National Aquarium in Washington, D.C.

Last updated
National Aquarium, Washington, D.C.
National Aquarium (3149754314).jpg
Entry sign for the National Aquarium in Washington, DC, which was located on the lower level of the Department of Commerce Building
Date opened1873
Date closed2013
Location Herbert C. Hoover Building
Washington D.C., United States
Coordinates 38°53′37″N77°01′58″W / 38.8936°N 77.0328°W / 38.8936; -77.0328 Coordinates: 38°53′37″N77°01′58″W / 38.8936°N 77.0328°W / 38.8936; -77.0328
No. of species250
Memberships AZA [1]
Website www.aqua.org

The National Aquarium, Washington, D.C., was an aquarium in Washington D.C. It was located in the Herbert C. Hoover Building (owned by the General Services Administration), which is bounded by 14th Street NW on the east, 15th Street NW on the west, Pennsylvania Avenue NW on the north, and Constitution Avenue NW on the south. [2]

Aquarium transparent tank of water for fish and water-dwelling species

An aquarium is a vivarium of any size having at least one transparent side in which aquatic plants or animals are kept and displayed. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, aquatic reptiles such as turtles, and aquatic plants. The term "aquarium", coined by English naturalist Philip Henry Gosse, combines the Latin root aqua, meaning water, with the suffix -arium, meaning "a place for relating to". The aquarium principle was fully developed in 1850 by the chemist Robert Warington, who explained that plants added to water in a container would give off enough oxygen to support animals, so long as the numbers of animals did not grow too large. The aquarium craze was launched in early Victorian England by Gosse, who created and stocked the first public aquarium at the London Zoo in 1853, and published the first manual, The Aquarium: An Unveiling of the Wonders of the Deep Sea in 1854. An aquarium is a water-filled tank in which fish swim about. Small aquariums are kept in the home by hobbyists. There are larger public aquariums in many cities. This kind of aquarium is a building with fish and other aquatic animals in large tanks. A large aquarium may have otters, turtles, dolphins, and other sea animals. Most aquarium tanks also have plants.

Herbert C. Hoover Building headquarters of the United States Department of Commerce

The Herbert C. Hoover Building is the Washington, D.C. headquarters of the United States Department of Commerce.

General Services Administration United States government agency

The General Services Administration (GSA), an independent agency of the United States government, was established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning of federal agencies. GSA supplies products and communications for U.S. government offices, provides transportation and office space to federal employees, and develops government-wide cost-minimizing policies and other management tasks.

Contents

Although the National Aquarium in Washington, D.C. was smaller than its Baltimore counterpart, with the experience taking around 45 minutes, it was the nation's first free and public aquarium. [3] It closed on September 30, 2013, after 140 years.

History

External video
Blue tang surgeonfish (Acanthurus coeruleus).jpg
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg Closing America's Oldest Public Aquarium, National Geographic

The National Aquarium was established in 1873 in Woods Hole, Massachusetts under the auspices of the Federal Fish Commission by Commissioner Spencer Baird. It displayed 180 species of fish, reptiles, and other aquatic animals. In 1878, General Orville E. Babcock, the Superintendent of Public Buildings and Grounds in Washington, D.C. suggested a public aquarium in D.C. As a result, Spencer Baird's Fish Commission was given 20 acres of land. Because of this, the National Aquarium moved to the Washington Monument in 1878 and consisted of holding ponds known as "Babcock Lakes." [4] During the 1880s, the aquarium moved again into a building called Central Station near the site of today's National Air and Space Museum [4] so that it could better serve its main purpose of being an hatching station for the Fish Commission.

Woods Hole, Massachusetts Census-designated place in Massachusetts, United States

Woods Hole is a census-designated place in the town of Falmouth in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. It lies at the extreme southwest corner of Cape Cod, near Martha's Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands. The population was 781 at the 2010 census.

United States Fish Commission part of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service

The United States Fish Commission, formally known as the United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries, was an agency of the United States government created in 1871 to investigate, promote, and preserve the fisheries of the United States. In 1903, it was reorganized as the United States Bureau of Fisheries, which operated until 1940. In 1940, the Commission became part of the newly created United States Fish and Wildlife Service, under the United States Department of the Interior.

Orville E. Babcock Union Army general

Orville Elias Babcock was an engineer, and American Civil War general in the Union Army. An aide to General Ulysses S. Grant during and after the war, he was President Grant's private secretary at the White House, Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds for Washington D.C., and a Florida-based federal inspector of lighthouses. Babcock continued to serve as lighthouse inspector under Grant's successors Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, and Chester A Arthur.

