A Visitor's Guide to The Shedd Aquarium-Chicago
by Jeffrey Sachs, Freelance Writer

See our new Shedd Aquarium Video.

THE WORLD'S AQUARIUM

The Shedd Aquarium is the largest indoor aquarium in the world and the home to over 1,500 species of fish and mammals. Vastly different parts of aquatic life await you in Shedd’s five major attractions:

• Caribbean Reef

• Waters of the World

• Amazon Rising

• Wild Reef

• Oceanarium

During your visit you’ll find creatures from every region on Earth, living in re-creations of their natural habitats. There is so much to explore at Shedd Aquarium that you’ll be drenched with delight by the time you leave. Let’s begin our visit.

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CARIBBEAN REEF EXHIBIT

Caribbean Reef will catch your eye from the moment you enter, so stop by and indulge your curiosity.

Witness the most assorted collection of oceanic life in this 90,000 gallon “fish tank”. The circular design of Caribbean Reef provides views from every angle, and the panels located above will help you identify each animal. Several times a day divers submerge themselves to feed sharks, stingrays and turtles, while simultaneously answering your questions. While Caribbean Reef isn’t the biggest attraction, it does do two things: it provides a place to rest later on in the day, and with its central location, it becomes a good meeting point should your group get separated.

FACTS
• A diver feeds the animals while talking with guests
• A 90,000-gallon circular habitat allows for maximum walk-around viewing.
• Caribbean Reef was built in 1971 on the site of Shedd’s very first exhibit, the tropical pool.

WATERS OF THE WORLD EXHIBIT

Next on the agenda is Waters of the World, which covers roughly ½ of the upper level at Shedd. Take my advice and dive right in.

If you have ever wanted to visit the frozen waters of Northern Alaska or the tropical waters of Northern Australia, now’s your chance. There are over 75 distinct habitats on display at Waters of the World, from every corner of the globe. This exhibit is broken into four main sections: Rivers, Islands and Lakes, Local Waters, and Oceans and contains over 300 species of fishes plus iguanas, river otters and lobsters. Be sure to stop and play with the nifty touch screens they have available. Not only will they teach you about the animals you’re looking at, but also touch upon subjects like environmental protection and the dangers of water pollution.

FACTS
• Shedd’s original classic barrel-vaulted galleries
• Hundreds of species of fishes plus river otters, lizards, frogs, turtles and marine invertebrates
• Houses Shedd’s oldest resident, an Australian lungfish that arrived in 1933

AMAZON RISING EXHIBIT

Step inside the rainforests of South America and see how the lives of all living things are affected when water levels rise to unbelievable new heights. The motto for Amazon Rising is “Brought to you by the Floods” and it’s easy to understand why when you learn that the rainforests get over 9 feet of rain per year (Chicago gets just under 3 feet). Amazon Rising is dedicated to showing the various stages of flooding and how animals like snakes, poisonous frogs and tarantulas adapt to the growing waters. Amazon Rising is the most cleverly executed exhibit at Shedd Aquarium and is worth an in depth look.

FACTS
• 8,600-square-foot walk-through flooded forest created in two original galleries
• Habitat floodwaters peak at 6 feet
• 250 species including a giant snake, venomous ants and 73 kinds of catfishes

WILD REEF EXHIBIT

Coral reefs are considered the oasis of the ocean because they are extremely beneficial to the lives of fish, mammals and even humans. The main job of these tiny animals (that’s right, coral is an animal) is to provide food, shelter and protection for the creatures that make a reef their home. In Wild Reef, through the use of interactive displays and a little bit of your imagination, you’ll get to experience life as coral. See how they start as tiny polyps the size of grains of sand and grow to coral colonies that cover hundreds of square miles of ocean floor. There also more than two dozen sharks lurking in this massive 400,000 gallon network.

FACTS
• 20 different habitats featuring 500 species
• The largest public display of live coral in the Midwest
• There are 4.8 million pounds of water in the Wild Reef exhibit

OCEANARIUM EXHIBIT

After you’ve come up for air, plunge into the Oceanarium to the see biggest jumpers, the biggest jokers, and by far the biggest animals at Shedd.

