About Us

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice

The National Aquarium is dedicated to cultivating and advancing the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion and justice in all that we are and all that we do. We understand that successfully changing the way humanity cares for our ocean planet requires connecting with and appreciating the broad diversity of identities, backgrounds, experiences and perspectives that individuals may have.

We affirm our dedication to making the National Aquarium more inclusive, accessible and welcoming to people from all backgrounds. This commitment requires recognition of and reconciliation with the social, economic, historical and political contexts of systemic oppression that contribute to disparities within our society at large and within the City of Baltimore. Our commitment to DEIJ will be ongoing, require iteration and learning, and will be embedded within all aspects of our work.

Our Story

The nonprofit National Aquarium opened on August 8, 1981, the jewel of Baltimore City's Inner Harbor redevelopment. With a mission to inspire conservation of the world's aquatic treasures, the Aquarium is consistently ranked as one of the nation's top three aquariums and as Maryland's largest paid tourist attraction, featuring thousands of fishes, birds, amphibians, reptiles and mammals living in award-winning habitats.

Today, the National Aquarium builds on its rich history of local, regional and global conservation initiatives that provide real solutions for protecting aquatic and marine life alongside human communities. We prioritize our work to focus on combatting climate change, saving wildlife and habitats, and stopping plastic pollution, and we advocate for smarter policies at local, state and federal levels. We have rescued, rehabilitated and released hundreds of marine mammals and endangered sea turtles throughout the mid-Atlantic region, and are active participants in important research efforts. We educate thousands of students each year, helping to create the next generation of environmental stewards. Through education, research, conservation action and advocacy, the National Aquarium is pursuing a vision to change the way humanity cares for our ocean planet.

Our History

The nation's first public aquarium was originally established in 1873 in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. In 1878, this aquarium moved to Washington, D.C., to the site of the Washington Monument, and in 1932, was incorporated into the lower level of the Department of Commerce building. Federal funds were eliminated from the operating budget for the National Aquarium in Washington, D.C., in 1982. Threatened with closing, the National Aquarium Society was formed to keep the Aquarium open.

Meanwhile, during the 1970s, Baltimore Mayor William Donald Schaefer conceived and championed the idea of an aquarium as a vital component in the redevelopment of Baltimore's Inner Harbor. In 1976, Baltimore City residents voted on a bond referendum in favor of building an aquarium in Baltimore. Groundbreaking for the facility on Pier 3 took place on August 8, 1978. In 1979, the new aquarium was recognized by the United States Congress, which granted the facility "national" status. The National Aquarium in Baltimore opened to the public on August 8, 1981.

Buoyed by its success as a world-class attraction and developing center for science and education, the Aquarium embarked on its first expansion near the end of the decade. The pavilion on Pier 4 opened just in time for the holiday season in December 1990. In 2005, the Aquarium expanded by 65,000 square feet to include the new Australia: Wild Extremes exhibit.

In 2003, the National Aquarium Society Board of Directors signed an alliance agreement with the Board of Directors of the National Aquarium, Baltimore, enabling the two aquariums to work together to strengthen the exhibits and educational impact of the National Aquarium.

In 2013, National Aquarium, Washington, D.C., closed its doors to the public, due to necessary renovations in the Department of Commerce. At that time, the Baltimore location provided a new home for approximately 1,700 animals and the institution in the Inner Harbor became the sole National Aquarium.

National Aquarium Foundation

The National Aquarium Foundation, Inc. (NAF) is a nonprofit, charitable support organization incorporated in Maryland and operated exclusively to receive and hold certain funds and assets from individuals, institutions and public agencies that constitute the endowment funds for the National Aquarium, Inc. NAF owns, manages and invests funds and assets it receives; to the extent it deems necessary or desirable, NAF may at times provide financial support to the National Aquarium to advance its mission to inspire conservation of the world’s aquatic treasures. Contributions to NAF are tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. tax law.

NAF Members:

• Xuying Chang
• Todd Chester
• David Churchill
• Merrie Mowen
• Charles Phillips
• Anna Smith
• Jennifer Ventimiglia