutely breathtaking. Plus they stopped the inhumane treatment of the dolphins. I would go here again and again. It's surreal.

This review is for the aquarium sleepover only. It was horrendous. The aquarium overbooked the sleepover and we were not allowed to sleep in the same area as our kids. Our whole party had to sleep split up on multiple levels of this five floor walkway. On the lower levels small groups were all spread out, but our school group was cramped together on several different levers in the higher floors.. Although some had air mattresses, others were told there wasn’t enough room. The attendants were downright hateful about it. There is zero hospitality in the sleepover attendants. The main person is terribly gruff and the other workers, mostly female, seem like they really don’t know what they are doing. The “snack” is a homemade rice crispy bar and they don’t give you anything to drink. I was so thirsty and I asked one of the female attendants for a cup for water and she would not give me one. Instead she directed me to a water fountain three floors up. I walked all the way up those levels and neither the fountain nor the water bottle filler would worked. The power gets turned off at a certain time. I went to the. Bathroom for a drink and only warm water came out.

They turn the lights out (they are on automatic timers for the animals) and you can’t see to walk past all the overcrowded sleeping areas that you have to cross to get to the bathrooms. Most importantly, the lights are out and you can’t see any of the fish. So the “sleepover with the fish” is deceiving because you can’t see any fish. Do yourself a favor and skip the sleepover. Good thing this is a national aquarium because I can’t imagine anyone would come back for a sleepover after suffering through conditions we were forced to endure. They also wake you up at 6:45 am and you have to have all of your things out of this tiny, overcrowded classroom you have to keep them in by 9:00 am. Probably over fifty people in our total group and we all had to change clothes and brush teeth, etc. in a tiny three stall bathroom with one sink that didn’t work.

The aquarium itself is nice to visit and our tour guide and private tour was interesting, but the overnight sleepover portion was not at all well planned; a fire hazard the way they had everyone piled in all these platforms on a ramp, and just an overall disappointment.

Staff were incredible!! We had someone handicapped in our group and EVERYONE was super kind without making you feel singled out! The majority of the transitions from one area to the next were fairly seamless from the main tourists (only one was a little odd - in offices.) otherwise you came to the same entrance as everyone else walking.

Super clean facility! Hand sanitizer stations everywhere (with actual good smelling and not watery hand sanitizer!!) clean bathrooms! Water fountains throughout with bottle filling stations. Not crowded the day we went at all!! It was so comfortable you almost forgot you were masked and in a pandemic.

It was an incredible experience!!

Either lower price or give discounts due to covid shut down of many attractions. And or let it be know before tickets are purchased

Last time I was here I brought my son, 30 years ago. This trip, his son, our grandson. It really hasn't changed and it very typical of others now. Used to be "the best" but pricey and just average nowadays.

I thought my husband was crazy to have us leave DC to go to Baltimore for the acquarium and Fort McHenry, but I'm so glad he did! This acquarium is huge. We were there for 3 hrs with no problem. It's all really well planned- there were even snack streams right when my kids got hungry. The 4D theater is so fun (if your children are sensory avoiders or are easily shocked, the 4D theater is not for you). The dolphin area is so relaxing. You can just go there and sit and watch them for as long as you want. If we hadn't been with small children, we probably would have spent another 90 minutes there- that's how large and in depth it is. Parking is down the street in a garage. Hard Rock Cafe and Phillips seafood are right there on the same plaza.

We purchased our tickets ahead of time and were given an entry time. The aquarium does have a lot to see and learn about, but it was very crowded. So instead of waiting forever to see something, we just moved on. For $40 per person I think I expected more. I was disappointed that there wasn’t a dolphin show. That didn’t make sense. They didn’t limit the number of people there but couldn’t have a dolphin show because of COVID? I bought a souvenir in the gift shop, and she wanted $5 for a re-usable bag. No thanks. I wasn’t offered a disposable one either. I don’t think I need to go back anytime soon. The best part of the aquarium was getting to spend time with family that I hadn’t seen in a while.

We spent 3 hours in the aquarium and enjoyed all the aquatic animals very much. Nice day visiting and walking around.. Beautiful clean aquarium with wonderful employees. .We met Vanessa at the front entrance. .such a warm and wonderful person. Talking to her was such a pleasure and she made us stamp our hands at the entrance so we could get back in...thank you Vanessa for warning us

My family loved it! This is our first time visiting and my children are ages: 10, 12, & 14. We also signed up for the family membership which saved us money on the VR and the parking garage.

Kind of a waste of money. Crowded, dark, difficult to see fish.... There are better things to see. I would not recommend it. The cost of $39.95 for adults and $29.95 for minors seemed a little steep.

We went on a Tuesday morning - by noon the place was PACKED. They do technically have a mask mandate, but it didn't seemed enforced at all, lots of kids running around without. I didn't see staff anywhere except the touch pools.

We skipped the rainforest part because it was too crowded. We did find the dolphin area nice and calming, with lots of space. No shows, but you can watch the dolphins swim and play around with each other. It was much quieter here than other parts of the aquarium.

The touch pools were fun! We got to touch horseshoe crabs and jellyfish.

For $40 I wouldn't go again, but ultimately we enjoyed our time there.

I visited this aquarium 20 years ago so I was excited to go back. I left disappointed. The tickets were very expensive. $50. The exhibits were just OK. Dolphins were in the pool. No show. There are so many other aquariums that are nicer and cost a lot less.

This place is awesome! I remember coming here years ago when they still had the dolphin shows, but even with those gone the whole experience is still great. We got a family membership and split our visit over 2 days (easier on the kids, and we plan to come back). But if you do get a membership (which I still recommend) be aware that in order to get the discount on the extra things (like the movies) you need to purchase them outside. Inside they can't give you the membership discount. Totally ridiculous. Still a fantastic place though!

This was crazy expensive-- even with my military discount, it was $89.80 for my wife and I. It was explained to me that coming back later would have made it cheaper. Anyway, it was really quite worth it-- this is by far the best and most extensive aquarium I've ever been in. It has nearly every zone on earth, often with the amphibians that goes with that zone. Very clean, very well done, and super easy to get some prize photographs of the fish. The reef display alone is worth the admission. Gift shop is OK. Should be an annual event for my wife and I int he future.

I am glad I lived before all the regulations. No Dolphin Show? That would have been the only thing that could have saved this visit. Very few of the exhibits were interesting and there were not many of those. Lots of pictures and verbal information, you could get at home on your computer. I would never ever go again. I expected a lot more for the $$$$$. I have seen fantastic aquariums in the past, but maybe all of those have been diluted also.

