Because of this, the National Aquarium moved to the grounds of 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 a hatching station for the Fish Commission to breed and raise fish for distribution across the United States.

Like its Washington counterpart, the National Aquarium in Baltimore is not managed or funded by the federal government, despite the official-sounding names.

[6] 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,[7] as well as piranha, eel, and Japanese carp.

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

[9] Featured animals included: The aquarium closed on September 30, 2013, having permanently lost its location due to a renovation of the Herbert C. Hoover Building.