Blue World – Baltimore National Aquarium

by Travel and Trots · Published September 19, 2016 · Updated January 8, 2020

The Baltimore National Aquarium is amongst the biggest aquariums in the US. This multi-story glass house rests precariously on the shores of the glistening Baltimore harbour, and is easily accessible on expressways from all directions and has easy outward connectivity via water ways.

Like the seaborne culture of the city, the area around the aquarium is alive with the scent of salt, fish and crab cakes. Around it thrives a maze of multidimensional skyscrapers, brick buildings and breezy cafes, along with a live submarine exhibit and dummy pirate cruise ships.

Views of the harbour

The “Michael Phelps” Pirate cruise!

When is the best time to visit the aquarium? Our timing suggestions out here!

What struck me first about the Baltimore National Aquarium was its unconventional design where every empty space has been lighted and used to maximize sea life exhibits. The tour is educational and informative, yet brilliant and captivating – and shocked me when it brought suddenly brought me to a life-sized shark jaw with 4 rims of teeth around a sharp corner! The play of light and sound augments the plethora of life bloating up behind the glass walls with lurking predators and adaptive mammals.

The sinister shark moving steadily towards its unsuspecting prey

Windows into the Blue World – at the Shark Tank

Parking at the National Aquarium: Know more

The aquarium has everything! – ranging from mushrooming jellyfish to large sword fishes. From Nemo to Flounder. An entire floor dedicated to photogenic sharks with walls lined with mackerels, blue fins, the great white, sand sharks, saw sharks, gliding seamlessly though murky ghostly waters.

With distinct underwater sounds humming in the background, our ears and eyes automatically tune into an altogether submerged feel. Its almost a little claustrophobic! … And also, there is something very eerie about looking at leopard-skinned and polka-dotted sting rays or 15-foot turtles floating above your head while they watch you with their thick-lidded eyes as you oooh-and-aaahh at them through the glass.

This shy honey did her best to stay low and avoid the cameras!

The jellyfish cove is the exhibit I liked the best! There were live jellyfish-touching experience kiosks with a variety of illuminated wiry umbrella-like creatures. Any turn you take will give you awesome views of these legendary beings. The glow-in-the-dark jellies are star attractions! Also, the groggy octopus’, colorful sea horses, urchins, crabs and star fishes shying away under corals were stunning sights!

Mushrooming life!

Tickets and charges: Here are the rates!

The Baltimore National Aquarium is not just all about sea creatures. This place goes a step further to recreate the Amazon and other rain forests within its glass compound. The rich greens are a welcoming break from the sheer blueness of the ocean.

What to see in the Amazon forest exhibit

Amidst luscious greens of trees and shoots are a feast of tiny creatures such as neon-lined, poison dart frogs and sulking boas. These animals are housed in a large glass moist dome with large trees shooting up till the sky. You can also find nests of many rare bird species such as the scarlet ibis and the tropical parrot.

Beware! You may also run into a not-so-friendly tarantula (caged of course!). Again, with sounds of crickets, leaf rustles and gurgling streams playing artificially around, you do end up believing that you are in the middle of a real concrete tropical jungle.

Lunch spotted!

Fin flapping adventures at the Dolphin show – Click here for pictures

The Baltimore National Aquarium has three main zones of life; 2 of which itself look us 3-4 hours to cover. Its a very safe bet for children who get to see an abundance of living creatures housed under one single roof. As additional safety, do hold onto your children as some exhibits have dim lights. The aquarium is also well connected between floors. And what’s best is that each escalator gives you better and more wholesome views of the sea life displays as you climb floors.

What we loved at the Baltimore National Aquarium:

We particularly enjoyed the eel display with its live electricity measurement installation. It almost felt like we could get electrocuted just looking at the sly creature.
The dolphin shows are worth a watch!
Photography is allowed at no extra cost.
The pristine views of the Baltimore harbour from various levels of the National Aquarium.

What could be better at the Baltimore National Aquarium:

The cafeterias did not have much menu options. Pretzels for lunch is probably not very hunger replenishing. Also, they were out of most food.
I’d have loved to see a segment on crabs! – Especially after immersing in the smell of all those sizzling crab cakes along the harbor!