What I would consider the crown jewel of inner harbor attractions. The price has definitely risen but compared to museums and NYC and other major cities, still seems worth it. (AAA does offer discounted tickets in advance.) We visited on a Friday thinking it would be a little quieter (forgot about summer camp trips!) Was pretty busy (weekend probably even more so) so had to wait to get closer to exhibits at times. But upside there is a lot of to see. Overall felt there is a wide variety of aquatic life and exhibits to learn about our oceans, waterways, environment and more. See fish, puffins, dolphins, sharks, rays, even tropical birds and frogs. Food available on site, on the pricey side. More variety than just burgers and chicken fingers (although those are offered). Nice gift shop, very pricey though which is unfortunate (don’t price gouge families)

Incredible displays and knowledge friendly staff. A wonderful experience. A member of my family has limitations and the staff were so kind and helpful.

We had an excellent time. We have been to several zoos and aquariums and this was by far the best. It was clean and updated with vivid signs and directions. They enforced mask wearing and had plenty of hand sanitizer stations. They have dolphins, which I've only seen at one other place. Parking was easy and close, and you get a discount if you have it validated. Definitely recommend this aquarium.

Really nice aquarium. We had timed tickets. I guess for covid reasons. Not sure why as they let anyone in. Really clean. Tons of things to see. A must in Baltimore.

I’ve seen far more fish (beside the Sharks) at Petsmart. Don’t waste your money. Not worth $50…seriously don’t do it. Take your kids somewhere else!

There is so much to see it took us hours to go through it all! Give yourself enough time to enjoy all of it, so you don’t have to rush.

At first I thought it was a regular aquarium with 5 or so floors. But My interest sparked at the Amazon exhibit and I love walking through the rain forest...The dolphins was nice I think my favorite part was doing the downward boardwalk of the sea life towards the end...it made many floors being worth it for the price...40 for adults 30 for children I think 2 and under free...YOU CAN NOT BRING YOUR STROLLER YOU HAVE TO CHECK IT which was ok so we didn'thave to walk back to the car and it was free...SO BRING BABY WEAR they don't give any out anymore

Family members and I visited the National Aquarium during Thanksgiving week. It was our first time there and the visit was great. It is an expensive visit, but our timing was excellent as the facility was not crowded.
Baltimore, MD, is a great spot for America's National Aquarium, although the Aquarium also focused on other places in the world besides America's east coast. Besides sharks, eels, and lots of other live sea creatures (some of which we could touch - not the sharks and eels), the Aquarium has a coral reef, dolphins (though no longer dolphin shows), jellies (some can spawn up to 40,000 offspring a day!), and a small rain forest - which has birds. One type of bird that lives in the Aquarium is the Atlantic Puffin! It was a great experience, which we combined with tours of three nearby ships (two surface ships and a sub) as well as a meal at the nearby Hard Rock Cafe.
The reason I did not give t 5 stars is that one of the major exhibits focuses on adaptation and evolution. Adaptation, of course, has happened although not nearly to the extent evolutionists assert (unicellular organisms changing and adapting to become sharks) and the whole evolutionary timeline of millions and billions of years is simply silly. So that section, which contained a few facts and lots of nonsense, brought my rating down.

Highly recommend the "Early Access" tour. It is an add-on to the basic admission, which allows you a couple hour private tour that starts 30 mins before the aquarium opens for the general public. Our guide was great. The early tour allows you to pretty much experience the whole aquarium without crowds pushing you along or blocking views and stuff. We also did the shark tour, but if you do the early tour, I don't think the shark tour is worth it. All in all, a great time and our kids loved it.

We love nature, both just being outdoors and learning in zoos and aquariums, and the animals here were impressive.

Sadly, even with their “limiting” attendance because of covid, it was unpleasantly crowded. Spent most of our time looking at the backs of other visitors and waiting in line. At $40/person, I absolutely expect to be able to see into the tanks and read the signs.

And if you’re not going to hand out maps, you should have more posted than just the ONE on the counter at the information desk.

Basically, make your own call — if you feel like $40 is a fair price for a cattle-like visit to peer around other people’s bodies, go for it.

The bathrooms are inadequate in number/size and were so gross.

The 4D shark movie is $5 for 12 minutes. It’s actually quite good (still pricey at 42 cents/minute).

A really good place to visit but try to time it to avoid crowds. When it's busy, people ignore everyone else and spend forever taking pictures of their kids and blocking the view for everyone else.

The staff are really friendly and keen to answer questions. We spent about 3hrs walking around everything so be prepared to spend some time here.

I had been to the National Aquarium a few times back in the early 2000's and really enjoyed it. Now you have to buy tickets for a particular time slot, so you end up going in with a pretty massive crowd and all of the exhibits are nearly impossible to see because there are 5 rows of people in front of you. They've also stopped the dolphin shows, which used to be the best part. Why? You'd think it would have to do something with covid, but you can still go sit in the stands with 1,000 other people and watch the dolphins swim. Maybe it has to do with animal rights? Nope, they still have at least 4 dolphins in their holding tanks. I don't get it. Either way, I would not spend my money on the experience again unless I knew I was going at a time when they'd be absolutely dead.

The aquarium was nice, but I was expecting more. The tickets were a bit pricey - almost $40/adult. We spent about 3 hours there. Despite timed entry, it was pretty crowded.

We had a great day at the aquarium with our 11 year old granddaughter. We spent about 4 hours enjoying the exhibits and having lunch. There's a lot to see and learn for all ages!

First time at the Aquarium, visited while in town celebrating my wedding anniversary & I absolutely loved it ! My favorite was walking all the way to the top of the tank in the middle and being able to see each level as we walked up. Great lay out and super nice staff! Me and my husband truly enjoyed ourselves.

Aquarium is absolutely beautiful! Nicely laid out on multiple floors.
IF you can tolerate hundreds of obnoxious school children SCREAMING at the top of their lungs in every exhibit, you might enjoy yourself. We found it very to be nothing short of a free- for-all, too overwhelming and had to leave.
You’d think the school chaperons and aquarium staff could at least try to keep the decile level below 120 +, but sadly to say NO.

Very disappointed after having to carry my 1 year on my should for 3 hours my hands and body was aching.(he can walk a little but not much and weighs 30 pounds) Can someone please explain how a “kids friendly” attraction requires you to check in your stroller before entering???!!!! This is insane I would never come back with kids
Other than that it was your typical aquarium which was nice with the exception that the dolphin show is now canceled indefinitely and the big amphitheater sits basically dormant. I have a feeling this is a new woke agenda at play.

The national aquarium deserves its "national" title. You can get lost in here for hours. There's sharks, amazon rainforests, and some areas for kids to get hands on. We went on Labor Day, so it was pretty packed, but still enjoyable all around, and our child loved it. The dolphin exhibit is kind of a letdown, since they don't do shows, so you basically just watch dolphins swim around in an auditorium originally meant for shows. I get the reason the shows were stopped, but probably time for a new exhibit entirely then in its place. I still give the place 5 bubbles though because everything else is excellent.

