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John G Shedd Aquarium
Category: Active Life Aquariums Aquariums [Edit]
1200 S Lake Shore Dr(between Field Plaza Dr & Roosevelt Dr)
Chicago, IL 60605
Neighborhood: Near Southside
(312) 939-2438
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 8:30 am - 6 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
528 reviews for John G Shedd Aquarium
528 reviews in English
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Review from Misty S.
2/6/2012
It's winter and you are thinking about visiting the Shedd on the weekend? BRACE YOURSELF! Make sure you bundle up because I came on a Saturday afternoon and waited for over two hours to get inside. At least it only took an hour and a half to get to the tented area they had set up on the stairs to get some shelter from the lakefront wind. Brrr...it's cold in Chicago in the winter...who knew? They close at 6pm on the weekend, so make sure you factor that in.
You can avoid standing in line by purchasing your tickets in advance online. Online ticket holders proceed directly to will-call, and it'll cost about $35 for the ultimate ticket that will get you everything the Shedd has to offer.
My favorite parts of this trip:
-JELLIES! OMG, they were amazing to watch. Bring a camera because you'll want to take some pictures. It costs $3 extra to see this exhibition (if you didn't get the Total Experience Pass), but well worth it. Jellies runs through May 28, 2012.
-Wild Reef - Amazing fishes in this part of town where you can see a shark up close!
-Otters - Cuz they are so cute.
Getting there:
-If you're taking the Metra in, it's about a 25-30 min walk, very doable. Especially if you stop along the way for a meal, it really breaks the trip up.
-If you're driving in, you can find parking for about $10 in a downtown lot that's about a 15-20 walk away. Not a bad option if you don't want to spend $19 (non-event day) to park at Solider Field. -
Review from Amanda M.
Chicago, IL
2/1/2012
How could you not love it here? The Amazon River Basin exhibit is set up beautifully. What interests me most are the different layers of life, from shallow water to flooded plains, and all the details that go along. Poison dart frogs and piranhas are among the highlights.
The coral reef exhibit downstairs costs extra, and it's worth it to see the blue spotted sting rays and enormous shark tank. The anemones and bright tropical fish are beautiful and you really feel immersed in that world. You even get a peek at very-deep-sea bioluminescent fish.
Seeing the Fantasea show is a huge waste of time. The costumes/scenery/music are so ridiculous and the animals only play a brief roll. It is the type of cheesy act that ends up parodied on the Simpsons.
Overall, this is a wonderful place to spend the day and bring family. I always leave wanting to see more. -
Review from Andrew R.
1/30/2012
Maybe it was hyped up too much. Maybe I expected too much. Maybe it's my fault. But maybe, just maybe, this isn't that spectacular of an aquarium, considering it's one of the largest in the world.
Now don't get me wrong. There's plenty to see and learn here, and it's most likely the best choice for hundreds of miles around. However, it doesn't wow or inspire as much as one would hope.
Do yourself a favor and get the City Pass. It'll pay for itself and then some. The one thing that will amaze you is how awesome their breakfast panini is. For real. -
Review from Lionel R.
Chicago, IL
2/6/2012
Incredible. Chicago's lucky to have this institution.
-Lionel Rabb -
Review from Jessica S.
Cumberland, RI
2/6/2012
Very nice aquarium overall. I thought some of the tanks needed to be bigger for the animals and I don't like that they do dolphin shows here so I would not pay for that myself. Can get very crowded so going at an off peak tme is best. Movie showing there was fun. Decent food options and a nice gift shop
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Review from David N.
1/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
I was expecting a bit more out of one of the world's largest aquariums. It's nice but everything was just OK, nothing blew me away. I saw the dolphin show, and it's very simple basically they talk about more of the method than the actual show. The view is beautiful when you're sitting there and look out on the water.
When I went they had a jelly fish exhibit that was pretty cool, but by far my fav were the penguins. It's another one of those super touristy places that you could actually do without.Listed in: Chicago: Tour Guide
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Review from Sarah S.
12/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is such a top notch aquarium. The best I've ever been to. You pay for it, but it's worth it. Get the all access pass for $35 and you get tickets to the special exhibit (now it's Jellies), the aquatic show, the 4d film experience, and everything else.
We went to the show first. It was really fun! It was worth the money. I loved how they put it together, and seeing the dolphins, belugas and penguins was fun,e ven for an adult. We continued to the Jellies exhibit, which was fascinating. We explored everywhere else, from the underwater viewing area, to the reef exhibit, to everything else. I learned that the oldest first was brought to the aquarium in 1933! That's insane.
Even though it's expensive, I think I'll go to the aquarium every time I visit Chicago. I love it that much.
Bonus that you can get there from the red line train in about a 15 minute walk! -
Review from Chrissy W.
Glen Ellyn, IL
12/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
My 100th review needed to be something spectacular.
So I was saving this one.
OH
MY
GOD
I'd like to thank my boyfriend for working at Abelson Taylor and for making this post possible.
I think I gained 20 lbs at his holiday work party.
