baltimore aquarium online tour

National Aquarium in Baltimore: Tips, Tours, and Deals

The Centerpiece of Baltimore's Inner Harbor

The National Aquarium in Baltimore is the city's most popular tourist attraction and one of the biggest aquariums in the United States. The centerpiece of Baltimore's immensely popular Inner Harbor , needless to say, it can get a bit crowded (and expensive). Negotiating the aquarium can be challenging, but less so if you consult these tips on visiting the aquarium, taking a tour, or best yet - getting a great deal.

• The best advice is this: if possible, visit the aquarium on a weekday. Weekends are much more crowded. If you can't, try and get the aquarium early (before 11 am) or late (after 3 pm).
• No strollers are permitted inside the National Aquarium. Check your stroller at the entrance, and the aquarium will provide a carrier. Once inside the main building, it's obvious why strollers aren't permitted. Crowds, escalators and people movers would make it very difficult to navigate.
• When you purchase admission tickets, you must also decide whether you want tickets to the 4D Immersion Theater. You will be given specific show times for each.
• Plan your parking strategy in advance.
• Arrive at least 15 minutes before your dolphin show time.
• Lockers are provided near the entrance. Keep in mind, however, that if you follow the natural path through the aquarium, your visit will end a block away from this building.
• If you want to leave the aquarium and return later, attendants at the information booth near the entry or at the exit in the Marine Mammal Pavilion will stamp your hand for re-entry.
• While there are several options for dining inside the aquarium, all of them are cafes and snack shops with (expensive) fast food. The Inner Harbor's (and Harbor East) dining options or the restaurants of nearby Little Italy are much better and more diverse. Just be sure to get a re-entry stamp.
• While it makes sense to buy souvenirs at the end of a visit, the first gift shop you encounter (near the Australia exhibit) is the best by far. So either lug your treasures along or make plans to come back.
• Small children will frequently need a boost to see some of the exhibits.
• The aquarium is open on most holidays (except Christmas and Thanksgiving). Keep in mind, however, that these usually are very crowded days.

National Aquarium Discounts

• Several area hotels offer package deals that include aquarium tickets, VIP passes, and discounts, especially the Hotel Monaco Baltimore.
• Active duty, reserves and retired members of the United States military are eligible to receive the best rates on Aquarium tickets at local MWR or ITT offices. Please check with your local base for details.
• Half-Price Friday Nights. Friday is your night! Get access to our award-winning exhibits for half the price of general admission on Friday evenings after 5 pm.
• Become a member. Depending on the level, a membership usually pays for itself in two visits.

Guests With Special Needs

A variety of services are available for individuals with disabilities. There's a drop-off circle in front of the aquarium on Pratt Street, an accessible entrance just past the main entrance, and elevators throughout. Visitors with special needs and their parties may purchase tickets at the Members Entrance and gain immediate entry.

Guests may obtain free wheelchairs with the deposit of a driver's license at the stroller check. Wheelchairs are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Strollers for children with disabilities are the only strollers allowed in the buildings. An aquarium tag, picked up from the stroller check, must be displayed while touring.

An Accessibility Guide maps out a wheelchair/stroller route that avoids the escalators. Pick it up at the Accessibility/Members Entrance, the stroller check, and information desks. Reserved seating for the dolphin show is available.

Visitors with special needs and their guests may enter the aquarium 30 minutes prior to opening during the First Saturdays and First Sundays program.

With advance notice, blind or deaf visitors may use audio tours or scripts of public presentations. Service animals are permitted in all public areas of the aquarium. Contact the special customer liaison at 410-659-4291 or leave a message on the TTY at 410-727-3022.

Aquarium Tours

If you'd like to get a closer look at what goes on behind the scenes at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, these tours are the way to go. They offer everything from a plunge into the tanks to an in-depth walking tour.

Insider's Tour

• Families with children over age 8, Teens, Adults, Scouts
• $50 ($40 for Members)
• Starting at 8:30 a.m. before the official aquarium's opening time, this is a 2-hour tour. Ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes at the Aquarium? Here’s your chance to step into our stories and see the Aquarium in a brand new way. In this incredible experience, an expert will lead you through our exhibits.

Daily Behind the Scenes Tour

• All participants must be at least 8 years of age to participate.
• 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• $20 ($15 for Members)
• Join us for a quick and exciting look behind the scenes! Led by an expert guide, you’ll learn about some of your favorite animals and exhibits around the Aquarium. With different tours offered throughout the year, be sure to come back and experience them all!