It was a great place to visit with the kids (ages 6 & 14). Nicely laid out, lots of space and very educational.
I was never able to see the photo they took of us at the beginning, but other than that it was a great trip.
We will probably go back again in a few years.

This a small great place to visit. That place no are in ours panning but we went any enjoying that place.

Went there 20 years ago and it was over the top. Used to have lots of unique exhibits such as leafy sea dragons, etc. but no more. It is not what it used to be in my opinion. Having been an avid diver and collector, its a shadow of its former greatness. It's OK for kids to see a shark etc and the main tank is cool but it is no longer unique and expensive for what they offer. Very few specimens in the upstairs rainforest area. Probably budget issues. Seems the whole baltimore harbour area is not what it used to be and most shops closed down.
Sadly won't be going vack.

This place is an amazing we loved it our educator was ms rukshani she was explained well about behind the scene we wil come again

We took three of our grandchildren to the National Aquarium. Overall the the experience was disappointing. Despite purchasing timed tickets, the venue was was significantly overcrowded. The younger children were crowed out from seeing the exhibits. Access to two upper floors was closed because of the breakdown of the escalator. A heart condition precluded the use of stairs and the elevators were inadequate.
We purchased the add on movie tickets. What a joke. Poor science coupled with cheap stunts. Because of the lack of adequate signage we needed directions to the theater. We we able to get a wave in the general direction from staff once they finished their personal conversation.
I felt the Aquarium was was over priced, over crowed, and lacking in effective transmission of information.

Did you ever see those shows where they show bad houses, and you wondered what the architects were thinking?

That's what this aquarium reminds me of. It seems like they told the architect "we need something modern and memorable to showcase the waterfront". So they made it. But they thought little about how the aquarium would flow, or how to make the exhibits as visible as possible. Yes, there is lots of stuff, and a knowledgeable staff. But the traffic flow through the building seems designed to confuse and make sure you miss parts of it.

Here's one example: do you want to take a break in the middle and go get a snack? Nope, you have to follow through all sorts of exhibits. There is no shortcut back to the snack bar.

Also, they have an octopus on their signs, but none at the museum.

Clearly this facility was designed with the focal point being architectural interest vs. the visitors.

Most of the tanks are so small, and the place is so crowded that we were 5 rows deep with our grandchildren, trying to hold them high enough so they may get a glimpse of some fish somewhere. One would think that designing the facility for little humans would have been paramount, with the flow of people a close second. Judging from our experience, those items were near the bottom of the design, to-do list.

The lack of a dolphin show was especially disappointing. We wandered into the dolphin tank area hoping to see a show, but instead found lots of people sitting on bleachers watching the dolphins just swimming around in a dirty tank, but no show. Why? Some animal activist group no doubt put an end to the fun. There are signs up that say the dolphins will be moving south soon.

Then if you want to go up into the Amazon rainforest, (and trust me you don’t), you have to scoot your little ones through a revolving door. Yep, it’s the only way there and back. This is no doubt to maintain the temp and humidity in the rainforest, but seriously there are much better ways to accomplish that. When the line up to the rainforest backs up, you can find yourself stuck in the revolving area of the door, and either you push your way forward, ride the door back to the entrance or get hit with the door. I chose option A since I was carrying my grandson, but they are all bad choices. Absolutely ludicrous design when one considers the age of the people as well as the volume of people visiting.

Then you fight your way through the crowds and flights of stairs and up to the forest to see what? We saw lots of plants and two colorful birds. Hardly worth the effort to carry my grandson up all those stairs.

Sadly, you won’t get anywhere near the $40 per-adult, $30 per-kid, entrance fee worth of fun here. Go to the science center instead. Lower cost, higher fun for sure.

We had an absolute blast. The staff were all extremely friendly. We enjoyed stopping by the educational stations. Both my daughter and I learned quite a bit about coral and the exhibitions. We also were able to watch the Dolphins being fed, which was neat. The shark alley was one of our other personal favorites. We purchased the annual pass as it was not much more for a family from the one-day tickets. We look forward to returning.

My wife and I are aquarium junkies. We hit them in every town we go to and this one is pretty good. The space was laid out very well where even having a lot of people it still flowed well. The Black Tip Reef was outstanding and the Corals were very well done and you can tell the staff knows their business with the care and cleanliness of the exhibits. We did not do the extra shows or the IMAX experience as we normally just sick to the basics. My only suggestion would be to space the large youth groups farther apart and have a staff chaperone to keep them on pace. We saw a couple train wrecks when two of the groups got in the same space at the same time.

Very nice layout and very spacious venue of many marine and land animals. The Australian area was a nice unexpected addition to the aquarium and the kids loved it. We were disappointed that they no longer do dolphin shows but we were entertained during the several feedings we stayed and watched. A little pricey for the visit but the kids seemed to really enjoy the sharks and other exotic fish.

I believed wrongly that with timed tickets the circulation of visitors would be monitored. My husband and I took our granddaughter and it felt claustrophobic ; there were so many people. We could not get out quick enough.it was mobbed. No social distance. In several spots the escalator did not work, and there were empty hand sanitizer containers. The employees seemed bored. The person telling us to go up the back stairs was so busy on his cell phone that I couldn’t ask him if I understood him correctly. The aquarium seems run down from our last visit.

This was our third trip to the National Aquarium and it was still interesting to learn about the different fish, sealife and birds even though our children our now young adults. Love the interactive areas so you can touch and participate. The Dolphin show and information they used to impart is now closed, that's too bad it was always a highlight. We went on Wednesday so it was great that it was not too crowded but there also less going on.

As others have mentioned, the aquarium oversells admissions and is insanely overcrowded. This would be true even in normal times, but during a pandemic, it’s especially unacceptable because it allows for zero social distancing. I took my toddler on a Tuesday morning and it was so crowded we could not see ANYTHING until we got to the shark and dolphin exhibits. We had to race through everything else to try to avoid standing in elbow-to-elbow crowds in all the other exhibit areas.

Covid is still ravaging the country and there’s no excuse for this level of crowding in an indoor building. I get that they’re technically complying with state and local rules, but it’s still ridiculous. If you are a person who cares about safety during the pandemic, you won’t be happy with the Aquarium’s “precautions,” because there just aren’t any. I felt unsafe and worried for my toddler (who is too young to wear a mask) - not to mention annoyed at having blown $40 to see virtually nothing - and regretted coming. Will not return even though we live relatively close by.

