Shedd Aquarium stands as a beacon of marine wonders in the heart of Chicago, enticing visitors with its promise of aquatic discoveries. It’s one of the most famous things to do in Chicago since it’s one of the largest aquariums in the Eastern Hemisphere! However, navigating this expansive attraction can be a daunting task for the unprepared, as countless details determine how fulfilling your visit will actually be.
From admission prices to unique exhibits, understanding what to expect not only enriches your experience but also saves you from potential disappointments. With many attractions ranging from historic displays to interactive activities, pinpointing which elements truly matter is essential for solo adventurers and families alike.
We visited Shedd during our three days in Chicago this spring, utilizing our Chicago CityPASS (more on that below), and I had mixed emotions about visiting an aquarium.
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Is the Shedd Aquarium an ethical animal encounter?
I’ve avoided writing about zoos and aquariums as ethical animal encounters because no two are the same. My top advice is to do your research before you go.
Shedd Aquarium has the gold standard of zoological operations through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. This means it’s well-run with a focus on the animals.
The Shedd Aquarium is one of six aquariums with beluga whales. They perform a show a few times throughout the day and it was hard for me to watch. I don’t doubt that the animals are loved, it’s just not my thing. Upon researching their beluga whale program I learned that they continually partner with external organizations to help the beluga whale in the wild. They’ve also helped rescue and rehabilitate orphaned whales in the wild. Overall, I’d lean towards yes, it’s an ethical animal encounter. However, just be prepared for a whale show, a touch tank, and lots of containers for animals.
Admission details and what to know before you go
Unlike the nearby Art Institute of Chicago or Lincoln Park Zoo, Shedd mandates advance ticket purchases via their website—a necessity to manage the overwhelming influx of guests and eliminate the dreaded long lines. It’s called plan-ahead ticketing. You pick a time and that’s when you’re expected to go.
You have about 30-45 minutes leeway time from your ticket time to get there. Once you get an hour early or an hour late, they may deny you entry.
Admission prices are variable—though residents of Chicago benefit from a consistent rate of $19.95 for adults and $14.95 for children. For the budget-conscious, there’s an incentive to book early as procrastination could lead to price hikes. You can also purchase the Chicago CityPASS, which includes admission to the Shedd Aquarium and four other Chicago attractions while saving money. You can check out my whole in depth review of the Chicago CityPASS and how to use it.
Shedd members are afforded free entry but are not exempt from the reservation policy. There are free admission days for Illinois residents throughout the year. Be sure to check their website for those dates. There are also discounts for teachers, military and public service employees, those with EBT cards, and more.
We actually used our bikes from our hotel, StayPineapple to get to Shedd Aquarium so we didn’t have to waste time in traffic.
Hours of operation at Shedd Aquarium
Unfortunately, this is not a simple answer. Operating hours for Shedd Aquarium vary. There are some days when they are open til 7:00pm, and other days they close early. This is also why it’s important to plan your visit to the Shedd Aquarium in advance.
While the Shedd Aquarium welcomes guests throughout the week, aiming for a weekday arrival—specifically from Wednesday to Friday—you can hopefully avoid the crowds. This strategic planning is especially relevant for those seeking an intimate encounter with the beluga whales or attending Aquarium Events and Animal Chats. We visited on a weekend afternoon (which is still better than a weekend morning) and it was filled with families.
Parking options and directions to the aquarium
When planning a visit to the Shedd Aquarium, nestled alongside Lake Michigan within the attraction-rich Museum Campus, it is critical for guests to consider their parking and transportation options judiciously. Despite its proximity to Chicago’s South Loop, the convenience of reaching Shedd Aquarium is somewhat marred by parking limitations and variable costs.
Options for those opting to drive include the Soldier Field north garage, mere minutes from the iconic Chicago Board of Trade Building, where garage parking rates can sting at $25 for up to a mere four hours. On weekends, the aquarium does offer valet parking at a premium of $35 per vehicle—though, with availability often in question, especially during Bears home-game days, reliance on this luxury is a gamble.
Metered street parking along Solidarity Drive may seem enticing but comes with the constraint of post-8 a.m. access. Avoid the folly of considering parking at the aquarium’s service entrance – it’s strictly off-limits.
These factors make a strong case for public transportation as the optimal mode of arrival to the Shedd Aquarium. It’s not only an environmentally conscious choice but also a strategic maneuver to bypass excessive costs and the frustration of parking scarcity. The reliable Chicago Park District and the city’s robust network of buses are at your service to ensure a smoother start to your aquatic adventure. We had no issue using our Vanta card throughout our visit.
