National Aquarium education programs provide students from the Baltimore area and beyond with opportunities to encounter, understand and connect with the natural world, building the STEAM-powered skills they need to become future superstars! From pre-K through high school, our education programs inspire respect for the natural world and prepare students to act as informed, empowered members of a global community of hopeful conservationists.
Plan a Field Trip
National Aquarium school field trips are your students' passport to a world of aquatic wonder! Spending a day with us provides an up-close look at the animals, habitats and careers that make science exciting, while bringing conservation education and STEAM concepts from your curriculum to life.
Education Programs Bringing STEAM Concepts to Life
The National Aquarium's expert education team brings the wonder of the aquatic world to life with a diverse array of programs for students of all ages, from pre-K through grade 12!
Homeschool Programs
The National Aquarium welcomes homeschool families and groups to visit, explore and get hands-on with our aquatic world. Specially themed experiences and thoughtful programs for students of all ages make the Aquarium's homeschool programs the perfect complement to any science curriculum.
To initiate a National Aquarium homeschool program reservation request, please contact our reservation specialists at reserve@aqua.org or 410-576-3833. Due to exceptionally heavy request volume, we suggest that you begin your reservation request via email and allow several days for a response from our team. Hold times may be significant. All requests will be processed in the order they are received, and your patience is appreciated.
Homeschool Days are open to pre-K through high school students and are designed as family learning days. The learning stations are open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day.
Program prices, themes and schedule are subject to change.
Program Fees
Maryland Homeschool Groups: Grades Pre–K to 12:
$15 per student per day
Out-of-State Homeschool Groups: Grades Pre–K to 12:
$42.95 per student per day
Chaperone Fees
Each reservation includes one free adult chaperone admission for each group of up to five students. Additional chaperones are welcome at $34.95 per person (Aquarium admission only).
Inclement Weather Policy
Homeschool programs will be conducted as scheduled unless either the National Aquarium or Baltimore City Public Schools are closed. If a program is canceled for any reason, the National Aquarium will do its best to reschedule it for March. In the event the program cannot be rescheduled, all participants will receive a refund.
Schedule
Magnificent Migrations
Dates: September 24-26, 2025
Visit the National Aquarium this September to kick off the 2025-26 Homeschool Days. In this installment, we will explore some of the magnificent migrations undertaken by aquatic life via a self-guided tour around the National Aquarium for students and their families. Participants will be given learning passports, which they'll need as they visit hands-on discovery stations to learn why certain species travel from place to place.
Voyages Through Deep Time
Dates: January 13-15, 2026
Drop by the National Aquarium in January 2026 for our second installment of Homeschool Days. In this session, students and their families (with learning passports in hand) will do a bit of time travel, learning about what life was like during the Devonian Period, also known as the Age of Fishes. Participants will have the opportunity to visit hands-on discovery stations that focus on how fossils are formed and what we can learn from these ancient remains.
Invertebrate Investigations
Dates: March 10-12, 2026
Join us at the National Aquarium for our final installment of Homeschool Days during March 2026. Have you ever wondered what animals make seashells? Or, why some marine animals spend their lives in one spot despite living in a vast ocean? Or, whether a sea anemone is a plant or an animal? We invite students and their families to investigate questions like this and more on this self-guided tour. Along the way, participants can visit hands-on discovery stations to examine invertebrates' adaptations to marine ecosystems and get their learning passports stamped along the way.
Mission H20
Date: November 12, 2025
Location: National Aquarium Main Building
Ages: 11-18; students only
Price: $15 per student
Capacity: 24 students
Schedule:
| Age Group | Time Slot |
|---|---|
| Ages 11-13 | 10:30 a.m. to noon |
| Ages 14-18 | 1 to 2:30 p.m. |
Are you interested in exploring the high seas? What is below the water's surface? How does life find ways of surviving in unexpected conditions? Homeschool students ages 11-18 can join the crew at the National Aquarium on November 12, 2025, to learn the answers to these questions and more. Step into an oceanographer's or marine biologist's world and learn about the tools and maritime vessels they use to study Earth's ocean. This is a drop-off program that will take place indoors and outdoors. Parents will drop off and pick up their student(s) at the Pier 4 classrooms.
This program takes place within the main Aquarium building. Group admission rates apply to all non-Maryland participants. Maryland students are covered by the Maryland State Department of Education.