We visited the Aquarium in August 2024. In addition to the tickets we purchased 4D Shark tickets and the behind the scenes shark tour.
First, the tour cost an extra $65 a person. It boasted participating in a reef feeding. We assumed this would be related to the sharks as it was the shark tour. NOPE. The tour was information on sharks (same as what you can read throughout the aquarium). We tossed a handful of fish food pellet's into the regular fish tank. We looked in a freezer full of lettuce and felt some shark teeth (same as the gift shop). There was no meal prep for the fish, just a big restaurant style kitchen that we stood in while she talked about how they feed the sharks vitamins and roll their food in garlic when they are bored with their usual meals. We did do the cat walk which was a neat thing to see, but not worth $65 extra. We were only there for 15 minutes and most of us could not fit half way down the walk. My advice is SKIP THE SHARK TOUR.
The 4D movie was fun but most of the props did not work. It cost $8 for a bottle of water. The photos they take in the beginning are poor quality and they cut the heads off of our taller guests. My suggestion is pay the minimum entrance fee, eat before you go, don't do any extras and PLEASE watch your kids.

Its been years since we visited last. Overall he had a great time. Ticketing was super easy in advance and walked right in to scan the QR codes. Barely paused at the door to go through the scanning process. Our kids are older teens and they had a blast. The dolphins were not out, our only disappointment but, we also didn't wait until their down time was over. Took us about 2 1/2 hours to take our time, stop and enjoy the tanks, take pictures, etc.

Went for something to do. Would be a good trip for small children. Staff were friendly and nice. There was lot of information at each exhibit. It was nice but not really what we were into.

Just okay. Overpriced. Building looks huge on the outside, but inside the tanks are spread out and has a lot of decor and building structure instead of tanks and fish.

Deceptive in that they are a AZA member, but did not accept the American Zoo and Aquarium reciprocal zoo membership discount.

Took us about two hours to go through. The large aquarium with the ramp was neat. The dolphin center was neat but the dolphins were in the far pools and we didn't see much.

Crowded and very expensive. Wednesday morning in the summer, lots of kids--most too small to appreciate the place but not too small to scream and have tantrums. The exhibits are fascinating, but there were too many people to allow one to linger and read the signs. Many of the exhibits are kept very dark, too, which might be very difficult for older people.

It was a hot summer day and we walked from our hotel. We looked forward to getting a drink when we arrived, only to find the cafe closed. We couldn't even buy water in an aquarium! Turns out, there are snacks available on the top level, but no signage. Our advice: bring a water bottle with you, save your pennies for the entrance fees, and go during the week when school is in session.

Place is pretty big, 5 floors, it's ok, lots of things to see and learn about, just not sure its worth $50 for adults and $40 for kids.

I had been to the aquarium over fifteen years ago. Just visited again to see how things were going. Lame is the only word I can use to describe it. Dolphin show is apparently no longer done they just fed the dolphins and are moving them out to another aquarium soon. Used to have one of largest shark exhibits with three story circular tank and half a dozen species of sharks including bull sharks and tiger sharks. Not worth the price of admission. Very sad to see how much it has declined. Lame

I don't understand the bad reviews unless this place was Phenomenal in the past. It is still great. Yes they are undergoing change. Dolphin show not available but you can observe the dolphins feeding throughout the day where they do tricks as they would have in the show. They are searching for a place to relocate the dolphins in the future. I'll miss them but that's the way our society is going. Got to touch Horseshoe Crabs, Skates and Jellyfish. Very kid friendly. Lots of fish, sharks, turtles other reptiles and amphibians, Jellyfish, anemones and other marine & aquatic life. They had birds too in the Australia visit. I would recommend this place and if I return to Baltimore I'd strongly consider going again. BTW they will hold luggage at the stroller check. I'm a father of 4 and also am in favor of checking strollers. Strollers can get out of hand these days impacting others.

I always love to visit! The memberships are great deals if you live in the area. There's a parking garage at 25 S Charles St for $10 all day weekend parking which is only a 6 minute walk.

Mesmerising experience it’s not thaaaat big as it looks from outside but had really lot of exotic fishes love to visit another time too. 4- 5 Hr with pictures would b enough for an complete tour.

We went on a Monday morning, arrived around 10; (not a holiday or no school);
You can get Maryland morning discount- arrive before noon and get $10 off adult admission and $5 off of kids; you buy your ticket at the ticket window, not online; there was no wait in line to buy tickets, we just walked right up.
Then you go around and into main entrance and they did not check my small backpack. We did bring small snacks; and water bottles, no problem.
The aquarium was not that busy around 10, but it got very crowded with school groups around 10:30; luckily we were already through etc.
there is a nice area near the jellyfish to eat.
The prices of their food was pretty typical of a museum.

We spent about 2.5 hours ; so it was a great time but it definitely is expensive. I saw lots of toddlers having meltdowns because of all the walking and it’s not really very interactive for kids to touch things except in the very beginning. They do have some computers and things for kids to play with. But the much smaller kids looked like they were getting a little tired of looking at glass windows.
We did not do the movies.
We used spot hero and found parking for 4 hours for $12. Cheaper than the $18 discount the aquarium says they have.
All in all a good time but it is expensive and probably don’t need to go back for a while.

Enjoy!

I have been to this aquarium before and I found that it is a bit costly considering both the visit and convenience of parking at the closest parking garage. I say costly based on what you get to see in comparison to other aquariums I have been to before.

Nevertheless I decided that I would give it another chance and bring along other family members. All in all we were 5 adults, 2 children, 1 toddler and a 4 month infant.

Upon arrival I was shocked to find that strollers were not allowed in the building due to policy. So now to make a long story short the management was not able to grant an exception nor did they provide some compensation. We traveled 4-5 hours to spend 2-3 hours there. The only thing they were able to do was refund us and provide a discount for parking.

Now since they make exceptions for people with disabilities why can’t they grant this for infants?

I think they could have bargained with us and told us the toddler will have to be carried and we would have to store the strollers in the car. I am sure we were not the first who ran into this issue. Alternative is to refund us and offer us 50% tickets in the future or free considering situation.

If you dig deep you can find this policy they have so they are covering themselves. My position would be to state this on the website. Make it simple. No strollers, no food, no drink except for water bottles and baby food—something like that on the web page and ticket. It should be highlighted!

For this reason alone I downgrade them from 3 star to 1. We are very disappointed!

Worth the cost. Even though driving in Baltimore was a challenge it was still nice to explore the inner harbor.
There were a lot of school children on the Monday we went but it didn't feel crowded.
It was fun to see the dolphins at play.

Way too crowded! There were thousands of people in the building when we were there. You could barely move let alone see anything. Very few places to sit and rest. Long lines everywhere. We skipped half of the exhibits because it wasn't worth fighting our way to the front to see them.