Dolphin Encounter

• Ages 8 and up; children under 16 must be accompanied by a paying adult.
• $190 ($150 for Members)
• Touch a dolphin during this 2-hour meeting with the mammals (starts at 9 a.m.). The encounter begins with an interactive orientation session. Then the sit back and enjoy the  dolphin show , following which you'll go up on deck for the real fun—playtime with the dolphins. Participants may not be pregnant.

Sharks! Behind-the-Scenes Tour

• Ages 8 and up
• $45 ($35 for Members)
• 1.5 hours, starting at 1:30 p.m.
• Explore behind-the-scenes shark areas with an expert guide and discover the truth about these incredible ocean predators. Dare to walk the catwalk, where sharks swim silently just inches beneath you. Learn how aquarium staff cares for a variety of sharks and rays. Visit our food-prep area to learn how diets are carefully planned and monitored.

Aquarium Guest Diver Program

• 18+; Guest must be PADI Open Water Diver certified or equivalent
• 1 hour orientation/prep; 30-45 minute dive
• Experience a once-in-a-lifetime dive that takes you to an exotic coral reef full of incredible animals, right here in Maryland.

Animal Care and Rescue Center Tour

• Ages 8 and up; children under 16 must be accompanied by a paying adult
• 1.5 to 2 hours; offered on weekends
• $45 ($35 for members)
• Explore the aquarium's state of the art Animal Care and Rescue Center as you feed the animals, talk to staff and perform water quality activities.

Wild Extremes Tour

• Have up close and personal interactions with reptiles and have a hands-on encounter as you go behind the scenes of the "Australia: Wild Extremes" exhibit.

Aquarium Sleepover

• Overnight: 6:30 p.m. to 9 a.m.
• $125 ($95 for Members, $105 for groups)
• Spend the night at the aquarium and explore behind-the-scenes areas, have animal encounters, watch a dolphin presentation, enjoy a show and more. Be sure to bring a sleeping bag, closed-toe shoes, sleepwear, and toiletries.

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Baltimore Is Home to the Country's National Aquarium — and 'Walk With T+L' Is Giving You a Look Inside

Explore the Baltimore landmark with a behind-the-scenes tour.

No matter your age or area of interest, the National Aquarium is the place to visit on a trip to Baltimore. From sea dwellers like sharks and turtles to land critters like sloths and puffins, this aquatic destination is home to a wealth of wildlife that helps visitors learn a little more about the planet they live on.

In this episode of Walk With T+L , the aquarium's experts take viewers on a behind-the-scenes tour to showcase the animals and explain how each of their unique habitats thrive. To find out more about the exhibits and future plans, we caught up with Lindsey Rowell, the aquarium's public relations specialist. Here's what she had to say.

Travel + Leisure: What would you say is the most popular exhibit at the aquarium? Which one tends to be the fan-favorite?

Lindsey: A consistent fan favorite is Shark Alley. As guests descend the winding pathway, they come nose-to-nose with several species of sharks and learn that there is much more to admire about these misunderstood predators than there is to fear.

In addition, Jellies Invasion , which features nine species of translucent and brainless invertebrates, brings guests from near and far. From the graceful Pacific sea nettle to the short and stout blue blubber, this exhibit highlights the stunning diversity of jelly populations.

Finally, the Upland Tropical Rain Forest rounds out the Aquarium's top three most popular exhibits, transporting guests to the heart of a South American rain forest. Beautiful tropical birds, hanging sloths, and scampering golden lion tamarin monkeys live among hundreds of rain forest plants to recreate one of the most biologically diverse — and rapidly disappearing — habitats on Earth.

Beyond looking at the amazing animals in the aquarium, what do you hope guests (or viewers of your episode) get out of visiting?

Lindsey: The National Aquarium works to change the way humanity cares for our ocean planet. The Aquarium hopes that with each visit, guests will learn something that motivates them to protect wildlife species and habitats in their own communities.

In addition, outside of the Aquarium, through science-based education programs and hands-on field initiatives, the National Aquarium is creating a new community of hopeful conservationists, driven by its mission to inspire conservation of the world's aquatic treasures.

We know the aquarium is planning on constructing a new dolphin reserve. Can you tell us a little bit about that?

Lindsey: The National Aquarium plans to build a seaside sanctuary for its Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, the first of its kind in North America. The site will give aquarium staff the ability to provide lifetime customized care for each dolphin in a larger outdoor location with natural sea water, tropical or subtropical climate, and natural stimulus such as fish and aquatic plants.

