Explore 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 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
Dare to walk the catwalk above Shark Alley, where sharks circle just inches below. Check out the food prep kitchen and feed fish in their exhibit habitats as you learn about these incredible predators of the deep.
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Wild Extremes 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 Tour
Ages: All ages
Duration: 45 minutes
Days Offered: Daily
Get up close with our colony of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins and learn about their care!
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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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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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Special Occasion Package
Ages: 8+
Duration: 2 hours
Days Offered: Weekends
Guests participating in the Dolphin Encounter tour who are celebrating a special occasion can purchase an upgraded experience—a buoy with a custom message delivered by one of the Aquarium's dolphins!
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