The Fish Commission was incorporated into the Department of Commerce in 1903 and renamed the Bureau of Fisheries. [4] When the Commerce Department building was completed in 1932, the National Aquarium moved to the lower level of the building [4] after Secretary of Commerce and Labor George B. Cortelyou called for "...a national aquarium of such size and architectural excellence that it will be a credit to the nation." The Bureau of Fisheries merged with the Division of Economic Ornithology and Mammalogy (later the Bureau of Biological Survey) in 1940 to form the Fish and Wildlife Service, an agency of the Department of the Interior. [4] The National Aquarium remained based in the Department of Commerce building, where it remained until 2013. It was the longest continuously operating aquarium in the United States.

United States Fish and Wildlife Service US Federal Government agency

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is an agency of the US Federal Government within the US Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats. The mission of the agency is "working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people."

United States Department of the Interior United States federal executive department responsible for management and conservation of federal lands and natural resources

The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is the United States federal executive department of the U.S. government responsible for the management and conservation of most federal lands and natural resources, and the administration of programs relating to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, territorial affairs, and insular areas of the United States. About 75% of federal public land is managed by the department, with most of the remainder managed by the United States Department of Agriculture's United States Forest Service.

In 2003, the National Aquarium Society Board of Directors signed an alliance agreement with the Board of Directors of the National Aquarium in Baltimore, enabling the two aquariums to work together to strengthen the animal collection and educational impact of the Aquarium. [3]

Relationship with the National Aquarium in Baltimore

The National Aquarium in Baltimore is a separate aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1981, it was originally distinct from the Washington aquarium. Both used the title "National Aquarium"; the National Aquarium in Washington, D.C., was older, while the National Aquarium in Baltimore is larger. Like its Washington counterpart, the National Aquarium in Baltimore is not managed or funded by the federal government, despite the official-sounding names. Neither is part of the Smithsonian Institution.

Smithsonian Institution Group of museums and research centers administered by the United States government

The Smithsonian Institution, also known simply as the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and research centers administered by the Government of the United States. It was founded on August 10, 1846 "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". The institution is named after its founding donor, British scientist James Smithson. Originally organized as the "United States National Museum," that name ceased to exist as an administrative entity in 1967.

On September 4, 2003, the National Aquarium Society and the Board of Governors for the National Aquarium in Baltimore announced an alliance, in which the National Aquarium in Baltimore would operate the D.C. aquarium. A signing ceremony hosted by Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans was held at the Commerce Department building. [4]

Collection

The National Aquarium, Washington, D.C., had a collection of over 1,500 specimens and 250 species. [5] Animals in exhibits included longsnout seahorse, leopard sharks, longnose gar, bonytail chub, Giant Pacific Octopus, chambered nautilus, tiger salamander, eastern hellbender, American alligator, loggerhead sea turtle, red lionfish, and snakehead, [6] as well as piranha, eel, and Japanese carp. [7]

The National Marine Sanctuaries and National Parks Gallery featured the animals and habitats preserved and protected by America's National Marine Sanctuaries Program. [8] This gallery included exhibits for the Florida Everglades, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary, Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, and Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary. [9] Featured animals included:

The gallery highlighted American rivers including the Rio Grande, the Potomac River, the Colorado River, and the Mississippi River. [10] Featured animals included:

This gallery showcased salamanders, newts, frogs, and toads to display their amazing adaptations and biology. [8] Featured animals included:

The Amazon River basin supports some of the most diverse life on the planet. [8] Featured animals included:

Closure

The aquarium closed on September 30, 2013, after the U.S. federal budget sequestration in 2013, having permanently lost its location due to the renovation of the Herbert C. Hoover Building.

As of 2013, the aquarium was considering ways of opening at another location in Washington, D.C., but had no specific plans yet. [11] [12]

Related Research Articles

National Aquarium (Baltimore) public aquarium located in Baltimore, Maryland

The National Aquarium - also known as National Aquarium in Baltimore and formerly known as Baltimore Aquarium - is a non-profit public aquarium located at 501 East Pratt Street on Pier 3 in the Inner Harbor area of downtown Baltimore, Maryland, in the United States. Constructed during a period of urban renewal in Baltimore, the aquarium opened on August 8, 1981. The aquarium has an annual attendance of 1.5 million visitors and is the largest tourism attraction in the State of Maryland. The aquarium holds more than 2,200,000 US gallons (8,300,000 l) of water, and has more than 17,000 specimens representing over 750 species. The National Aquarium's mission is to inspire conservation of the world's aquatic treasures. The aquarium's stated vision is to confront pressing issues facing global aquatic habitats through pioneering science, conservation, and educational programming.