What's next for the aquarium? Are there any future plans you can talk about?

Lindsey: The aquarium plans to install a network of floating wetlands between Piers 3 and 4 [in Baltimore's Inner Harbor], creating a habitat for native species, gradually improving the harbor's water quality, and reconnecting residents and visitors with the natural world right at the water's edge. Currently, a floating wetland prototype is in place.

National Aquarium

Top ways to experience National Aquarium and nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

National Aquarium - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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National Aquarium

IN-PERSON FIELD TRIPS

National Aquarium education programs provide students from the Baltimore area and beyond with opportunities to encounter, understand and connect with the natural world, building the STEAM-powered skills they need to become future superstars! From pre-K through high school, at every grade level, our education programs inspire respect for the natural world and prepare students to act as informed, empowered stewards of our mission to inspire conservation of the world's aquatic treasures.

supports classroom learning in: Environmental Studies, Marine Studies

topics covered: Biodiversity, Biology, Climate Change, Conservation, Ecosystems Education, Environmental Studies, Fish, Habitats, Marine Life, Reefs, Research, Sustainability, Water, Water Quality

contact info Phone: 410-576-3833 Email: [email protected]

• For more info on educational programs

The National Aquarium in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor has been bringing a world of aquatic wonder to life for students and guests of all ages for more than 40 years, while focusing on conservation of the world’s Aquatic treasures and empowering the next generation of hopeful, engaged ocean conservationists and STEAM-savvy lifetime learners.

contact info

Helpful lesson plan(s), prepared by fieldtripdirectory.com.

Aquarium Lesson Plan

• Did you know a sea cucumber can shoot its intestines at predators, and then regrow them, in order to avoid being eaten?

• An electric eel can produce 500 watts of electricity (that’s enough to light up 10 light bulbs) to frighten away predators.

• Dolphins sleep with one half of the brain and one eye open to watch for danger.

• No matter how many pieces you cut a sea sponge into each piece will continue living and growing.

• Ocean life can do amazing things to survive. As you visit an aquarium with your students, note the different ways animals defend themselves. Just like a squid, people wouldn’t bother you either if you squirted black ink in their face!

FIELD TRIPS

Scout troops of 15 or more guests are eligible for special group admission rates and perks, including free group leader admission, convenient group dining packages and group experiences. Group admission rates are available with advance registration only and are subject to ticket availability. A $75 deposit is due three weeks in advance.

supports scout badges in: Marine Biology, Environmental Studies

• Info on groups

National Aquarium field trips are your campers' passport to a world of aquatic wonder! Spending a day with us provides an up-close look at the animals, habitats and careers that make science exciting, while bringing conservation education and STEAM concepts to life.

• Info for groups

The National Aquarium welcomes homeschool families and groups to visit, explore and get hands-on with our world of aquatic treasures, or make use of our new online programming! Specially themed experiences and thoughtful programs for students of all ages make the Aquarium's homeschool programs the perfect complement to any science curriculum.

To initiate a National Aquarium education program reservation request, please contact our reservation specialists at [email protected] or 410-576-3833.

supports classroom learning in: Marine Biology, Environmental Studies

• Info on homeschool programs

FAMILY SUNRISE TOUR

Get a peek at life in the Aquarium before it opens on this family-friendly tour! Younger guests and their families will feed breakfast to Aquarium animals, experience our interactive touchpools without the crowds and more. Please book your tour online and be sure to arrive at least 15 minutes before the start of your tour.

Questions? Please call Central Reservations at 410-659-4269 (available from 9 am to 4:30 pm, seven days a week).

contact info Phone: 410-659-4269 Email: [email protected]

• More info on family sunrise tours

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What to do this weekend, from feeding aquarium animals to a mobile hockey museum

Bill Withers once sang “Ain’t No Sunshine,” and looking at the weather forecast for this weekend, he was telling the truth. Attending a tribute to the singer-songwriter on Saturday is just one way you can avoid the rain and gloom. If that’s not your scene, there’s still plenty on offer in the area, from a community day at the Baltimore Museum of Art to a mobile hockey museum.

Thursday, March 21

Family sunrise tour.

Families have the chance to experience the National Aquarium before it opens with this all-ages tour. Visitors can feed breakfast to the animals, play with the interactive touch pools and more, all without the institution’s usual large crowds.

Time: 8:15 a.m. daily

Location: National Aquarium (501 E. Pratt St.)