Accessibility features available for visitors
Visiting the Shedd Aquarium is possible for all travelers. Shedd does their best to ensure that all guests, including those with special needs, can enjoy the experience, the aquarium is both wheelchair- and stroller-accessible.
The aquarium provides a Sensory Friendly App – an innovative tool for guests with autism or sensory processing disorders. There is an accessible entrance, that directs visitors to an elevator to reach the main floor, which can be a bottleneck during peak visiting hours. For the beluga shows there is an accessible seating area. If you need help finding it, there are plenty of staff to help guide you.
The design of the newer expanses within the Shedd includes gentle ramps that facilitate easier movement but might still present challenges for navigation, depending on crowd size and layout familiarity. As for dining, guests are permitted to bring their own meals, yet consumption is confined to designated areas.
Overview of attractions at Shedd Aquarium
The Shedd Aquarium is huge. There’s no other way to state it. It can be a bit overwhelming. We’re going to go over some of the key attractions so you don’t miss the exhibits that you really want to see.
In its sprawling Oceanarium, Shedd Aquarium simulates the marine conditions of the northwest coast of North America, which might raise eyebrows regarding how authentic and ethically acceptable these replicated conditions are for captive animals such as Pacific white-sided dolphins and beluga whales.
Permanent exhibits like the Wild Reef, which recreates a Philippine reef ecosystem, and Amazon Rising, focusing on the region’s diverse river and rainforest life, offer a window into worlds many will never visit.
Interactive encounters, such as touching beluga whales, might seem enchanting to the uninformed visitor, but an ethical perspective prompts us to question the impact of human interactions on these sentient beings. The Shedd Aquarium’s status as a National Historic Landmark highlights its historical significance, but it also underscores an ongoing challenge: to balance the relics of its past with progressive attitudes toward animal care and visitor education.
Educational experiences
Interactive touch experiences are vigorously promoted by Shedd Aquarium, inviting tactile engagement with lake sturgeon, sea stars, and seasonally with cownose rays. While these encounters can be educational, it’s vital to interrogate the potential stress induced on the animals through repeated human contact.
The Aquarium’s 15-minute Animal Spotlight sessions are intended as educational opportunities led by Shedd experts. They shine a light on impressive species such as beluga whales and Pacific white-sided dolphins. At the core of these sessions lies a responsibility to facilitate an understanding among visitors that respects the natural behaviors and needs of the animals, eschewing performances for engagement that upholds the animals’ dignity.
The Wild Reef’s shark tanks and close encounters with spotted rays offer a window into a predator’s world, yet they also serve as a reminder of our power over these creatures’ environments. As guests marvel at the silent glide of a shark or the flutter of a ray’s wings, introspection is necessary to ensure our awe doesn’t overshadow our ethical responsibility toward Earth’s marine beings.
Interactive experiences
Interactive Experiences at Shedd Aquarium: Key Offerings with a Critical Eye
Shedd Aquarium, a cornerstone of Chicago’s Museum Campus, tantalizes with the promise of interactive aquatic escapades, but is it hitting the mark with its actual offerings?
Touch Experiences
- Armored Scales: Delve into tactile encounters with the extraordinary scaly texture of lake sturgeon.
- Sea Stars: An opportunity to explore the intriguing feel of sea stars.
- Seasonal Stingray Feels: A summer exclusive, offering a brush with cownose rays.
Animal Spotlights
- Abbott Oceanarium Insights: 15-minute sessions providing insight into the inhabitants, like beluga whales—educational, if somewhat fleeting for true aquatic aficionados seeking depth.
Animal Chats
- Daily Dialogues: Engaging encounters ranging from the charms of penguins to the awe of sharks, striving to bridge the gap between humans and sea creatures through concise presentations—useful, but perhaps lacking comprehensive engagement.
Interactive Exhibits
- Green Screen Adventures: Mimic marine movements through technology—a novel notion yet might come off as a superficial nod to marine biology.
Wild Reef
- Shark and Ray Encounters: Immerse in a voyeuristic venture with sharks and rays, offering an underwater view but devoid of direct interaction—an appeal to passive observers rather than hands-on learners.
Ultimately, while the Shedd offers varied interactive experiences, visitors with a deep-seated passion for detail and full immersion may find themselves yearning for more substantial participatory activities.
Highlights tailored for adults
The Shedd’s Animal Chats and Spotlights do offer engaging insights into aquatic life from dedicated animal care experts, but the depth of information might feel superficial for those craving comprehensive discourse on these ocean animals we love. The touch tanks, while interactive, might leave some guests yearning for a more adult-oriented, tactile encounter.
