National Aquarium Free Days

National Aquarium has no regular free day right now — here's what exists instead. No recurring free day — the famous Friday-evening deal is Half-Price Friday Night (every Friday 5-9pm year-round, $24.95 vs $49.95 adult), a discount, not free admission. The only true $0 general-admission event is the annual Free Fall Friday Night in late October (advance online reservation only, max 6 tickets, sells out; the 2026 date was not yet posted as of this check). Half-Price Friday tickets online or on-site; Free Fall Friday Night is advance-online-only, limit 6, no door tickets Verified on National Aquarium's own page, last checked 2026-09-14.

At a glance

What it costs instead

There's no free window to time here, so the math runs the other way: regular admission is $49.95 adult (ages 21-69), meaning a couple pays $99.90 and a group of four adults up to $199.80 at the gate. The routes below — reciprocity, discount programs, or a library pass — are where that number actually comes down.

Upcoming free days

No upcoming free dates are published right now. National Aquarium announces free days on its official page — that's the place to watch.

Know before you go

• Who qualifies: Everyone (paid); kids 4 and under always free.
• Reservations: Half-Price Friday tickets online or on-site; Free Fall Friday Night is advance-online-only, limit 6, no door tickets.
• What's covered: All exhibits at the main aquarium.
• Schedule detail: One annual free night (late Oct, reservation-only); otherwise discounts only.
• Worth knowing: Read to Reef: Baltimore-area kids in 5th grade or younger who read five aquatic-themed library books earn free timed-ticket admission for the family each spring and fall (Enoch Pratt Free Library partnership).

Other ways in, no calendar required

• SNAP EBT cardholders should check Museums for All: at 1,700+ institutions nationwide, an EBT card plus photo ID admits up to four people for free-to-$5, on any regular day rather than a special one. The official list says whether National Aquarium takes part.
• Zoo and aquarium memberships travel: the AZA reciprocal program gets members of other accredited zoos free or half-price admission at participating institutions — run your card through our reciprocity lookup before paying the gate rate.

Dates don't line up?

Regular tickets ($49.95 adult (ages 21-69)) are on aqua.org — the official site is the place to buy; resellers only add fees. Already a member somewhere else? Our reciprocity lookup checks whether that card covers admission here.

Also free in Baltimore

Baltimore Museum of Art (always free) · Walters Art Museum (always free) · Maryland Science Center (no regular free day) — or see the full free museum days in Baltimore guide.

↥ Check another museum →   Browse all free museum & zoo days →

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