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Cost: Tickets start at $55 for nonmembers, and start at $44 for members. Call 410-659-4269 for more details.

Family friendly? Yes.

How to enjoy Charm City like a pro

Seven baltimore-based artists on the rise — and on display across the nation, contract dispute ends in sour outcome for annual wine in the woods festival, friday, march 22, united by hockey mobile museum.

The United by Hockey Mobile Museum, which is in the midst of a seven-month tour, is stopping in Maryland for two days. The event, put on by the National Hockey League, honors the movers and shakers in the sport, giving fans a fun opportunity to learn about its history through artifacts and interactive exhibits.

Time: 3 p.m.-9 p.m. on Friday; 12 p.m.-7 p.m. on Saturday.

Location: Piney Orchard Ice Arena (8781 Piney Orchard Parkway in Odenton)

Cost: Admission is free.

‘The Luther Experience’ featuring Danny Clay

Actor and singer Danny Clay was discovered in 2007 when he performed over the phone in a Steve Harvey radio talent show. He would go on to do shows with Harvey for three years, which also led to a part in Tyler Perry’s stage play, “Madea’s Big Happy Family.” Now, Clay is staging a tribute to the beloved late Luther Vandross in Baltimore after performing it all across the world.

Time: You can stream it at 7 p.m. or see it live at 9:30 p.m.

Location: Keystone Korner Baltimore (1350 Lancaster St.)

Cost: Tickets for the streaming pass cost $15, plus fees; live performance prices start at $45, plus fees.

Saturday, March 23

Cody johnson’s ‘the leather tour’.

“‘Til You Can’t” singer Cody Johnson will take his “The Leather Tour” to CFG Bank Arena, with special guests Justin Moore and Drake Milligan in tow. Johnson has reached the top of the country music charts and picked up a pair of Country Music Association Awards since releasing his first major studio album in 2019.

Time: Doors open at 6:30 p.m., show starts at 7:30 p.m.

Location: CFG Bank Arena (201 W. Baltimore St.)

Cost: Tickets start at $45, plus fees.

‘The Bill Withers Experience’

Nearly four years after his death, famous singer-songwriter Bill Withers will be the focus of a tribute show at The Collective Encore. With contributions from vocalist Brandon Combs, guitarist Ethan Bailey-Gould, drummer John R. Lamkin III and more, the audience will hear classics like “Use Me,” “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Just the Two of Us,” “Lovely Day” and “Lean on Me.”

Time: 8 p.m.

Location: The Collective Encore (10221 Wincopin Circle in Columbia)

Cost: Tickets cost $25.

Sunday, March 24

Joyce j. scott community day.

The Baltimore Museum of Art is launching “Joyce J. Scott: Walk a Mile in My Dreams,” an exhibit highlighting the career of the esteemed Baltimore-born artist. On this free community day, you’ll have the chance to see a performance by the MacArthur fellow, listen to African drumming, make jewelry and enjoy a tasting from H3irloom Food Group. For more information, visit the BMA website.

Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Location: Baltimore Museum of Art (10 Art Museum Drive)

A Puppet Purim Spiel!

The story of the Jewish holiday Purim, which takes place this weekend, will be retold through puppets in this family-friendly atmosphere. The Black Cherry Puppet Theater encourages you to not only bring your fun spirit, but actual costumes as well to celebrate the holiday.

Time: Doors open at 12:30 p.m., show starts at 1 p.m.

Location: Black Cherry Puppet Theater (1115 Hollins St.)

Cost: Tickets cost $5, plus fees.

Just announced

Megan thee stallion.

Chart-topping rapper Megan Thee Stallion will take her “Hot Girl Summer” tour to CFG Bank Arena on May 28. Tickets for the tour, which will also feature popular rap artist GloRilla, will go on sale to the general public Friday.

Taji Burris

[email protected]

Taji Burris has covered the Baltimore music scene since 2015 for outlets such as The Working Title and The 4th Quarter, and now at the Baltimore Banner.

More from Taji Burris

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Family Sunrise Tour

Get a peek at life in the Aquarium before it opens on this family-friendly tour! Younger guests and their families will feed breakfast to Aquarium animals, experience our interactive touchpools without the crowds and more!

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Watch live! The total solar eclipse has begun over North America.

The long-awaited total solar eclipse of 2024 has begun — and you can watch NASA's unparalleled view of totality right now in this free live stream.

The total solar eclipse in North America is finally underway. Over the next several hours, day will turn into night for nearly 44 million people across Mexico, the U.S. and Canada as the moon crosses in front of the sun, blocking all sunlight for a precious few minutes.