I have no idea why the ratings of this aquarium are so high. It was an incredibly disappointing experience. The aquarium desperately needs to do timed entry and limited ticket sales. Until they do, skip this for sure. You'll see more out of a kids book at the library.

We usually go to aquariums in any large city we visit. This one has a really enjoyable presentation in the main exhibit with perspective thru the water column. Especially like the deep hole with the coral wall. The tanks are huge so the animals get to really move around and you see them from a number of different perspectives. Disappointed there wasn’t a larger variety of seahorses but that’s just me. Be sure to catch the tank with the anemones - really nice variety there. It’s also fun to walk they the rainforest and try to find the different birds.

In town for a group event and the closing reception was here. They had specialty cocktails, champagne and water as a welcome drink. You could walk around at your lesiure and have appetizers, drinks or other food as you were looking at the fish, sharks, turtles, snakes and frogs. They have a nice sized gift store and I enjoyed the experience. Could have spent more time there enjoying the views and looking at the fish.

My wife and I got to chaperone our daughter's class trip there this year. On a rainy Thursday morning, we pretty much had the run of the place.

Overall, it was a pretty good experience. The kids ran through a few of the exhibits I wanted to check out (mostly with sharks), but they settled down a bit later. The girls really enjoyed checking out the dolphins. They don't do an orchestrated show any more, but it was still fun watching the staff feed them and interact with them.

The 4D show was also a hit. It did cost a few extra dollars, but that may have been the girls' favorite part.

Against all latest reviews on here, I’d highly recommend going to this aquarium! We have gone to all the aquarium on the east coast states except 2-3. So this aquarium rates in my top 3 favorite. It is very big, lots to see. There was no dolphin show as I expected from the reviews on here but they did have 3 swimming and we watched them get fed. So cool!

*****I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE AQUARIUM CONSIDERING “time entry” TICKETS!!!! Wayyyyyyyy too busy, could barely see anything without forcing yourself through a huge crowd.

We have a large family with 5 children from ages 6-16. It’s hard for all 7 of us to stick together and still see everything.

I visited the aquarium on a Sunday afternoon. There wasn't a huge a crowd and I was able to move around at each exhibit pretty easily while getting some cool pictures. This aquarium is visually stunning, especially some of the exhibits that incorporate land, sea, and air! And descending down into Shark Alley is almost scary. They did a great job capturing deepwater vibes. I thought the price was fair for the overall experience. I spent about 2.5 hours there and never got bored.

Fire Mashall??? Fire, safety trap, overcrowding 100%, cannot believe local official do not monitor and allow overcrowding with assembly an F. staff do not have a clue on crowd control or customer service, very poor another F. Animals, luck for them or maybe not with fire safety B. Shameful that it's called "National". Go to the bay or ocean for a better experience. If i could give a zero on the experience, we would of. Price, outrages, do not go to dining areas, terrible.

Such an enormous museum with lots of wonderful sea creatures! My 1 year old really enjoyed it. The best part was a lot of the exhibits went down to the floor so my toddler could easily stand on his own and watch the animals himself. There's also a huge cafe to relax and their top floor cafe with a pier view is also a serene experience!

We took two of our grandchildren to visit the aquarium. It was a very enjoyable visit.

The unexpected highlights of the visit were the Australian and jellyfish exhibits. Other highlights included the dolphins; the "petting zoo" with horseshoe crabs and one jelly fish species; and the puffins. My only complaint with all the lights and glass it was very hard to take pictures without unwanted reflections.

One comment on the "price" complaint. I would agree that for a single visit it is a bit much, but with a membership you can go many times at no extra cost. With several grandchildren coming to visit us this year, we bought a membership and expect to go back several times.

There were very few exhibits and there wasn’t a dolphin show, which I feel would have made the experience more memorable and we would like a refund.

Well organized and a very cool escape from the heat. We especially enjoyed the dolphins and the jellyfish exhibit. Spent about 2 hours enjoying all five floors.

It was so crowded that it was hard to walk and get up to the inhibits. I found the signs very confusing. Looks like a great place but they need to limit the crowds. With dim lights (which I understand are necessary), it was hard to find my way around. Was a waste of my money. Also don't go to the cafe. The service was incredibly show which I am sure was not the fault of the workers.

Visiting 3/2021 during the pandemic, very good social distance measures were in place. You had to go by an honor system and not stay at any one exhibit too long, which for the most part ppl were doing. Kind of hard to tell small kids to wait but parents were doing good jobs. Masks had to be worn at all times. No lockers could be purchased. Great job Baltimore Aquarium!

This was our first time visiting and the aquarium is very nice. There were some exhibits that were closed, and the dolphin shows have been cancelled (maybe due to COVID?). We got tickets to the Octopus 4-D movie -- definitely worth the extra money. We went on a Friday after 5pm so we paid half price - I'm glad we only paid half price. I would have been disappointed if we had paid $40 each.

We visited the Aquarium as a family get away with 12 people. We like the exhibits but were expecting more bigger fish or sea lions since this was the National Aquarium. Most of the exhibits were little and hard to see when the area was crowded.

Behind the Scenes Shark Tour Not Worth the Money: The tour starts looking at the Black Tip Reef. The guide literally spent 7 minutes or so telling us the exact same thing another worker told patrons on a microphone to EVERYONE in the aquarium. Then we saw the kitchen area. It looked like a kitchen area with a Commercial Freezer… we did not see any food prep or anything other than standing in an empty room with a freezer. Then, we went on the catwalk. My family had spent an hour earlier just chilling, watching all the sharks just hanging out. The catwalk gave us an interesting aerial view but nothing more. For the price, for each member of my family, I would have liked more interaction. It just wasn’t worth it at all.

Wasn’t a good experience at all!!!! My son is special needs , he needs to have a stroller. He can’t handle all of the walking . I was told I needed to have my stroller checked . I told the man my son can’t walk that far . He said he doesn’t look special needs to me he has to walk !!!! He cried all most the whole time . We had to carry him around . It was hot and he weighs around 50 pounds . I get with all the people it’s hard to have the space . We couldn’t get a refund so we tried to still walk around . They should tell you before you buy the tickets . My aquarium in New Jersey lets you in with them . Will not go back !!!!!!!!!!

We did not see the whole aquarium because a portion is under renovation. What we saw was very good but incomplete. Would be able to better rate if we could see entirely

Well organized and beautiful museum. Fish all around you as you go through the levels. They could use a few more chairs, though. Like most museums, there was a lot of walking and standing and some places to sit would have been nice.

Installed in very beautiful buildings, this aquarium exhibits very beautiful seabed but also ecosystems with more surprising plants and birds as well as a remarkable collection of frogs. To visit in the morning before the crowds

We went there on a Saturday in July. The big thing that stands out is crowd control. They sell timed tickets but let large numbers of people in. The aquarium was very crowded. We skipped over some exhibits because the crowds were so large.

