The National Aquarium in Baltimore: Following the Journey of Water
When the Maryland skies turn gray and your plans for fun in the sun evaporate, there is one surefire backup plan that delivers every time: the National Aquarium in Baltimore. Commonly referred to as the “Baltimore Aquarium”, this world-renowned institution in the heart of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor is a centerpiece of marine education, conservation and immersive design. It houses more than 20,000 animals representing over 750 species and entertains between 1.2 million and 1.5 million visitors each year, making it one of the most visited aquariums in the United States - and for good reason. From newly constructed outdoor wetland habitats to mesmerizing rainforest biomes and touch tanks filled with rays and jellies, the aquarium allows guests to follow the journey of water from the mountains to the forest and back again in a linear experience that is equal parts relaxing and enlightening.
Above: The Harbor Wetland is a floating marvel designed with conservation in mind, blending artificial structures like aerators and recycled base materials with natural elements such as oysters, barnacles, and marsh grasses.
The Harbor Wetland
The overwhelming majority of the National Aquarium’s exhibits are indoors, but there is one remarkable exception. Dependent on the weather, your group size and your level of interest, we recommend either starting or ending your visit with a quick stroll through the Harbor Wetland. Opened in 2024, the Harbor Wetland is a floating marvel that now graces the waterfront just outside the main entrance. Best of all, this exhibit - sponsored by CFG Bank - is free to the public and requires no aquarium ticket. The wetland is designed with conservation in mind, blending artificial structures like aerators and recycled base materials with natural elements such as oysters, barnacles, and marsh grasses; mimicking the way that a natural tidal marsh would function. These elements help filter the water and create a sustainable mini-ecosystem right in the heart of the city. One of the more poetic features of this exhibit is its musical ambiance. The soundtrack was composed by the same artists behind the aquarium’s "Voyages" edutainment series. As you walk along the dock, the ambient score shifts subtly, creating a serene and immersive atmosphere. Interpretive signs throughout the exhibit share insights about the floating wetland’s layered structure and its ability to rise and fall with the tides, providing an ideal environment for shelter and regeneration.
Freshwater Falls
The National Aquarium is divided into three pavilions, each with its own flare and a collection of environmentally-conscious exhibits. The first pavilion, which includes the entry portal along with stroller check, lockers, an expansive cafe and bathrooms in addition to a collection of aquatic and land-based animal exhibits, is known as the Glass Pavilion. Upon entering the pavilion, visitors are presented with the first example of why this aquarium has garnered national acclaim. The Freshwater Falls exhibit, a dramatic display that simulates the waterfalls of Maryland’s natural forests, boasts a 35-foot waterfall that cascades down a manmade rockface - an immediate attention grabber for guests of all ages, and one of the aquarium’s many organic photo spots. Signage teaches visitors about native freshwater species and their habitats, combining natural beauty with environmental literacy. When you're finished admiring the falls, you can proceed inside the main hall to have a souvenir photo taken (you may opt out, but there is no obligation to purchase your photo if you choose to have it taken) and begin to chart your course through the other exhibits.
Above: The “Freshwater Falls” exhibit in the Glass Pavilion welcomes all visitors with a dramatic display that simulates the waterfalls of Maryland’s natural forests with a 35-foot waterfall that cascades down a manmade rockface.
The Glass Pavilion
The Glass Pavilion is home to the largest of the three designated dining areas - Pier 3 Cafe - which also happens to have the most expansive menu of the lot. Outside food and drink are not permitted inside the aquarium, but if nothing at Pier 3 suits you, you can exit and re-enter the aquarium all day with a 1-day admission ticket and there are plenty of dining options strewn about the Inner Harbor itself. As you reach the top of the escalator - or elevator, depending on your party’s preferred means of ascending the many floors of the pavilion - you’ll be met by the jaws of a megalodon fossil, which makes for yet another great and very popular photo op. As this pavilion serves as the primary entrance and exit portal for the aquarium as a whole, it’s no surprise to find an expansive gift shop (1 of 2) to your right and an intermittent presentation featuring live animals to your left. During our visit, we stumbled upon a presentation featuring an amphibious turtle and its handler which had all but mesmerized the younger crowd. These presentations are not spontaneous, either; a schedule will be posted near the presentation stage with the daily showtimes. If you happen to arrive during the gap between two presentations, there’s a good chance that you’ll still be able to make another one at some point over the course of your day.
Above: The “Blue Wonders” pavilion is home to thousands of aquatic and land-based organisms and follows the journey of water from the mountaintop to the sea, detailing that journey through exhibits like the reef seen here.