If you can't make the event in person — or want to see a zoomed-in view of the partial and total phases of the eclipse — you can tune in to NASA's live webcast of the rare celestial event right here on Live Science,  starting at 1 p.m. ET.

At 9:51 a.m. local time (12:51 p.m. ET) on Mexico's western coast, skywatchers in Mazatlán will be the first to plunge into darkness as the moon fully masks the sun, marking the beginning of totality . The path of the eclipse will then cross three other Mexican cities before moving into the U.S., starting in Texas and moving on to cross or touch 14 other states. It will exit North America from Canada's Newfoundland at 5:16 p.m. local time (3:46 p.m. ET).

Those lucky enough to be within or near the 115-mile-wide (185 kilometers) path of totality will be able to witness a series of rare phenomena, including a few unique to the total solar eclipse . Here's what to expect.

Related: April 8 solar eclipse: What time does totality start in every state?

The diamond ring

Of all the eclipse-related phenomena, the most breathtaking may be the dazzling ring of light that appears seconds before the sun's bright disk is masked by the moon. Known as the "diamond-ring effect," this event repeats as totality ends when the sun starts becoming visible once again.

Baily's beads

As you watch the moon's silhouette during the eclipse, you may notice a sliver of sunlight appearing to form a string of beads. Known as "Baily's beads," the bright spots are caused by sunlight shining through the mountains and valleys on the moon's uneven surface.

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Shadow bands

Meanwhile, on Earth, thin, wavy light and dark stripes will dance on the ground just before and after totality. These eerie shadow bands are unique to a total solar eclipse and occur due to the same phenomenon that makes stars twinkle: rippling distortions in Earth's upper atmosphere filters bits and pieces of already-choked sunlight, which forms a visible pattern on solid-colored surfaces. As totality approaches, the brightening pattern shifts from being jumbled to organized, and it returns to a dimming chaotic design after totality ends.

Stars, planets and a 'Mother of Dragons' comet

NASA estimates that every location within the path of totality will experience darkness for up to four minutes. Thanks to the drop in sunlight, you may be able to see bright stars and planets in the daytime sky. Venus will appear about 15 degrees west-southwest of the sun while Jupiter will make an appearance about 30 degrees east-northeast of the sun.

In Jupiter's vicinity, the well-known green comet 12P/Pons-Brooks — also called the "Mother of Dragons comet" — may be visible. The icy, city-size space rock, which is on a 71-year orbit around the sun and began erupting last July, may be seen moving in front of stars during the eclipse. However, you will likely need a pair of stargazing binoculars to view this one, as its diffused light will be too faint to pick up with the naked eye.

Other planets including Saturn, Mars and Mercury may be visible depending on local weather conditions. Some of the brightest stars in our sky, such as Sirius, Capella and Rigel, may also be seen among a scattering of other stars.

Rings of light

— How and where to watch the April 8 solar eclipse online for free

— These eclipse-themed places will experience totality on April 8, 2024

— Total solar eclipse April 2024: The 10 biggest cities within the path of totality

While those outside the path of totality will miss out on these spectacles, skywatchers in all 48 contiguous U.S. states will see at least a partial eclipse for up to 1 hour and 20 minutes, according to NASA . During a partial eclipse, people near trees may see countless crescent-like light features appear on the ground. These "rings of light" form because sunlight shines through tiny spaces between leaves, causing them to behave like pinhole projectors and cast the sun's crescent shape onto the ground.

Sharmila Kuthunur is a Seattle-based science journalist covering astronomy, astrophysics and space exploration. Follow her on X @skuthunur

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Outdoors | explore the history of downtown norfolk, art of the neon district with free walking tours.

The Downtown Norfolk Council has partnered with Norfolk Tour Company to offer 21 free monthly walking tours of the downtown and the Neon District.

The Saturday tours run through December and include notable public art in the Neon District, the importance of the Granby Street corridor, a history of downtown theaters, an urban design-themed tour focusing on downtown’s redevelopment, the Elizabeth River Trail, as well as tours of historic homes and churches.

The Neon District tours explore more than 100 pieces of public art and many local businesses that make up the neighborhood fabric.

All tours begin at The Plot at the corner of Granby Street and Olney Road. Neon District public parking is available on the street, at the Plot’s parking lot and the Harrison Opera House lot.

For a detailed schedule and more information, see www.downtownnorfolk.org .

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