The exhibits were fine. The gift shop was fine. As I said, the biggest issue was the crowds were too large.

This experience was horrible. It is not worth the money $40. All of the exhibits are not open. They no longer have dolphin shows. There is not a large selection of fish. People are hanging in front of the tanks which makes it difficult to see the fish. The website does not tell you certain exhibits are closed.
The best aquarium is in Atlanta ga. Run while you can and find something else to do with your family.

The National Aquarium was beautiful. The way the fish tank was set up was very nice. You move through the aquarium on ramps and moving walk ways. Many parts were also interactive with educational aspects and assistant’s throughout. With all that I only gave it 3 stars. The top level was closed. There was a dolphin arena with only one dolphin. If you close the dolphin show, have move than one dolphin. The main problem is the price. $40 is just too much for what you get.

Beautiful aquarium with knowledgable staff. Allow a couple of hours and take your time. I learned quite a few fun facts about sharks.

Very cool. Aquarium with a beautiful architecture, in a privileged location and with a great collection, in addition to interactive attractions. I highly recommend

This was a most enjoyable 3 hours with many excellent exhibits of marine life alongside conservation messages - would suit all ages and is set in a lovely location by the harbour.

I don't think this aquarium is very good and is very overpriced. I generally like aquariums and have been to several good ones (like Monterey Bay, Tampa, Boston and Chicago). This place mainly has boring fish which are not very colorful and their displays are not very good. I never saw the dolphins so maybe that was good, I've seen them in better places so didn't bother because the place was driving me crazy. It was really crowded and of course, various people weren't wearing masks even though required and even some of the staff weren't wearing theirs properly. But this place is so poorly designed, you are walking up/down stairs and escalators continually, I"ve never been in an aquarium like that. And I couldn't even find out how to get out of the place, it was so confusing and with poor signage. Not very accessible if you ask me, either, they have this weird treehouse area where you have to walk up and walk down several flights of narrow, steep stairs. I have no idea what the attraction is but it wasn't fish, obviously, at the top (I suppose monkeys or birds, don't know). This was dangerous and was not accessible for anyone with climbing problems up steep narrow stairs. I found it really offensive that they had this area where little kids were supposed to "pet" fish (like skates). Children should be taught that fish do not need "petting", this is absurd. I also really disliked that you are forced to walk through some food cafeteria area to leave meaning you are exposed to all kinds of people sitting around without masks eating and drinking, etc., even if you have zero interest in eating yourself. This is really a poorly designed place, I thought it was terrible and would never have gone at that price if I had known had bad it is.

Crowded, superficially cleaned, but grimy everywhere. The city blocks surrounding the place are not a family friendly environment. I visited a restaurant overlooking the aquarium and the water, and the place was the dirtiest, grimiest place I have ever been in. I have visited 4 continents and at least a dozen countries and found beauty all over the planet. But, Baltimore was awful.

Second time here and it has changed. Price was not worth it, they could just keep it at 25 and it would be fine. Yes there was some neat stuff, cool to see, but nothing really wow unless you were a kid I guess. I found myself playing I spy with my little eye in the exhibits and can you find me more than I would have liked. It was a lot of walking for blank or empty show cases. I’m sorry to say I was disappointed a second time but I guess that’s how that goes.

This aquarium never disappoints! This was the first time my son was interested in more then the 6 feet distance circles. He loved the jelly fish, turtles and sharks! Loved the sharks so much that because he was tired he wanted me to hold him and chase the sharks around the ramp. 🤦🏼‍♀️🦈 Staff is always friendly, helpful and accommodating. The only reason I gave it 4 stars this time is because now that I had my son I don’t understand why strollers have to be checked in. 2 and up sure and the rule for just umbrella strollers I can see. But infants and babies would be much more manageable and comfortable in a stroller if they get tired. The gift shop was a little bare however, I’m sure that’s due to covid and not their fault.

I would like to start by noting that the primary reason I rated this aquarium a 4 out of 5 is due to the high admission cost. Nevertheless, I have visited three times, and I am consistently amazed by the extensive variety of aquatic exhibits available. I could easily spend an entire day here from opening to closing if I didn’t have two children to accommodate.

On our latest visit, which occurred on a Thursday morning right as the aquarium opened, I was surprised to find it moderately crowded. We spent approximately four hours exploring the exhibits, and I could have easily stayed longer if my children had allowed it. The facility is exceptionally well-maintained, and I cannot emphasize enough how impressive this aquarium truly is.

Despite the higher entry fee, I wholeheartedly recommend that anyone visiting Baltimore take the time to experience this aquarium at least once.

This place it is sold as educational and one of the best of the world. It is quite expensive. It is not very educational. The signs are poorly written providing little explanation. It is only in one language. There are areas under construction. Informed not provided in the web page. The dolphin show has been cancelled and it is noted in the website. Attending to cinemas requieres additional charge. It will benefit from taking care of cleaning

I came with my friend who just happen to have a free pass every month. Not a fan of fish but it was amazing to see sharks and jellyfish the ambiance and lightings were cool as well!! Tho it costs $$ when I checked but i still recommend. :)

The aquarium was a waste of 80$. We were here less than an hour. It was so overcrowded we couldn’t see any of the exhibits except shark galley, dolphin training, a water python and some of the jellyfish. To say that the aquarium was overcrowded is a severe understatement. They make you buy tickets for a specific time but this does absolutely nothing to help with the overcrowding situation. It was so crowded, people were beading sweat standing on the escalator. The entire place stunk like BO. Furthermore, staff does nothing to keep people moving. They don’t have employees stationed anywhere to keep people from “camping” out on exhibits. If you want to waste over $100 (parking is $25), sweat while standing still, only to see 4 exhibits while being herded through a crowded maze like cattle, then you will love Baltimore Aquarium.

I definitely give this place a 5 star!! We all loved it. There is so much to see. We spent 3 hours here and they went by so quick. Our 5 year old had such a good time. We are definitely coming back every time we come back to Baltimore!!!

I was really surprised when I went online to order tickets how expensive the National Aquarium is, particularly since one of the exhibits is closed ($39.95/person for adults). I was in town for work and was looking for something to do on a Sunday afternoon, so I visited solo and also did the shark experience. It was incredibly crowded on a Sunday afternoon—wall to wall people with kids running around everywhere. The tickets you buy online are timed tickets—I had to enter at a certain time, so I was a little surprised by the crowds. Not sure what the point of the timed tickets was.

