Dear Friends,
When the National Aquarium began taking shape on Pier 3 in the 1970s, Baltimore had never seen anything like it, and once it opened, the city’s historic harbor would never be the same. In the same way, our extensive renovation of the National Aquarium in Washington, DC, opens up new opportunities for visitors to connect with nature in our nation’s capital.
Together, the two National Aquarium locations have offered millions of visitors transforming experiences that inspire them to enjoy, respect, and protect the aquatic world. Action follows experiences that change our thinking. For some, seeing the Chesapeake Bay for the first time through a school field experience is a catalyst to do something. For others, getting face-to-face with the Aquarium’s amazing animals or attending a thought-provoking lecture will challenge ideas and change perspectives.
In this year’s annual report, we asked some friends and associates to share how transforming experiences with the National Aquarium have changed lives, actions, behaviors, and results. We also celebrate exciting accomplishments in education, exhibits, conservation, and outreach.
As a friend of the National Aquarium, your involvement truly makes a difference to the programs we offer, the exhibits we create, the animals we care for, and, ultimately, to the lives of the people who connect with nature through the National Aquarium. If reading these stories inspires you, I invite you to inspire others by sharing your own transforming experiences on the Aquarium's blog at nationalaquarium.wordpress.com. We are grateful for your continued support.
Thank you.
David M. Pittenger
Executive Director
Michael J. Batza, Jr.
Chair, Board of Directors