Special behind-the-scenes tours promise a closer connection with aquatic inhabitants like beluga whales and penguins. These come at an additional fee.
Shedd Aquarium also hosts events just for adults, ranging from jazz nights to PRIDE festivals. You can even travel with Shedd to work alongside animal biologists!
I had a very nice conversation about beluga whales with one of the staff members who was outside the beluga whale show. It wasn’t an organized or additional tour, I just wanted to know more about the whales. He was very knowledgable and passionate. So don’t be afraid to ask questions!
Special experiences and events at Shedd Aquarium
There are a few special experiences and events at Shedd Aquarium. Be sure to plan ahead as these are often sold out weeks in advance.
One fascinating experience is the behind-the-scenes tour—tickets for which must be procured well in advance—which promises an intimate glance at shark feedings and engagements with penguins and beluga whales. However, the value of such interactions is contingent on the quality of the animal care experts and their ability to foster genuine educational moments as opposed to mere photo opportunities.
The penguin encounter is a 45-minute encounter with a dedicated team member. You’ll learn all about the penguins and their environment. You’ll get up close to one of the penguins and even have the opportunity to pet the waterproof feathers. Please be sure to follow all guidance from staff as unnecessary petting or touching can stress out the animal.
There is a shark feeding tour where you can learn about the sharks and watch as they get fed. The beluga encounter lets you actually get chest-deep in the water with the whales. Animal enthusiasts can also get up close with sea lions and sea otters.
Each one of these special events is a different cost but include admission to the aquarium. Check their website for most up-to-date costs.
Food and dining options inside the aquarium
Venturing into the blue planet’s domain doesn’t mean one must suffer from a lack of terrestrial comforts regarding nourishment. Though Shedd Aquarium may permit the carriage of external food, it’s restricted to allocated areas. Within, the dining options are, frankly, standard fare.
Soundings Cafe strives to provide a quick sip or bite with its coffee shop items and light sandwiches, though don’t anticipate a culinary epiphany. Kid-centric choices abound at the Bubble Net Food Court, where a child’s meal slightly north of $8 includes predictable options such as chicken fingers and pizza. The accompanying side and drink do little to elevate the dining experience.
They open at 10:30 am and close two hours before closing.
Photography tips for capturing your experience
Of course you’ll want to capture the experience of the Shedd Aquarium. Photography in an aquarium can be tricky.
- Don’t use the flash. It’ll reflect off the glass.
- Get close to the glass if possible. Getting physically closer instead of using zoom can help the camera focus on the right thing.
- Try different angles. Animals area always moving, you should be too. A simple different angle can make all the difference, especially with water.
Utilizing the Chicago CityPASS for the Shedd Aquarium
Savvy travelers can potentially economize with the Chicago CityPASS. This pass slices a sizeable 48% off the all-access admission fee for the aquarium along with four additional top-tier attractions in the city. Utilizing the CityPASS is a smart move for budget-conscious families and groups intent on exploring several hotspots.
The Chicago CityPASS includes:
- Shedd Aquarium
- Skydeck Chicago
- Field Museum
- Other attractions (choice of two from Art Institute of Chicago, Museum of Science and Industry, 360 Chicago Observation Deck, Chicago’s First Lady Architectural Tour)
We really enjoyed using the CityPASS to plan our three days in Chicago, so I do recommend it. You can use it for up to five days. I have a full guide on how to use the Chicago CityPASS so you can decide if it’s worth it for your visit.
Essential items to bring along
A good traveler is a prepared traveler. Here’s what to bring on your visit to Shedd:
Snack: You’re welcome to bring your own food to the aquarium. This is great to have to hold you over while exploring so you don’t need to leave an exhibit to go to the cafeteria.
Watch: There are a number of events and shows throughout the day so being on time is important. Having a reliable watch can help make sure you’re on time for everything.
Camera: With the variety of animals, you’ll definitely want to take pictures.
Comfortable shoes: When I say the Shedd Aquarium is huge, I mean it. Wear comfortable shoes so you can get around easily.
Final Thoughts
While I probably wouldn’t have visited the Shedd Aquarium if it wasn’t part of our Chicago CityPASS, I am glad I went. I found the diversity of animals there to be impressive. I actually enjoyed watching kids look at these animals in awe and hopefully, they’ll turn into ocean-lovers like myself. While I wasn’t a fan of the beluga whale show, I know that the important work they do in terms of research and even rescuing whales costs money. I am glad I learned about the dedication of the aquarium to the animals they have while inspiring us to treat our world a little better.
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