Shedd Aquarium public aquarium in Chicago, Illinois, United States

Shedd Aquarium is an indoor public aquarium in Chicago, Illinois in the United States that opened on May 30, 1930. The aquarium contains 32,000 animals, and was for some time the largest indoor aquarium in the world with 5,000,000 US gallons of water. Shedd Aquarium was the first inland aquarium with a permanent saltwater fish collection. Located on Lake Michigan, it is located on the Museum Campus Chicago, which it shares with the Adler Planetarium and the Field Museum of Natural History. In 2015, the aquarium had 2.02 million visitors. It was the most visited aquarium in the U.S. in 2005, and in 2007, it surpassed the Field Museum as the most popular cultural attraction in Chicago. The aquarium contains 1,500 species, including fish, marine mammals, birds, snakes, amphibians, and insects. The aquarium received awards for "best exhibit" from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) for Seahorse Symphony in 1999, Amazon Rising in 2001, and Wild Reef in 2004. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987.

Georgia Aquarium zoo

The Georgia Aquarium is a public aquarium in Atlanta, Georgia, US. It houses more than a hundred thousand animals and represents several thousand species, all of which reside in 10 million US gallons (38,000 m3) of marine and salt water. It was the largest aquarium in the world from its opening in 2005 until 2012, when it was surpassed by Marine Life Park in Singapore.

New England Aquarium

The New England Aquarium is a public aquarium located in Boston, Massachusetts. In addition to the main aquarium building, attractions at the New England Aquarium include the Simons IMAX Theatre and the New England Aquarium Whale Watch, which operates from April through November. The aquarium has more than 22,000 members and hosts more than 1.3 million visitors each year.

National Marine Aquarium, Plymouth marine aquarium in the city of Plymouth, England

The National Marine Aquarium is a marine aquarium built on reclaimed land in the city of Plymouth, England, in Sutton Harbour, next to the Barbican and fishmarket. It was opened in May 1998, with charitable aims of research, education and conservation. It is the largest aquarium in the United Kingdom.

Sea Life Minnesota Aquarium

Sea Life Minnesota Aquarium is a public aquarium located in the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, United States. The 1,200,000-US-gallon tunnel is home to thousands of aquatic creatures, including a large collection of sharks, sea turtles, stingrays and freshwater fish. Freshwater exhibits include game fish from the northern region of the United States, several giant catfish and a 180-pound (82 kg) alligator gar from the southern United States.

Newport Aquarium aquarium located in Newport, Kentucky, United States

The Newport Aquarium is an aquarium located in Newport, Kentucky, United States at Newport on the Levee. The aquarium has 70 exhibits and 14 galleries, including five seamless acrylic tunnels totaling over 200 feet (61 m) in length. The aquarium showcases thousands of animals from around the world in 1,000,000 US gal (3,800,000 L) of water, including the "Scooter" and "Sweet Pea," two of the few shark rays in captivity. They are the first aquarium to have success in breeding shark rays. They also have a unique collection of alligators, including albino alligators and Mighty Mike.

Public aquarium facility with large tanks for water-dwelling species

A public aquarium is the aquatic counterpart of a zoo, which houses living aquatic animal and plant specimens for public viewing. Most public aquariums feature tanks larger than those kept by home aquarists, as well as smaller tanks. Since the first public aquariums were built in the mid-19th century, they have become popular and their numbers have increased. Most modern accredited aquariums stress conservation issues and educating the public.

Dallas World Aquarium

The Dallas World Aquarium is a for-profit aquarium and zoo located in the West End Historic District of downtown Dallas, Texas, USA. It aids conservation and education by housing many animals that are threatened or endangered as part of a cooperative breeding program with other zoos around the world. It has been an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums since 1997, and is a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

National Aquarium Denmark aquarium in Kastrup, Denmark

National Aquarium Denmark, Den Blå Planet is a public aquarium in Denmark. The original aquarium was located in Charlottenlund, but this facility closed in 2012 and most of the animal collection was relocated to the new and much larger aquarium Den Blå Planet in Kastrup, a suburb of Copenhagen. The National Aquarium Denmark, Den Blå Planet opened to the public in March 2013 and is the largest aquarium in Northern Europe.

National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium national museum and aquarium in Pingtung County, Taiwan

The National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium is an aquarium located in Checheng Township, Pingtung County, Taiwan.

North Carolina Aquariums

North Carolina Aquariums is a system of three public aquariums located in Kure Beach, Roanoke Island and Pine Knoll Shores. All are operated by the Aquariums Division of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources since 1976 and are accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. All three aquariums feature dive shows, live animal encounters, and feeding programs.