Blue Wonders Pavilion
You’ll next come upon a junction between the ‘Pier 4’ pavilion, the ‘Blue Wonders’ pavilion or the upper levels of the ‘Glass Pavilion’. The flow of traffic generally leads towards the “Blue Wonders” pavilion, incentivized by the aquarium’s iconic bubble tanks and a set of interactive LCD panels. The largest and most recognizable exhibit in the aquarium is also the first you will likely come across if you proceed into ‘Blue Wonders’ - “Blacktip Reef”. This multi-level reef tank is a whirlwind of activity, with blacktip reef sharks, rays, and hundreds of brightly colored fish circling the coral. The viewing area includes interactive touchscreens where guests can learn about the various species in real time. It's a living, breathing snapshot of Indo-Pacific reef life. Moving onward and upward, the aquarium’s layout takes you through a winding path of escalators, ramps and walkways that follow the flow of water through the environment, all while working its way around a hauntingly beautiful suspended whale skeleton named “Omega.” The region-specific “Maryland: Mountains to the Sea” exhibit captures the diversity of habitats found throughout Maryland, from forested uplands to coastal marshes, and begins the journey of water as it falls from the sky and trickles from the mountaintops down to the lower levels of the atmosphere.
The higher you rise in the ‘Blue Wonders’ pavilion, the further into the journey of water you will progress. The most iconic and captivating of the exhibits on the third level is that of the “Living Seashore”. This zone includes a hands-on touch tank where guests can feel the shells of rays and horseshoe crabs under the guidance of trained staff. Interpretive signage explains the behavioral patterns of these marine invertebrates and their importance to shoreline ecosystems. Interactive areas let visitors simulate touching various coastal elements, such as sand dunes, tidal waves, and beach debris. These tactile stations are not only fun but also serve as tools to explain the delicate balance of coastal habitats. This exhibit also offers a handwashing station, which is strongly recommended for public use following exposure to the organisms in the touch tanks - particularly if you plan to grab a bite to eat at the “Harbor View Cafe” just one level up.
Darkness reigns in the “Surviving Through Adaptation” exhibit, a gallery dedicated to the creatures that thrive in the pitch-black depths of the ocean. This includes sturgeon, electric eels, and other deep-sea dwellers. The electric eel tank is paired with a real-time voltage monitor that flashes lights to indicate when the eel is sending out electric pulses, which is deeply entertaining for guests of all ages. This exhibit also includes a recreated shipwreck site, showing how sunken vessels can provide a new foundation for coral reefs and marine life. It’s a captivating blend of science, history, and visual storytelling that’s sure to hold the attention of any young guest - and many older ones, too.
Above: The “Upland Tropical Rain Forest” is the most expansive, immersive and photogenic of all the exhibits at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, and its canopy is home to rare creatures like Sloths and the Screaming Piha.
The Tropical Rain Forest & Shark Alley
While technically still part of the “Blue Wonders” pavilion, the next two exhibits you’ll encounter in linear order are worlds apart from their predecessors - speaking in terms in scale, immersion and atmosphere all three. After ascending to the next level and having the upcoming exhibits teased by smaller exhibits featuring the creatures of the swamps and forests (inclusive of some absolutely massive catfish and a properly intimidating caiman), you’ll find yourself passing through a revolving door and headed up an escalator to the highest point in the National Aquarium - the “Upland Tropical Rain Forest”. This lush, misty habitat spans multiple tiers, each corresponding to a different layer of the rainforest. From the forest floor to the canopy and up to the emergent layer, visitors can walk through a living, breathing biome filled with birds, reptiles, amphibians, and the ever-popular sloths. Here, temperature and humidity vary by level, giving guests a literal feel for how the environment shifts vertically. Look out for dart frogs (safely behind glass), macaws, and the “Screaming Piha” - one of the loudest birds in the animal kingdom, with a shriek reaching up to 116 decibels. If you or any of your companions are still hunting for photo spots at this stage of your journey, you’ll find this exhibit to be nothing short of an Instagram goldmine.
After emerging from the canopy, visitors are gradually led back down toward the lower levels via an elegant, spiraling ramp - not unlike the water making its way from the forest floor back towards the sea and into the murky depths. This multi-layered descent provides new angles on the Blacktip Reef, revealing hidden alcoves and secretive species that were previously out of view. Eventually, this path leads to “Shark Alley”; a dramatic, dimly lit tunnel where large sharks glide silently past thick viewing windows. Their presence is powerful and humbling. Every open window in Shark Alley invites a new face to pass by, some swimming by repeatedly as though aware of their curious observers. Despite the dim lighting, this area is rich with atmosphere and drama, the perfect crescendo to your aquatic journey. After this remarkably tense climax to the overall journey of water, you’ll find yourself emptied back into the junction between the three pavilions, ready to continue your journey through the National Aquarium in Baltimore.
