NATIONAL AQUARIUM

14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW
Department of Commerce Building
Washington 20230
202/482-2825

The National Aquarium is the first public Aquarium ever built in America. Located across the Ellipse on Constitution Ave., it's only a five minute walk from the White House.

The National Aquarium is the oldest aquarium in the country, and in some places it looks it. If your kids have been to some of the more modern aquariums, the National Aquarium might prove disappointing. However, if you’ve never been to an aquarium it is probably worth the trip.

Inside the aquarium, you will find seventy tanks containing over 1,200 species of marine life. There is also "touch-tank" where visitors can handle some docile sea creatures like horseshoe crabs and turtles. Admission is $2 but you also get a chance to see a continuously running film about sea creatures and marine life. The time to go to the aquarium is daily at 2 PM when either the sharks or piranhas are fed.

The inside tip is to skip the National Aquarium. The place looks(and sometimes smells) like a pet store.  If your kids have ever been to an aquarium before, they will probably not be entertained. Even the feeding time exhibits lack the gusto of Washington's other attractions. Don't waste time here.

Hours:
Daily 9:00am- 5:00pm

Admission:
Adults, $2; ages 2 to ten, 75 cents

Metro:
Federal Triangle (Blue and Orange lines)