Downtown Aquarium, Houston

Downtown Aquarium is a public aquarium and restaurant located in Houston, Texas, United States that was developed from two Houston landmarks: Fire Station No. 1 and the Central Waterworks Building. The aquarium is located on a 6-acre (2.4 ha) site at 410 Bagby Street in downtown Houston. It houses over 200 species of aquatic animals in 500,000 US gallons (1,900,000 l) of aquariums. The complex includes two restaurants, a bar, and banquet facilities. It offers programs such as Marine Biologist for a Day, Zoologist for a Day, Sea Safari Camp, overnight stays and more. The education department works with school groups and conducts outreach programs.

Childrens Aquarium at Fair Park

The Children's Aquarium at Fair Park is an aquarium located in Fair Park, Dallas, Texas, USA. It opened in 1936 as part of the Texas Centennial Exposition, and received an $8 million renovation in 2010.

Manly Sea Life Sanctuary public aquarium in Manly, Australia

Manly Sea Life Sanctuary was a public aquarium located in Manly, Australia. It featured sharks, giant stingrays, sea turtles, little penguins and other marine life. It also allowed guests to take part in Shark Dive Xtreme, where they could swim with grey nurse sharks over three metres long.

<i>Pterois</i> genus of venomous fish

Pterois is a genus of venomous marine fish, commonly known as lionfish, native to the Indo-Pacific. Also called zebrafish, firefish, turkeyfish, tastyfish or butterfly-cod, it is characterized by conspicuous warning coloration with red, white, creamy, or black bands, showy pectoral fins, and venomous spiky fin rays. Pterois radiata, Pterois volitans, and Pterois miles are the most commonly studied species in the genus. Pterois species are popular aquarium fish. P. volitans and P. miles are a recent and significant invasive species in the west Atlantic, Caribbean Sea and Mediterranean Sea.

Ripleys Aquarium of Canada public aquarium in Toronto, Ontario

Ripley's Aquarium of Canada is a public aquarium in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The aquarium is one of three aquariums owned and operated by Ripley Entertainment. It is located in downtown Toronto, just southeast of the CN Tower. The aquarium has 5.7 million litres of marine and freshwater habitats from across the world. The exhibits hold more than 16,000 exotic sea and freshwater specimens from more than 450 species.

Tropicarium Kolmården

Tropicarium Kolmården is a public aquarium and terrarium, situated outside Kolmården Wildlife Park, close to Bråviken and 25 km (16 mi) from Norrköping town in Sweden. Kolmården Tropicarium is one of Sweden's largest tropical exhibitions with a covered area in excess of 2,000 m2 (22,000 sq ft).

Coral World Underwater Observatory Eilat si beautiful

Eilat's Coral World Underwater Observatory is a public aquarium, park and conservation center located in Eilat, Israel. It is the biggest public aquarium in Israel, and it hosts over 800 species. It was founded in 1974 and was the first of its kind. The park and aquarium is located to the south of Eilat's Coral Beach nature reserve.

The Shreveport Aquarium is an aquarium located in Shreveport, Louisiana, United States.

References

  1. ↑ "Currently Accredited Zoos and Aquariums". aza.org. AZA . Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  2. ↑ "Directions" National Aquarium, Washington, D.C.
  3. 1 2 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-06-06. Retrieved 2014-11-19.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "How and when did the Aquarium get its start?" National Aquarium in Washington, D.C.
  5. ↑ "How many animals make up the Aquarium's collection?" National Aquarium in Washington, D.C.
  6. ↑ "Animals." National Aquarium in Washington, D.C.
  7. ↑ "Hours." National Aquarium in Washington, D.C.
  8. 1 2 3 "National Aquarium | Washington, DC | Exhibits & Experiences". Aqua.org. Archived from the original on 2013-07-26. Retrieved 2013-07-17.
  9. ↑ "National Aquarium | Explore Aquarium | Washington, DC | Exhibits | National Marine Sanctuaries Gallery". Aqua.org. Archived from the original on 2013-08-01. Retrieved 2013-07-17.
  10. ↑ "National Aquarium | Explore Aquarium | Washington, DC | Exhibits | America's Freshwater Ecosystems". Aqua.org. Archived from the original on 2013-07-31. Retrieved 2013-07-17.
  11. ↑ Freed, Benjamin R (2013-05-09). "National Aquarium in D.C. to Close September 30". Gothamist. Archived from the original on 2013-06-07. Retrieved 2013-05-27.
  12. ↑ "Washington, DC". Check this page for the latest updates surrounding the future of the National Aquarium, Washington, DC. The National Aquarium. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.