I didn’t think so. A better question may be, “Did you even know we had a National Aquarium?”
I’ve lived here for a couple of years now and have always noticed the tiny sign across the street from the Ronald Reagan building which alludes to an aquarium with new artifical plants for turtles and tortoises. Before you even set foot in the door, you’re setup for disappointment. I mean most aquariums are huge and have some sort of giant shark coming out of the side of the building. Our national treasure is tucked away in the basement of some old office building.
OK, fine. I don’t want to be a total downer and talk bad about our city. I think it’s great that they have a place where little kids can go look at “pretty fishies” and bang on the glass tanks. A place where we can see a 5 foot alligator staring at you through thick Plexiglas walls. A place where algae grows thick in nearly every tank. And of course, a place with a tacky gift shop where you can buy a stuffed shark, a plastic frog, or a bag full of shark’s teeth. Who couldn’t use a bag full of teeth?
For a $5 admission fee, it’s worth going to check it out on your own sometime. If you leave feeling disappointed, just grab a $5 hot dog from one of the street vendors and thanks God that it’s not you in one of those tanks.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
