Charities United States Animal Welfare National Aquarium Inc
National Aquarium Inc logo

National Aquarium Inc

To connect people with nature to inspire compassion and care for our ocean planet

Animal Welfare Baltimore, MD EIN 521121163 · IRS Sign up to see website
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76
Integrity Assessment
Strong transparency
76/100 · methodology

About National Aquarium Inc

Explore award-winning exhibits and meet all the animals at the National Aquarium, located on Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.

Founded
Headquarters
Baltimore, MD
Foundation type
Supporting organization (509(a)(3))
NTEE code
D500
IRS subsection
501(c)(c3)
Ruling date
Size
large

Verified certifications

Confirmed against the issuing authority - not self-reported.

IRS Tax-Deductible since 1979

Mission

To connect people with nature to inspire compassion and care for our ocean planet

Focus areas & reach

· What they work on and where
Animal Welfare · NTEE D500
Cause tags

How it stacks up against peers

· vs. 8 similar animal welfare in United States
Program spending This charity: 1%
Peer average: 96%
CEO comp as % of revenue This charity: 0.69%
Peer average: 0.48%
Integrity Assessment This charity: 76
Peer average: 92

Red flags

· All clear
IRS revocation history
OFAC / EU / UN sanctions
Open investigations
Governance scandals
Related-party deals
Excessive exec comp

Where every $1 goes

Program expenses$0.01 ($58.7 million)

Common questions

· Auto-generated from filings + methodology

National Aquarium Inc is a registered animal welfare nonprofit based in Baltimore, MD, United States. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It was founded in 1976 and has been operating for 50 years. Its EIN is 521121163. It has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 76/100 (Strong transparency), indicating well-documented governance, financials, and contact details. This is below the average of 92/100 for animal welfare charities in United States. The organization reports $74M in annual revenue. 166 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. No red flags have been detected.

National Aquarium Inc has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 76/100. This score combines five components: Registration (20 pts), Financial Transparency (30 pts), Governance (20 pts), Contact Availability (10 pts), and Data Recency (20 pts), with negative adjustments for any red flags. A score of 76 ('Strong transparency') reflects well-documented governance, recent financials, named leadership, and working contact details. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for animal welfare charities in United States is 92/100.

National Aquarium Inc is located in Baltimore, MD, United States. The organization was established in 1976 and has been active for 50 years.

Based on official tax filings, National Aquarium Inc has $74M in annual revenue. It allocates 1% of expenses to programs and services. This is below the average of 96% for animal welfare charities in United States. Its revenue is significantly above the peer average of $1M. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.

National Aquarium Inc is classified as a Animal Welfare organization, registered in United States. It operates as a Supporting organization (509(a)(3)). By size, it is categorized as a large organization. It has $74M in annual revenue. The organization has 166 disclosed officers and directors.

No red flags have been detected for National Aquarium Inc. GiveRadar automatically screens charities for concerning patterns including high executive compensation, low program spending, and missing financial filings. Based on available official data, no issues have been identified.

National Aquarium Inc has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 76/100 (Strong transparency) and no red flags have been detected, which suggests it is a well-documented organization. It is regulated by the IRS. 1% of expenses go to programs. The peer average is 96%. Visit the National Aquarium Inc profile on GiveRadar for full details before deciding. GiveRadar provides data for research purposes and does not endorse any organization. Always do your own due diligence.

Explore award-winning exhibits and meet all the animals at the National Aquarium, located on Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. National Aquarium Inc is classified as a animal welfare organization registered in United States. The organization was founded in 1976.

Among animal welfare charities registered in United States: National Aquarium Inc's GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 76/100 is below the peer average of 92/100. It allocates 1% of expenses to programs, below the peer average of 96%. Its annual revenue of $74M is well above the peer average of $1M.

Yes, donations to National Aquarium Inc are generally tax-deductible in the United States. Its EIN is 521121163, which you can use for tax filing purposes. Donors can typically deduct contributions on their federal income tax return if they itemize deductions. Consult a tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Verified against 5 official sources, last refreshed .

Annual revenue
$10M-$100M
1% to programs
Source: IRS 990 (FY2024) why this matters
Unlock exact figures

Filing history

5 years on file from IRS 990 (FY2024): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.

Years on record: FY2024, FY2023, FY2022, FY2021, FY2020.
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Taxes

Tax-deductibility for donors

Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United States under local rules. Confirm with the charity directly.

Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.