It is a large aquarium and you could easily spend a couple of hours there. The shark walk was very cool, as was the reef that you can view from four different stories. I was amazed at how big those rays were! The dolphins were held in their back pens, so you couldn’t really see them at all—I got one photo when one happened to jump out of the water—pure luck that I got that. I think the dolphins are probably what most people want to see there, and while I knew that they no longer perform dolphin shows, it was still disappointing that we couldn’t even really see them at all. I was kind of surprised, being that it is so large and it is the national aquarium, that there weren’t more big species to see—there were no otters, sea turtles, octopus, etc. A lot of small fish, and again, the shark walk was cool. I just expected a lot more variety.

The shark experience was a very cool behind the scenes tour and Celine, our guide, was terrific. She was very knowledgeable and answered a lot of questions! We got to see the kitchen where they prepare their meals and the medical lab where they receive care. We got to go on the catwalk above the shark walk and watch them swim below us, which was cool. I’m not sure the experience was worth $45 extra dollars, but it was a unique experience.

Overall, I don’t think it’s the best aquarium I’ve ever visited, but it was fine. I think it is very overpriced and would be really challenging for a lot of people to afford with a family (although judging from the crowds, maybe not). And, again, while there were tons of fish, there were not a lot of big highlights that were particularly exciting. I’d also definitely recommend trying to visit on a weekday when maybe it’s a little less crowded.

We visited the National Aquarium today and it was very nice. We felt the dolphin enclosure was small and that the amount of people allowed per time entry should be decreased. I am unsure if it was because of the weather being hot but it was very warm in the aquarium as well (as in air conditioning not working). It also would have been nice to have known which cafe was open at the beginning of the aquarium. The food took over an hour to get to us from the time we ordered. Overall it was a good experience but not outstanding.

I totally agree with Abbey R. We were totally upset with the crowds and having to tell our 5 & 9 year olds to stop, stop, stop.

Three generations loved our visit to the National Aquarium. Easy access for all with stairs, escalators, elevators, ramps and moving sidewalks. You will need to check your stroller if you bring one. We went mid week and the crowds weren't too bad. It was a homeschooling day so there were many children but that also meant there were extra personnel with tables set up for information. The touch pools were closed (remodeling, I think) but everything else was open. The sharks and jellyfish were natural favorites but don't discount the Australian section or the Amazonian Rain forest. Dolphins are available to see however they do not do "shows" anymore. The cafes are priced as expected in tourist areas. They have a gift shop. I was told to save my tickets (corporate event tickets) to use for discounts but they do not have a military/veteran discount.

The aquarium is very nice, it's quite packed, so it's hard to see the tiny fish tanks but the big tanks are easier to see, so most of the aquarium was still enjoyable. I especially loved the huge glass room where you walk down the spiral ramp and see so many different fish, you feel like you're immersed in the ocean. That is something I've never seen before, and it was the highlight of my trip. The 4D show was also very cool. Allow for 2-3 hours in this place.

The reason I took off a star is because no strollers were allowed, and there was no other stroller option to rent out from the aquarium since Covid. We took along our 20 month old, and without a stroller it becomes extremely hard, we had to hold him the whole time, it was very very hard for us and we couldn't really enjoy it, and if we would have known about it we wouldn't have gone here. We sent an email to the aquarium that if they don't allow strollers they should at least write that on their website and not mislead people. A manager called us back and was very nice and understanding and apologized and refunded back our money! We were very impressed with them, so I think I'm being fair for giving them four stars. Just beware before you go that you'll have to carry your toddler the whole time, if you can't do that, then this place is not for you.

Very kind, helpful people working there, but I found the exhibits lacking. I was especially disappointed by the jellyfish exhibit. I’d seen a jellyfish exhibit at the Chattanooga aquarium and was wowed by it. This, being the national aquarium, raised my expectations that what I’d see would surpass the Chattanooga exhibit, but it wasn’t even close. There was, however, one beautiful jelly exhibit. Even the reef fish exhibit, which was huge, looked very artificial. It’s still worth seeing, but could be improved.

This aquarium was huge. You go up 4 floors and see all different types of sea creatures. You get to touch jelly fish and There is so many interactive sections for the children. There are no steps and you go up these people movers. Once you get to the top you walk down 4 floors to see sharks and fish in a huge area. There is also a section for reptiles and turtles and birds. This is a definite place to visit and we will definitely be going back.

I've been to many aquariums and while this is good, it's not great. It is $50 a ticket for adults ($39 with military discount) and that is a bit steep for what you don't get. The place gets insanely crowded on a weekend and the exhibits are too tight for a small area. They should consider limiting how many people can enter at the same time just to make it more enjoyable. The touch tanks are fun, but again, too many people and the tanks are almost too deep to enjoy. For younger kids, they still need to be lifted to touch. Not to mention the reef smells like rotting fish. I've been to many aquariums and it does not smell like rotten fish and seaweed like this one did.

The cost of concessions is just as pricey as an amusement park. $5.69 for a small water! I'd rather have a paper cup of tap water. We didn't bring our bottles accidentally and ended up paying $11 for two waters. With the prices of entering and the cost of food, you are better off buying a membership just to save money. Two visits and it pays itself off.

I'd like to say we would go back, but we won't.

I honestly don’t understand the “best aquarium ever” type of responses. I’ve been to quite a few and this one was hardly even impressive especially for the price tag. The online ticket appointments was useless you can still buy on premises. We chose an off peak time according to the available tickets remaining but it was PAAAAACKED. The smaller kids couldn’t see much of anything when the crowd was about 8-10 people deep to view any exhibit. Forget about the hands on horse shoe crabs or jellies you’re not getting near there without a mosh pit experience. People are packed in tightly sort of negating their covid appointment limitations to limit crowding. Good part was the ramps with walls of windows to the tank to watch the fish and sharks. But we missed out on a good 75% just due to the amount of people and small children not being able to see. No strollers of any kind allowed you have to carry your littlest ones. We’re from the area and definitely won’t bother returning.

This used to be a very nice aquarium 10-20 years ago but has really gone downhill. Ticket prices are now an outrageous $50 per adult and $40 per child. We're family of six, so we pre-purchased a membership since the cost of one visit was almost the same amount. The day we went, the priority members entrance was closed (which is part of what you pay for!) so we were forced to wait in line at the general entrance anyway.

To call the main exhibit "overcrowded" is an understatement. It was literally wall-to-wall people, like being in a nightclub: loud, hot, stuffy and smelled like body odor. Combine that with the low lighting and it’s a situation that feels dangerous, especially if there were an emergency. There's almost no staff around in this area either, so there's no one to move people along or to stop people from loitering at exhibits. You basically have to push and shove your way in to get a view of anything. It amazes me that this place still does not allow strollers in 2023- how have they not updated the place to accommodate this, after all these years?

