It's basically under a building in a basement and extremely tiny. It is still educational and entertaining but there should not be a fee (regardless of how small) for such a small place. Spend your time elsewhere with the Mall.

There are aquariums in many cities around the country that far outshine this one. It is small and very limited in size and scope. Visit the endless other attractions in Washington that aren't found in other cities.

I love fish and all things that live under the sea; it's like another world - which it is - with it's own homes, gardens, friends and predators. Beauty and the Beasts all in one!

If the aquarium were free it would be okay. For the admission fee charged I expected a bit more. It was quite small and not worth the price of admission.

Before our visit we had read the other reviews, thanks Tripadvisor! so we knew it was going to be a small museum in the basement. I'm pleased to say that we enjoyed the hour we spent looking at the tanks which are nicely displayed in accordance with different oceans/rivers of America. My husband is an avid scuba diver so he... More

My family visited this aquarium on April 22. They were very disappointed! The website promises several exhibits and experiences that do not exist. The aquarium is one darkly lit room with a few fish. They spent about 30 minutes in there. The worst experience of the week and the only one they paid money for! By using the title "National"... More

I finally had an opportunity to visit the "National" aquarium this month. What a poor excuse for an aquarium. The aquarium in Baltimore is more in line with what our nation should have as a representative. The DC aquarium is dark, poorly laid out, and the variety of sea life is just miserable. The displays are outdated and the place... More

Me and my dad stopped at the aquarium during our trip to d.c. I was expecting a bigger aquarium. It was small, 2-4 rooms with fish from different parts of the U.S. they also had a shark feeding. I didn't think the price to get in was worth it. Try the Smithsonian's, they're free!

With a title like "National Aquarium," I expected much more than what we got. It is really quite small compared to other aquariums that we have been to over the years. I hope that the Aquarium will one day expand to live up to its lofty name... or change its name to be more congruent with its humble scale.