Mesmerizing Exhibits. Memorable Learning Experiences.
The National Aquarium, located in the heart of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, is home to thousands of animals representing hundreds of species in award-winning exhibits. Just minutes from I-95 and I-83 and within driving distance of other popular student destinations, including Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New York City, the National Aquarium is an exceptional field trip experience.
Captivating Exhibits & Experiences
Student groups visiting the National Aquarium can discover incredible animals and habitats through educational programs and interactive learning opportunities.
Immerse your students in authentic surroundings at the Australia: Wild Extremes exhibit, where groups can explore Australia’s unique and unusual animals and species. Get up close to crocodiles, turtles, lizards, birds, and more while walking through the replication of an Australian river gorge.
Explore the Upland Tropical Rain Forest, where open-air exhibits showcase free-flying birds, poison dart frogs, sloths, and native horticulture for a unique learning experience. With an average temperature of 80 degrees Fahrenheit, you’ll feel as though your class is trekking through the humid jungle in this fascinating living exhibit.
Head to the award-winning Harbor Wetland for an engaging educational experience tailored for student groups. This re-created salt marsh habitat mimics those that existed in Baltimore City hundreds of years ago and is an excellent way to learn about the local environment firsthand.
Exciting Educational Programs
At the National Aquarium, educators can choose from numerous educational program add-ons to enhance their field trip. Older students can engage in Aquarium Careers programming that focuses on sea turtle rescue and seal rescue. Younger learners can participate in modules that focus on coral reef conservation, biome studies, environmental stories, and interactive experiences with reptiles. Other programming includes learning about the marine life of the Harbor, animal diets, the watermen of the Bay, animal adaptations, salinity, squid dissection, and shark biology.
Accessible Learning Opportunities
The National Aquarium is committed to making learning accessible for all, with various services for guests with special needs, including complimentary wheelchair rentals.
- First Saturdays/Sundays programs provide leisurely opportunities for those with disabilities to experience the Aquarium 30 minutes before other guests arrive.
- Exclusive seating options are available throughout the Aquarium’s Pier 3 and 4, including Pier 3 Café, Pier 4 Canteen, Harbor View Room, and more.
- Audio tours offer guidance for visitors with visual impairments by utilizing wireless audio devices. Guests can explore 22 exciting audio learning stations and learn about diverse aquatic and animal life and ecosystems.
Student field trip planners can find the Aquarium’s complete accessibility guide at www.aqua.org/accessibility.
Lunch at the Aquarium
At the National Aquarium, boxed lunch and meal vouchers are available for field trip groups. For the safety of our animals and guests, no outside food or drinks are permitted in the National Aquarium.
However, we are happy to offer an array of in-building dining options, including box lunches or food and beverage vouchers for groups of 10 or more guests, plus quick-serve dining in Pier 3 Cafe on Pier 3 near the Main Entrance and Pier 4 Canteen on Pier 4 near Jellies: Invasion.
Student Group Perks
The STEM/STEAM-approved National Aquarium has a Free Chaperone policy for student groups, with one chaperone required for every 10 students and one chaperone permitted for every five children.
Registered student groups also have exclusive front-door access for drop-off and pick-up in Gunther’s Circle at the Aquarium’s main entrance, making the pre-and post-trip transition smoother.
Supporting the National Aquarium
By bringing your field trip group to the National Aquarium, your support helps fulfill the Aquarium’s objective: To connect people with nature and to inspire compassion and care for our planet. It also allows the Aquarium to continue with its vital Animal Rescue mission for future conservation.
Plan Your Aquarium Field Trip
With an array of educational programming, dynamic exhibits and interactive opportunities for students, a field trip to the National Aquarium in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor is a must. Captivate young minds with enthralling and vibrant displays of aquatic life and ecosystems, offering enriching experiences for all learners.
CONTACT:
- National Aquarium
- Nora Campbell
- ncampbell@aqua.org
- https://aqua.org/