There hasn't been any new exhibits added since the jellyfish in 2009. Most exhibits are showing their age. The rainforest has been reopened after being closed for "renovations," but I don't see any difference. The descending part at the end (with the sharks) is still playing the same ambient soundscape that it did during my class trips in the 1980's, and the painting at the exhibit entrance was visibly dirty. There's no more dolphin show, and the dolphins now just swim around in a tank that really needed to be scrubbed clean at the bottom.

There’s two cafés- the larger one in the main building had no seats left, so we opted for the smaller one in the jellyfish building. The smaller café has few choices, none of which are healthy, and the costs are outrageous, like $5.29 for a bottle of water and $16 for a chicken sandwich. Your “member discount” is only 10% on food, so it’s basically useless. They handed us a pager for when the food would be done, which was visibly broken and never alerted us. Others were at the counter complaining about the same issue. We all had to wait about 30 minutes before food was done. Café was severely understaffed and employees were rude.

With large numbers of small kids in a crowded area touching everything, and zero sanitary measures being taken, it’s about as germy as a daycare. Just assume you’ll get sick- we all caught a stomach virus right after our visit.

The aquarium sent me a member’s survey asking for a rating after my visit. I gave them very poor scores, but no one even followed up to ask why, so I guess they don’t care. We won’t be renewing the membership, or even returning for that matter.

Went because it was near our hotel and recommended. Multiple levels to visit - many things to see. Can reserve ahead of time. Easy access.

The aquarium had a wide variety of marine life. The Upland Tropical Rainforest exhibit was closed. It was a great way to pass the time as we waited for our flight back home. The amount of screaming and crying children made this almost impossible to get through. The price was a bit high considering the closing of the rainforest exhibit.

Terribly over priced! If you don't Lave fish, skip this and save your money for something fun. Parking was also a problem.

I t was great to be able to tour the national Aquarium with friends who have not toured it or have not been there in many years

My husband and I recently visited the Baltimore National Aquarium .

It was a Monday in June and there was no wait to purchase tickets nor for entry.

As a wheelchair user, we secured
(and highly recommend)
parking at the Harbor Place Garage.
Public parking is on floors 4 and above.
There is an accessible elevator.

The aquarium staff was very attentive to everyone, ensuring that everyone had a smooth and memorable visit.

The entire building, including the Jellyfish Invasion, as well as lower and upper levels of the dolphin pools are accessible via elevator

It is pricey, but we knew that going in.
We very much enjoyed our day!

We would like to sincerly thank ALL of the staff for the of the hard work that each one of them contributes on a daily basis.

From the custodial and hospitality staff, to the administrative staff and theb finally those who directly work with and treat these amazing creatures!

Impossible to buy tickets using an international credit card - both at the ticket desk and online. No one particularly helpful or keen to solve the problem. Their solution - go to CVS and withdraw money. A real shame as it looked a great place to visit.

I love aquariums and this is one of the best ones that we have ever been too amazing set up everything looks so clean so kept. We will definitely be back

We visited on a Tuesday morning, and I was shocked at how extremely crowded it was. Like bumping elbows everywhere you turned crowded. It was very difficult to see much without waiting quite a while to edge your way closer to the glass tanks or ledges looking below. The aquarium itself was nice, although nothing blew us away. It was a typical aquarium… there were no special displays that made us go “wow.” There was a hands on display that was hard to get to, and once we did, had very few rays to pet. Overall, I regret spending the time and money… but I guess we can say we’ve been there.

Simply amazing. So well planned out and completely enjoyable. The big tank is amazing traversing the ocean from surface to the dark depths.

It was a wonderful experience, I ended up going two days in a row. And I took advantage of the early morning behind-the-scenes tour. Well worth every penny. Plan accordingly, it is extremely busy.

There is a reason this is the national aquarium! Wonderful visit. Very well put together exhibits. Once inside you are surrounded by the aquarium. So much to see and view.

So many different fish. It was fun to watch little kids with so much joy in their voices! Sometimes it was though the fish were looking right at you.

I was amazed by the extensive variety of aquatic exhibits available. Me & my brother easily spent 4-5 hrs here from opening to mid-day as we entered early morning right as the aquarium opened. Initially it was moderately crowded, which was later full of visitors from ground floor to seventh.

The facility is exceptionally well-maintained, and I cannot emphasize enough how impressive this aquarium truly is. Despite the higher entry fee (50$), I wholeheartedly recommend that anyone visiting Baltimore take the time to experience this aquarium at least once.

absolutely the worst place ever for a rip off , 50.00 admission , i paid 5.00 in 1983 , food cafe , the cheapest thing on the menu was a 10.00 hotdog , 7.00 for a soda , the exhibits very disappointing

Bravo to you for planning to relocate your dolphins to a sanctuary! Hopefully other aquariums follow your courageous lead to end dolphin and whale captivity. It is a wonderful learning experience for everyone who visits your aquarium to become educated about the changes we need to make for the well-being of these amazing animals.

Lack of a dolphin show is highly disappointing. Takes away about 30pct of the reason to visit. There is no point to having the animals and having a big theatre without this.

Decent aquarium. VERY crowded! So crowded it was hard to see the exhibits. TONS of kids running around. Very nice facility though. Staff was friendly. The 4D movie was only $5 extra and was very neat. Enjoyed our visit even though it was so crowded.

In July I went to Baltimore to meet up with friends. The only attraction I really wanted to see was the National Aquarium. I'll get right to the point. It was............okay. To me, for an attraction to have the word "national' in it, I'm excepting something grand. The place was indeed grand in size, but I was very underwhelmed with the number of displays....with the exception of the sharks...but even they were limited in variety, I felt. But, the petting areas were decent. Also, the prices were a bit too much. I get it's a tourist stop...but it's not worth the $40 ticket price.....or the $5 can of Pepsi...LOL. Like another reviewer said.....it was too crowded at spots...and large number of strollers didn't help.

I had a MUCH better experience at the Pittsburgh Zoo's aquarium. Better variety of sea life, and the layout was great. But, I can say that I've been here....once...and that's enough for me.

Best aquarium I’ve been to has dolphin has all the types of fish has tons of sharks me and my family did a sleepover where we got to see where they feed the sharks overall a very fun experience

Team Us 2K enjoyed a nice day out at the aquarium. This aquarium had a unique array of sea life animals. The way that this aquarium set up the walking path was very unique and a great idea. We also enjoyed the 3D shows which you felt. If you enjoy aquariums, then definitely add this to your list.

Really big aquarium close to Camden Yards! The dolphins are super cute and the sharks and fishes are in one tank! Really cool aquarium and very fun for kids!

A very good aquarium with lots of interesting exhibits. I would say it’s on par with the Boston aquarium, but I’d give the Boston aquarium a slight edge for more interesting exhibits. We did not look before, but the surprise was the $50 entrance fee per adult for nonmembers. Nice once, but would not go again.