The World of Sharks
Date: December 10, 2025
Location: National Aquarium Main Building
Ages: 5-18; students only
Price: $15 per student
Capacity: 24 students per session
Schedule:
| Age Group | Time Slot |
|---|---|
| Ages 5-7 | 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. |
| Ages 8-10 | 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. |
| Ages 11-13 | 11 a.m. to noon |
| Ages 14-18 | 1 to 2:30 p.m. |
Sharks are found from the deep sea to shallow coral reefs. They are a highly diverse and misunderstood group of sea creatures. From the tips of their tails to their noses, sharks have evolved over millions of years to specialize in certain roles within their environment. Join us at the National Aquarium on December 10, 2025, to learn more about what makes sharks special and why researching them can help protect our ocean. Parents will drop off and pick up their student(s) at the Pier 4 classrooms.
This program takes place within the main Aquarium building. Group admission rates apply to all non-Maryland participants. Maryland students are covered by the Maryland State Department of Education.
Think Green, Eat Blue
Date: February 11, 2026
Time: 10 a.m. to noon
Location: National Aquarium Animal Care and Rescue Center; 901 E. Fayette St., Baltimore, MD 21202
Ages: 11-18; students only
Price: $15 per student
Capacity: 24 students
It's no secret that the blue crab is one of Maryland's greatest aquatic treasures, but how do we ensure that future generations are able to enjoy this crustacean? In this course, homeschool students ages 11-18 will examine how sustainable actions in marine ecosystems have win-win outcomes for people and wildlife. Take on the role of marine biologist, government official, waterman or community stakeholder at the National Aquarium on February 11, 2026, as we seek to find sustainable solutions. Drop off and pick up will be at the National Aquarium Animal Care and Rescue Center. Parents are not able to stay at the facility during the program.
Harbor Wetland
Date: October 8, 2025
Time: 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Location: Harbor Wetland exhibit and National Aquarium Main Building
Ages: All ages; families welcome
Price: $15 per student
Capacity: 100
Join us at the National Aquarium's Harbor Wetland on October 8, 2025, to explore what lives just below the water's surface. There is a thriving ecosystem just waiting to be explored! Students and families are welcome to join us at exploration stations and see what it takes for a wetland to be a successful habitat for wildlife.
All participants ages 3 and over must be registered for the program; children ages 2 and under can participate with their families free of charge. One adult per five registered students will be admitted to the program for free. Additional adults may participate for the $15 registration fee.
This program takes place in part within the main Aquarium building. Group admission rates apply to all non-Maryland participants. Maryland students are covered by the Maryland State Department of Education.
Tides, Trash, and Treasure
Date: April 15, 2026
Time: 10:30 a.m. to noon
Location: Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine; 2400 E. Fort Ave., Baltimore, MD 21230
Ages: 8 and over; students only
Price: $17 per student
Capacity: 32 students
Join us for a special program for homeschool students at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine. We will explore the wetlands (not accessible to the general public) to learn all about tides! By the end, you'll know what tides are, how they change, how they affect coastal wetland and more. This is a drop-off program for students; parents are welcome to remain at Fort McHenry while their student participates in the class.
Beach Exploration at Sandy Point
Date: May 13, 2026
Time: 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Location: Sandy Point State Park
Ages: All ages; families welcome
Price: $10 per student
Capacity: 100 people
Join us at Sandy Point State Park! We will have fun stations set up so you can learn all about different fish adaptations, water quality and more. You can even try fishing with a seine net! There will be educational activities for all ages, so why not make it an experience for the whole family? State Park entry fees of $4 per person will apply.
All participants ages 3 and over must be registered for the program; children ages 2 and under can participate with their families free of charge. One adult per five registered students will be admitted for free. Additional adults may participate for the $10 registration fee.
Professional Development
National Aquarium professional development workshops provide instructors from pre-K through grade 12 with the knowledge, curriculum resources and inspiration needed to bring science to life in your classrooms. Professional development workshops are scheduled at regular intervals throughout the year and are a perfect complement to your science curriculum. Some workshops award MSDE continuing professional development (CPD) credits. These workshops are designed to be affordable; registration is required.
Education Programs Extracurricular Experiences
The National Aquarium offers students in middle and high school unique immersive opportunities that allow them to explore their interests in aquatic sciences beyond the classroom while preparing for college, careers in STEAM fields and a world that is waiting for their insight!