1. Fish aren't the only kind of animals on display

If you've never been to the aquarium in Baltimore, you might think it's just a home for fish. While it's true that there's an incredible array of fish -- everything from sharks to groupers and clownfish -- there are also many other animals to see. You can spot frogs, sloths, kookaburras, puffins, horseshoe crabs, and parrots in the aquarium's many exhibits.

2. The aquarium was inspired by another one located in Boston

The mayor of Baltimore in the mid-seventies, William Donald Schaefer, and the community developer Robert Embry visited the New England Aquarium in Boston. This wasn't the city's first aquarium, but it had been designed as part of an effort to revitalize Boston's waterfront. It seemed likely that a similar project could do the same for Baltimore's Inner Harbor, and the plan went forward, with doors opening at the National Aquarium in 1981.

3.You can get married at the National Aquarium

If you've dreamed of an underwater wedding, you can actually (sort of) do just that right in Baltimore! The aquarium hosts many events, and you can sign up for a wedding or elopement with a backdrop of the harbor and your favorite ocean critters -- it's sure to be unforgettable.   

4. The whale skeleton has a name 

If you've been in the aquarium's Blacktip Reef exhibit, you've no doubt seen the enormous whale skeleton that hangs from up above! But you might not know its backstory. It's the skeleton of a finback whale that was loaned to the aquarium from the New York State Museum, and it's over a hundred years old! Its name?Omega!

5. You can get behind-the-scenes access

Not satisfied with just a day spent looking at the sea creatures that call the aquarium home? You can do more -- from early access tours to dolphin training sessions and even sleepovers among the fish, there are a wide variety of experiences that will make memorable gifts for loved ones (or, you know, you can buy one for yourself instead!).