The National Aquarium is OPEN. As a private nonprofit organization, we are not impacted by the government shutdown.

Homepage

Plan Your Aquarium Visit We'd Love to See You!

From easy timed entry to tours and experiences, your Aquarium experience is just a few clicks away.

Daily Schedule What's Happening?

Family Sunrise Tour

Atlantic Coral Reef
Additional Fee 12 Spots Left

VR Experiences

Dolphin Discovery
Additional Fee 15 Spots Left

VR Experiences

Dolphin Discovery
Additional Fee 15 Spots Left

Shark: A 4D Experience®

4D Theater
Additional Fee 225 Spots Left

Featured Animals Thousands of animals. Hundreds of species. One Aquarium.

Learn about animals from all over our blue planet—from the depths of the ocean to the canopy of the rain forest—and discover the connection they all share with water.

Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica)

Atlantic puffins have a distinctive large, triangular red-orange bill with a blue-gray base and yellow ridge.

Learn More

Peacock Mantis Shrimp (Odontodactylus scyllarus)

Blacktip Reef Shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus)

Harlequin Tuskfish (Choerodon fasciatus)

Featured Stories The Latest From the National Aquarium

Animals Weighing It Out

Multimedia Making the Aquarium Accessible for All

Animals A Day in the Life: National Aquarium Vets

Dive Deeper: Featured Series

Series Mistaken Identities

In our Mistaken Identities series, we're diving into the differences between animals that share similarities—from puffins and penguins to skates and stingrays.

View Full Series

Latest in this series:

Mistaken Identities: Blue Crabs vs. Green Crabs

Mistaken Identities: Bees vs. Wasps

Mistaken Identities: Seals vs. Sea Lions

Conservation Driving Conservation Action for the Benefit of People, Animals and the Planet

The National Aquarium's mission—to connect people with nature to inspire compassion and care for our ocean planet—begins within the Aquarium itself. It also reaches far beyond. Our work includes education, habitat restoration, animal rescue, advocacy and sustainable practices, including our commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2035.

Subscribe To Our Newsletter Sign up to receive updates on animals, news and events.