Baltimore’s National Aquarium turning 30

Posted: 4:15 pm Mon, August 30, 2010
By Associated Press

Baltimore’s National Aquarium is turning 30.

The popular Inner Harbor tourist attraction is launching a new conservation center on Thursday to mark the anniversary. And aquarium officials say new projects ranging from oil spill management to dolphin protection and aquaculture will be announced.

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings Blake, Sen. Ben Cardin and others are expected to be on hand for the anniversary celebration for the city’s top tourist destination, which draws more than 1.4 million visitors a year.

The aquarium, featuring exhibits ranging from dolphin shows to a rain forest and an Australian river gorge, opened Aug. 8, 1981 after three years of construction, and its unique angular, glass-clad buildings have since become a key part of the city’s skyline.