Leadership

VI
Virginia Y Newton
SVP, Cofo

Officers & trustees (25)

Source: Public filings

AD
Adam B•••••
Director
AL
Alison D•••••
VP OF HR AND ADMINISTRATION
CE
Celine C•••••••
Director
CH
Christopher G•••••••
TREASURER (BEG 12 & 2023) & Director
CH
Chuck T•••••
Director
CO
Colleen D•••••••••••••
CHAIR ELECT
DA
Dale S••••••
EVP/CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
DA
David C••••••••
Director
DA
David D•••••
Director
EL
Elizabeth W•••••
Director
EN
Enric S•••
Director
GI
Ginna N•••••
SVP & Chief Financial Officer
IS
Ismael S•••••••
SVP/CFO (THRU 7/10/21)
JA
Jack D••••
Director
JA
Jacqueline B••••••
VP OF PLANNING AND DESIGN
JA
Jane D•••••
VICE CHAIR (THRU 3/22)
JA
Jayson W•••••••
Director
JE
Jennifer D•••••
SVP/CHIEF MISSION OFFICER
JE
Jennifer R•••••••
SECRETARY
JO
Joe C••••••••
TREASURER (THROUGH 3/2023)
JO
John B•••••
Director
JO
John C R••••••••
PRESIDENT/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
JO
Joseph N••••
Director
KA
Kathryn M•••••••
Director
KE
Keith C•••••••
Director
Full names, contact details & compensation

Free with an account.

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Latest news

From global news sources

10 articles found

From global news sources

Sentiment

Neutral

Activity timeline

Filings and press mentions, merged

National Aquarium in Baltimore hosting adults-only nights Thursday - CBS News
May 2026
www.cbsnews.com
Thursday Night Swim Makes Waves at the National Aquarium - citybiz
May 2026
www.citybiz.co
Six student clubs visit the National Aquarium - Campus Current
May 2026
www.thecampuscurrent.com
The National Aquarium has big plans, old bones and dolphins to move - thebanner.com
May 2026
www.thebanner.com
National Aquarium's Harbor Wetland offers new tours - WBAL-TV
Apr 2026
www.wbaltv.com
National Aquarium successfully rehabilitates 29 sea turtles - WMAR 2 News Baltimore
Apr 2026
www.wmar2news.com
National Aquarium returns 29 rehabilitated Baltimore-themed sea turtles & seal to the sea - WJLA
Apr 2026
wjla.com
National Aquarium rescues endangered sea turtles suffering from cold stun to help them return to sea - WMAR 2 News Balti
Mar 2026
www.wmar2news.com
See if the National Aquarium chose to name a sea turtle after your neighborhood - thebanner.com
Feb 2026
www.thebanner.com
National Aquarium’s floating wetland transforms Inner Harbor - WBFF
Jan 2026
foxbaltimore.com
Form filed
$74.4M revenue
FY2024
IRS_990
Form filed
$55.6M revenue
FY2023
IRS_990
Form filed
$54.8M revenue
FY2022
IRS_990
Form filed
$60.6M revenue
FY2021
IRS_990
Form filed
$25.5M revenue
FY2020
IRS_990

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Peer charities

Other animal welfare in United States, by integrity assessment

Charity Score Revenue Program %
National Aquarium Inc This page 76 $74.4 million 1%
Critter Encounters 93 $230,370 100%
Wedrose Acres 93 $114,491 99%
Spca of Tennessee 93 $189,417 83%
Arizona Poodle Rescue Inc 93 $658,982 100%
Better Days Inc 93 $181,989 99%
Fifty Shades of Furr Inc 93 $314,656 94%
Bullpen Way Station & Sanctuary Ltd 90 $151,835 93%
Clay County Animal Rescue & Education Center Inc 90 $136,295 100%

Sources and verification

Refreshed

Registration and legal identity
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search
Financial filings
IRS Form 990 filings - Fiscal year 2024 most recent on file.
Officers and trustees
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search - 166 disclosed in the public registry.
News and media coverage
GDELT Project + Google News
Supplementary verification
Charity Navigator

Data freshness

Last updated
May 27, 2026
Profile completeness
100%

What we don't know

Honest gaps - our score reflects transparency, not impact

Programs & projects
No named programs listed by the charity
Operating reach
Countries where programs run not specified

Methodology

GiveRadar combines public registry filings, ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, Charity Navigator, GuideStar, and news archives into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.

Read full methodology

Quick facts about National Aquarium Inc

What is National Aquarium Inc?
National Aquarium Inc is a animal welfare supporting organization (509(a)(3)) based in Baltimore, United States. Explore award-winning exhibits and meet all the animals at the National Aquarium, located on Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.
When was National Aquarium Inc founded?
National Aquarium Inc was founded in 1976.
Who leads National Aquarium Inc?
Virginia Y Newton serves as SVP, Cofo.
Where is National Aquarium Inc located?
Headquartered in Baltimore, United States.
What is National Aquarium Inc's annual budget?
Annual revenue for fiscal year 2024 is approximately $10M-$100M. 1% of expenses go to program services.
Is National Aquarium Inc trustworthy?
National Aquarium Inc has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 76 out of 100 (Strong transparency). The score reflects public-data transparency: registration, financial disclosure, governance, contact details, and how recently data was refreshed. It does not measure program impact.
What is National Aquarium Inc's registration number?
IRS EIN: 521121163.
What is National Aquarium Inc's website?
http://www.aqua.org