Summary:
The National Aquarium is located in the basement of the Commerce Building. Entry is on 14th street just south of Pennsylvania Ave.

It is the nation's oldest aquarium, established in 1873 and at its present location since 1932.

Look for a small side door with a large sign out front.

The aquarium has a small display room and a series of aquariums displaying educational information and marine animals from around the world. You start with fish, plants, and small animals from various parts of the US. As you walk the circle around a vivarium holding an alligator and turtles, you'll move out to other parts of the world. They say there are 50 tanks.

Activities:
There's a petting area, small museum, and the tanks.

Area Attractions:
You're right next to the Whitehouse, the Whitehouse visitor's center, and many other sites.

Food & Sundries:
There are plenty of restaurants in the hotels in the area. For something a bit cheaper, think of going into publicly accessible government buildings and eating at the cafeterias.

Directions:
Only one block from the Washington Monument, the National Aquarium is located in the Department of Commerce Building on 14th Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and Constitution Avenue NW

The Federal Triangle metro station , serving both the orange and blue lines, is within comfortable walking distance.

Commercial:

Notes:
Admission was $5.00 for adults when I was there. The museum was open 9:00 - 5:00, with the last admission at 4:30.

The National Aquarium is more of a national embarrassment. Located in a basement area of the Commerce Building, it looks like the aquarium doesn't get any government funding.

While the aquariums are well kept and clean, I've seen better displays at large aquarium stores. I would think we could do better, even if it's not at the level of Baltimore or Atlanta.

The National Aquarium is entered through a side door of the Commerce Building. As you enter you'll have to go through security. Make sure you don't get there at 4:31. The aquarium closes at 5:00 and you know government workers don't want to work a minute of overtime.

Then it's down a narrow set of stairs that were evidently painted by a local school classroom. At the bottom you'll find a desk and will be asked to pay admission.

Head down the hallway. The first display is a petting area (that was closed when I was there), then down the hallway to a vivarium holding an alligator and turtles. Here you'll circle around the vivarium, viewing various displays grouped with themes from around the US, parts of South America, Asia, and Africa.

I won't go back. My next trip is Atlanta. I've seen great aquariums, but the only aquarium I've that was this small was in San Pedro at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium. But even Cabrillo has remodeled and improved its displays. Making this aquarium the worst public aquarium I have seen in the United States.