I've been told that this is a little hole-in-the-wall aquarium that should be avoided, but it looks like it might be okay from your photos. Did you enjoy it and would you recommend it?
I've been told that this is a little hole-in-the-wall aquarium that should be avoided, but it looks like it might be okay from your photos. Did you enjoy it and would you recommend it?
I think for a $10 admission is was well worth it. The exhibits were older and most of the aquarium seemed outdated with noisy filtration systems, water stains on the carpet, and peeling paint. I think what I liked most was lack of crowds. It defiantly made the experience much more enjoyable when you can sit and watch an exhibit without being interrupted. We went at 1 PM and there were only a handful of people in the whole aquarium. Many of the exhibits did seem bare however with only one or two species, so that's probably another negative aspect. Luckily, the National Aquarium is moving to a different location within the Department of Commerce, so a newer and bigger aquarium will be built.
National Aquarium Review (2008) - 50 minutes (Zoo/Aquarium #12 on the epic road trip)
The National Aquarium in Washington D.C. is an extremely small aquarium that is set in the basement of the massive commerce building near the White House. My wife and I had been strolling around for most of the day looking at monuments, statues and memorials, and so we were ready for an air-conditioned, free little aquarium to kill an hour of time. Unfortunately the aquarium was not air-conditioned and cost $7 each, which is bizarre considering all of the enormous completely free museums that dot the Washington landscape. This is the tiniest of all the attractions, and so the entrance fee was shocking.
This review will be my shortest yet, as once one walks down one long corridor (with tanks on both sides) then the only choice is to walk back up the next corridor and head for the exit. That's all folks...
Highlights:
The largest tank by far is one of the first that visitors encounter. There are a couple of turtles and two 3-foot long alligators named "Munch Munch" and "Snappy". The alligators were frisky and active, and their exhibit was lovingly constructed. I just wonder what will happen to them once they grow to a much larger size.
There is a second large tank that contained 3 species of shark and several other species of nondescript fish. Swell, leopard and horn sharks swam around, and we happened to be there for the informative feeding. These full-grown and yet still fairly small sharks were fun to watch, but their tank could have been much bigger as there were a total of 8 sharks in the water.
The Worst:
For an aquarium that recently underwent a $2 million renovation, it was alarming to find that along one side of the wall every single ledge that was outside a tank had peeling paint on it! One side of the corridor was full of plastic, modern ledges around the tanks, and so why wouldn't the aquarium have spent some of that $2 million on black paint?
Overall:
Only the most die-hard aquarium fan could spend much more than an hour or two in this building, which contains exactly 2 large tanks and many smaller ones. The sharks and juvenile gators were enjoyable to see, but the rest of the collection is so small that it doesn't justify the price-tag. Many of the frog, salamander and snake tanks were well done, and the aquarium is obviously a labour of love for those that work there...but it is what it is and that means a second-rate collection. I'm not prejudiced against the small fry in the world of aquariums because I sometimes enjoy seeing the flip side of captive wildlife establishments, but the lack of signage on some tanks, the lack of any kind of map or brochure, and the lack of truly outstanding exhibits made the National Aquarium only a minor diversion from the sightseeing in the city.
National Aquarium Review (2008) - 50 minutes (Zoo/Aquarium #12 on the epic road trip)
The National Aquarium in Washington D.C. is an extremely small aquarium that is set in the basement of the massive commerce building near the White House. My wife and I had been strolling around for most of the day looking at monuments, statues and memorials, and so we were ready for an air-conditioned, free little aquarium to kill an hour of time. Unfortunately the aquarium was not air-conditioned and cost $7 each, which is bizarre considering all of the enormous completely free museums that dot the Washington landscape. This is the tiniest of all the attractions, and so the entrance fee was shocking.
This review will be my shortest yet, as once one walks down one long corridor (with tanks on both sides) then the only choice is to walk back up the next corridor and head for the exit. That's all folks...
Highlights:
The largest tank by far is one of the first that visitors encounter. There are a couple of turtles and two 3-foot long alligators named "Munch Munch" and "Snappy". The alligators were frisky and active, and their exhibit was lovingly constructed. I just wonder what will happen to them once they grow to a much larger size.
There is a second large tank that contained 3 species of shark and several other species of nondescript fish. Swell, leopard and horn sharks swam around, and we happened to be there for the informative feeding. These full-grown and yet still fairly small sharks were fun to watch, but their tank could have been much bigger as there were a total of 8 sharks in the water.
The Worst:
For an aquarium that recently underwent a $2 million renovation, it was alarming to find that along one side of the wall every single ledge that was outside a tank had peeling paint on it! One side of the corridor was full of plastic, modern ledges around the tanks, and so why wouldn't the aquarium have spent some of that $2 million on black paint?
Overall:
Only the most die-hard aquarium fan could spend much more than an hour or two in this building, which contains exactly 2 large tanks and many smaller ones. The sharks and juvenile gators were enjoyable to see, but the rest of the collection is so small that it doesn't justify the price-tag. Many of the frog, salamander and snake tanks were well done, and the aquarium is obviously a labour of love for those that work there...but it is what it is and that means a second-rate collection. I'm not prejudiced against the small fry in the world of aquariums because I sometimes enjoy seeing the flip side of captive wildlife establishments, but the lack of signage on some tanks, the lack of any kind of map or brochure, and the lack of truly outstanding exhibits made the National Aquarium only a minor diversion from the sightseeing in the city.
The aquarium is not free because it is not affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution. Rather, its part of the National Aquarium Institute which includes both Baltimore and Washington D.C. venues, National Aquarium Foundation, National Aquarium Conservation Center, and the Center for Aquatic Life and Conservation.
With all the shenanigans going on down the mall at the Capitol Building I wish that somebody would unleash Munch Munch and Snappy to get !@#$% Congress to speed up fixing some of their messes. Go Munch Munch and Snappy.
