Go behind the scenes with the National Aquarium's Tours & Experiences! With the help of our expert guides, you'll discover a fascinating world behind the glass and experience life at the Aquarium from an insider's perspective.
Available Tours & Experiences
Insider's Tour
Ages: 8+
Duration: 2–2.5 hours
Days Offered: Friday–Sunday; daily during peak season
Explore the Aquarium before it opens as you visit exclusive behind-the-scenes areas, assist with feeding breakfast to our fish, experience our interactive touchpool without the crowds and more!
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Shark Tour
Ages: 8+
Duration: 1.5 hours
Days Offered: Friday–Sunday; daily during peak season
Walk the catwalk above Shark Alley, visit staff-only areas—including where we prepare food for our sharks—as you learn more about these predators of the deep.
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Icky, Creepy, Slimy, Cool Tour
Ages: 8+
Duration: 2 hours
Days Offered: Saturdays
Travel behind the scenes in Australia: Wild Extremes and experience a hands-on animal encounter in this unique tour that focuses on animals that slither, hiss and crawl!
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Dolphin Encounter
Ages: 8+
Duration: 2 hours
Days Offered: Weekends
Come face to face with our dolphins! This encounter allows you to interact with and touch a dolphin, meet marine mammal staff and participate in dolphin enrichment activities.
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Aquarium Sleepover
Ages: 8+
Duration: Overnight
Days Offered: Weekends
Discover the Aquarium after dark as you explore behind-the-scenes areas, get hands-on with aquatic animals and walk the shark catwalk!
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Dolphin Sleepover 
Ages: 8+
Duration: Overnight
Days Offered: Weekends
Get up close and personal with our colony of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins in this memorable sleepover experience!
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Aquarium Guest Diver Program
Ages: 18+
Duration: 3.5 hours
Days Offered: Saturdays
Dive in Atlantic Coral Reef for a once-in-a-lifetime experience that takes you to a tropical reef, right here in Maryland!
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