National Aquarium in Washington, D.C facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
National Aquarium, Washington, D.C.

Entry sign for the National Aquarium in Washington, DC, which was located on the lower level of the Department of Commerce Building
Date opened	1873
Date closed	2013
Location	Herbert C. Hoover Building Washington D.C., United States
Coordinates	38°53′37″N 77°01′58″W / 38.8936°N 77.0328°W / 38.8936; -77.0328
No. of species	250
Memberships	AZA

The National Aquarium, Washington, D.C., was a special place where you could see many different kinds of water animals. It was located in Washington, D.C., the capital city of the United States. You could find it inside the Herbert C. Hoover Building. This building is a large government office.

Even though it was smaller than the National Aquarium in Baltimore, it was very important. It was the first free public aquarium in the United States! This means anyone could visit without paying. The aquarium was open for 140 years. It closed its doors on September 30, 2013.

History of the Aquarium

The National Aquarium first opened in 1873. It started in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. It was part of a group called the Federal Fish Commission. This group studied fish and other water creatures. Back then, the aquarium showed about 180 different kinds of animals. These included fish, reptiles, and other aquatic life.

In 1878, the aquarium moved to Washington, D.C.. It was first near the Washington Monument. Here, it had special ponds called "Babcock Lakes." Later, in the 1880s, it moved again. This time, it went to a building called Central Station. This new spot helped it focus on its main job: hatching fish eggs for the Fish Commission.

The Fish Commission became part of the Department of Commerce in 1903. It was renamed the Bureau of Fisheries. In 1932, the aquarium moved to the new Commerce Department building. It stayed on the lower level of this building for many years. It became the longest-running aquarium in the United States.

In 2003, the National Aquarium in Washington, D.C., teamed up with the National Aquarium in Baltimore. This partnership helped both aquariums. They worked together to get more animals and offer better learning programs.

Working with the Baltimore Aquarium

The National Aquarium in Baltimore is a different aquarium. It is located in Baltimore, Maryland. It opened in 1981, much later than the Washington D.C. aquarium. Both aquariums used the name "National Aquarium." However, they were separate places.

The Washington D.C. aquarium was older. The Baltimore aquarium is much larger. Neither of these aquariums is run or funded by the United States government. They are also not part of the Smithsonian Institution.

On September 4, 2003, the two aquariums officially joined forces. The Baltimore aquarium agreed to help manage the D.C. aquarium. This was a big step for both places.

Amazing Animal Collection

The National Aquarium in Washington, D.C., was home to many different animals. It had over 1,500 individual animals. These animals belonged to 250 different species. Some of the cool animals you could see included:

• Longsnout seahorses
• Leopard sharks
• Longnose gar
• Giant Pacific Octopuses
• Chambered nautilus
• Tiger salamanders
• American alligators
• Loggerhead sea turtles
• Red lionfish
• Piranha
• Electric eel
• Japanese carp

Animals from Marine Sanctuaries and National Parks

This part of the aquarium showed animals from special protected ocean areas. These areas are called National Marine Sanctuaries. They help keep ocean habitats safe. This gallery also featured animals from National Parks. Some of the animals here were:

• American alligator
• Anemones
• Chain catshark
• Chambered nautilus
• Giant Pacific octopus
• Guineafowl puffer
• Horn shark
• Leopard shark
• Longsnout seahorse
• Red lionfish
• Scarlet kingsnake

Animals from America's Rivers

This gallery focused on animals living in important American rivers. These included the Rio Grande, the Potomac River, and the Mississippi River. Here you could learn about freshwater ecosystems. Some animals featured were:

• Common snapping turtle
• Longnose gar
• Northern snakehead
• American eel
• Razorback sucker

Cool Amphibians

This section was all about amphibians. These are animals like salamanders, newts, frogs, and toads. You could see their amazing ways of adapting to their environment. Some of the amphibians on display were:

• Eastern newt
• Barking tree frog
• Yellow-banded poison dart frog
• Blue-bellied poison frog
• Spotted salamander
• American toad

Animals from the Amazon River Basin

The Amazon River basin is a huge area in South America. It has an incredible variety of life. This gallery showed some of the unique animals from this region. You could see:

• Red-bellied piranha
• Silver arowana
• Blue poison dart frog
• Electric eel
• Emerald tree boa

Why the Aquarium Closed

The National Aquarium in Washington, D.C., closed on September 30, 2013. This happened because the Herbert C. Hoover Building was going to be renovated. Renovations meant the aquarium would lose its space. Also, there were budget cuts in the government around that time.

The people who ran the aquarium are thinking about opening it again. They hope to find a new location in Washington, D.C. However, there are no specific plans for a new aquarium yet.