This marine palace boasts over 3,000,000 gallons of saltwater, making it the largest indoor marine mammal habitat in the world. Divided into several areas, the Oceanarium has animals that have elegance, agility and even a sense of humor. In Secluded Bay you’ll encounter Beluga Whales, and while weighing in at 3,000 pounds, Belugas are some the most agile swimmers in the ocean. The underground viewing area lets you see how these mammals glide gracefully below the surface.

Also underground is Penguin Shore, where you can watch not one, but two, species of these flightless birds waddle along the rocks and frolic in the water. If you see one of the Penguin staffers, ask them if you can feel real Penguin feathers.

FACTS
• Contains 3 million gallons of salt water including a 35,000-gallon veterinary pool
• Water temperature is a brisk computer-controlled 55 degrees
• 27 huge filters keep it all clean

MARINE MAMMAL PRESENTATION

The one show that should be at the top of everyone’s list is the Marine Mammal Presentation. Pacific White-Sided Dolphins (and their trainers) are the stars of this spectacular show. First, the trainers will demonstrate how the dolphins are taught to perform tricks using whistles, positive reinforcement and about a hundred pounds of fish. These behind-the-scenes glimpses prove to be the highlight of the show, while the finale, with some extra surprises, provides the crowning touch to this must-see attraction.

Admission to the Oceanarium and the Marine Mammal Presentation does cost extra, and is only available when you buy the All Access Pass or VIP Ticket. See the Admission section below for more details. In my opinion, this single show is worth the price of admission, plus you can return for as many encore performances as you wish.

IN CONCLUSION

The Shedd brings the waters of the world to you, plus the animals that live in them. You could take dozens of vacations and never see as many creatures as you will in just a few hours at Shedd Aquarium. With over 22,000 aquatic animals from every corner of the globe, this indoor water sanctuary has something for everyone and you won’t leave disappointed.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Lizards and the Komodo King – April 8, 2006 – February 28, 2007

See lizards of all shapes, sizes and colors in this temporary exhibit running through early 2007. The senior member of this group is a Komodo Dragon named Faust. Weighing in at 135 pounds, and able to devour animals twice his size in less than an hour, this giant lizard’s ancestry dates back to the age of the dinosaurs.

FACTS
• Lean and lithe, the 12-foot crocodile monitor hangs out in trees.
• Insect-munching Tokay geckos are welcome additions to many tropical households in Southeast Asia.

NOTABLE

Seasoned Saturdays – Show up on the second Saturday of every month and get expert instruction from top chefs on how to prepare delectable seafood dishes at home.

Tots on Tuesday – Each Tuesday features a day full of activities for kids including story times, crafts, animal touch programs, videos, costumed characters, dancing and singing.

Admission

There are different types of admission at Shedd. Here is a list of the choices and the attractions included:

My advice is purchase the All Access Pass. If you are on a time crunch then the VIP Tickets will be a wise investment.

Parking at Shedd

Parking on the Museum Campus is $15 per day. There is an early bird rate of $10 for cars arriving before 9:30am and leaving before 9pm. There are also remote lots available for $8 should the main lots fill up.

Dining at Shedd

Bubble Net: For the landlubbers in your group, Bubble Net offers Pizza Hut pizzas, sandwiches, burgers and salads.

Soundings: Fresh seafood is the catch of the day at Soundings. Besides featuring first rate table side service, the menu includes many varieties of fish; wine and cocktails are available.

Note: The Go Chicago Card includes this attraction Purchase & Save $

WEB LINKS

• See our new Shedd Aquarium Video.
• Our Shedd Aquarium Attractions page.
• Visit the Shedd Aquarium Official Web Site.
• After reading this article, you may want to visit Shedd's Plan A Visit page.
• Here's a Great High-Resolution Layout of the Shedd Aquarium.
• See the current Shedd Aquarium Prices.
• While you are in the area of the Museum Campus, you might consider visiting the Field Museum or the Adler Planetarium, they are close by.
• See our other Chicago Visitor Guides.