National Aquarium Shutting Its Doors After 81 Years

After more than 80 years in downtown Washington, D.C. the National Aquarium will shut its doors Monday.

The aquarium has been housed in the basement of the Commerce Building on 14th Street NW, which is set to undergo major renovations.

Most of the fish, animals and equipment will be sent to the National Aquarium in Baltimore unless a new location in the District is found.

The aquarium's curator called it a hidden gem and hopes it will remain in D.C. 

"We feel we're an intimate kind of experience for people, and in a lot of cases, you can get up really close to the exhibits," National Aquarium curator Jay Bradley said. "We're kind of a hidden treasure."

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