Pier 4 Pavilion
Crossing the bridge in front of you will lead you to the ‘Pier 4 Pavlion’, a separate wing of the aquarium which houses the “Dolphin Discovery” and “Jellies Invasion” exhibits, as well as the home of the VR Experiences (we’ll circle back to this later in the post). Once home to scheduled dolphin shows, the “Dolphin Discovery” arena has now transitioned to a more conservation-focused model. Visitors can still observe the dolphins at play, interacting with toys and one another in a massive enrichment pool. The emphasis is now on education and care rather than performance, though the dolphins aren’t at all shy and seem to enjoy interacting with guests who cozy up to the tank. Nearby, the Jellies Invasion exhibit offers a final burst of wonder. With dozens of jellyfish species on display, this ethereal section showcases the alien beauty of these translucent drifters. Backlit tanks highlight their movement and structure, while interpretive panels caution against interacting with wild jellies due to the fragility of their bodies and the dangers that humans and jellyfish might pose for one another. The Pier 4 Pavilion is also home to the ‘Pier 4 Canteen’, the second of three dining establishments in the aquarium, and a second - if smaller - gift shop (2 of 2) .
Above: The “Australia: Wild Extremes” exhibit replicates the harsh beauty of the Outback, complete with creatures large and small who live and thrive in that environment and manmade rockwork to accent natural plant life.
Australia: Wild Extremes
Though the overwhelming majority of the exhibits are attached to or associated with the ‘Blue Wonders’ and ‘Pier 4’ pavilions, the Glass Pavilion has one last gift to impart on its visitors. You can choose to visit the “Australia: Wild Extremes” exhibit at any time - but, personally, we have always found that it makes for a fantastic sendoff as our final exhibit of the day. The exhibit takes you to the very top of the “Freshwater Falls” exhibit that you will have had to encounter when entering the aquarium building(s), and features a range of land and aquatic animals from the Outback - pig-nosed turtles, freshwater crocodiles, and goannas, among many others. Designed as a vibrant indoor biome with a collection of Australian birds flying overhead, this section of the aquarium captures the harsh beauty of the continent and all of the life that finds a means of both surviving and thriving in that environment. If you’ve followed the same order that we have, you will officially have explored every exhibit across all three Aquarium pavilions once this exhibit has been cleared, and can then start making your way towards the exit - while being sure to get your parking validated on your way out the door.
Above: A complete map of the different exhibits and experiences across the three pavilions and outdoor Wetland area associated with the National Aquarium in Baltimore. Visit https://aqua.org/ for more information.
Pricing & Upcharge Experiences
If you’ve never been to the National Aquarium in Baltimore, you’re surely wondering how much this beacon of edutainment is going to cost you. Daily admission is approximately $49.95/person for adults, with discounts for children and seniors. Annual memberships are also available and offer excellent value for those planning to visit more than once per year. Convenient parking is available in nearby garages with discounted rates for advance purchase, and public transit makes the facility easily accessible. The aquarium offers a few optional experiences. The 4D Immersion Theater, which is located in the junction between the three pavilions, and the Virtual Reality Stations, which are located near the “Dolphin Discovery” arena, both provide cinematic and interactive learning opportunities for an additional fee. At the time of our visit and the subsequent generation of this post, any of the three 4D shows at the theatre costs $6/person and the virtual reality experiences cost $8/person. These aren’t essential for first-time visitors, but they may add value for repeat guests looking for something new. There are also specialty tours which can be purchased in advance of your visit and get you up close and personal with the animals and exhibits, ranging from $45/person to a whopping $225/person. All of these add-ons can be purchased in advance of your visit through the Aquarium’s website. Naturally, any purchases made at the three dining locations (Pier 4 Canteen, Pier 3 Cafe and Harbor View Cafe) will add to your running total, as will any souvenirs you take away from the gift shop. While a day at the aquarium can get fairly expensive, you can also have a full, fun day at a relatively low price point if you set a budget in advance and stick to it!
Final Thoughts
The National Aquarium in Baltimore offers a full-day exploration of Earth's most vital and vibrant aquatic environments, brought to life through world-class design, immersive education, and a deep commitment to environmental stewardship. With exhibits that captivate the imagination and inspire curiosity, it remains a beloved destination where families, tourists, and locals alike can discover, learn and unwind. Whether you're seeking a rainy-day retreat or an enriching experience on any day, the National Aquarium consistently delivers. But you don’t have to take our word for it; you can check out the vlog below from our visit on World Ocean Day 2025 below to get a glimpse of everything we were able to do in a single day at the $49 price point and to get a complete (virtual) tour of all three pavilions. Tickets are available for purchase onsite at the ticket booth outside the Aquarium in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, and can also be purchased online at https://aqua.org/.