So the Shedd really throws a great party. We went for an after hours special event that began with cocktail hour in the oceanarium. All of the exhibits were open for viewing so I got to see my favorite dolphins (I love Pacific White-Sided Dolphins--they're spazzier than Bottled Nosed Dolphins), the Belugas, the Otters, the Sea Lion...It was fab. No drinks by the dolphins/whales though.
So we headed to one of the 20 or so bars situated throughout the Shedd and had some champagne. We discovered the passed hors doeuvres of mini quiche, lamb chops, chicken salad thingies, and tomato soup in a shot glass with garlic bread in addition to passed champagne and passed mai tais.
We were able to walk through the Jellies exhibit, which was really cool, but I probably wouldn't have paid extra for it if I were just visiting the Shedd on a normal day.
Then after a speech, we were ushered into the aquarium side where we discovered 5 different buffet stations, and several more bars. There was a salad/soup station (caprese salad, caesar salad, create your own salad, butternut squash soup, chicken gumbo), a pasta station (whole wheat mushroom ravioli in pesto, rigatoni in red, and lobster ravioli in white, or create your own combination with the two chefs standing right there), a carving station (duck, beef, and pork), a potato bar (mashed, roasted red, and sweet mashed with a wide selection of toppings), and a seafood station (raw oysters, crab claws cracked open, lobster out of the shell, and giant shrimp cocktail).
Then dessert. Holy crap dessert. First there was a huge dessert sweets table next to a coffee station with all sorts of goodies including chocolate cups filled with mousse, mini cakes, and more. Then 3 additional stations: a crepe station (with chefs to make them for you and toppings to choose from), an ice cream bar,
aaaaand the piece de resistance: a cheesecake bar with cheesecake cubes in martini glasses and a variety of toppings.
Then a lobby turned dance club with couches, a dance floor, and several bars until midnight.
Shedd Aquarium for the win. -
Review from Type D.
Hamden, CT
1/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
I couldn't imagine how informative and engaging this place really is, since there are currently more people to maneuver around in this confined space than there are walking the streets of Chicago. I would probably give it a 5 star rating if I could actually comfortably view all the exhibits. Ho hum...
Of pertinence: without the almighty City Pass, you'll wait in line for hours. If you're planning on going to at least three of the mandatory tourist attractions (Field, Sears Tower, Hancock, Shedd, Art Institute), it literally pays for itself; however, even if you only use it for two of the attractions, the unadulterated satisfaction of breezing past the dozens (if not hundreds) of line-waiting peons is worth the couple extra bucks. Do it, it's the ONLY way to deal with the tourist monoliths. -
Review from Dee C.
1/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
I have been to the Shedd for so many things now. This time around I went for the Jellies exhibit, but I was a little disappointed by the small size of the exhibit. I wished it was a little bigger. I had a groupon so I didn't feel terrible for paying that much, but if I had paid the full price I would have been very upset.
I have also been here for Jazz at the Shedd and loved that experience. It was nice to see the skyline from outside with the jazz music in the background.
I'm sure I will be back to the Shedd with the new exhibits they have. -
Review from Kislev A.
12/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
The aquarium contents are REALLY REALLY good...
4 beluga whales...
Sea lion...
Popcorn...
Jellyfish...
Waters of the world...
Carribean display...
White sided dolphins...
Popcorn...
Yeah, I mentioned popcorn twice. That's coz they sell freshly popped corn in the lobby. Drives you nuts while you're waiting in line trying to get your tickets.
Admission is free with your Go Chicago Card.
Why only 2 stars? It's coz they nickel and dime you for every exhibit that they have. They should have just charged one large entrance fee, like at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and then let you see everything. Better than walking in, and then realizing you can't see an exhibit without a special wrist band so you stand back in line to buy a wrist band. And then you find that another exhibit has another colored band. WHAT?!?!?!
So time consuming and inconvenient. I'm a tourist. I don't have time for this shenanigans! -
Review from Jen G.
1/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
I'll preface this review by letting you know that we went with the Groupon that was available for December. And away we go...
This aquarium is pretty big. So big that we kept getting kind of lost. And yet, I couldn't find anywhere to grab a map either. They had some placed throughout the building on the walls, and that helped, but what would have actually helped even more is if I had known what exhibits my wristband got me into and had my own map in hand. Because then I wouldn't have missed the exhibit that was the most important to me to see: the Oceanarium.
So why still the four stars even though we were frustrated, lost, confused a lot of the time, AND missed an exhibit? Well, because the exhibits we did see were so well done and interesting. And overall, I had a great time and want to go back for more. That's four star worthy to me. -
Review from Lauren T.
12/22/2011
I have been in love with the Shedd since I was a little girl, and it is so wonderful to be able to share that now with my son. A trip downtown is always fun and going to the aquarium is usually less complicated than other destinations. It is one of the first turns on Lake Shore and you park under Soldier Field.
I definitely recommend coming on a weekday. On the weekends or free days there can be a line outside and around the corner but during the week you just walk right up. We had a Groupon for tickets so we didn't even half to wait in the ticket line, score! The biggest downfall of this place is the enormous price of coming. It costs 34$ per adult to get in if you want to see the jellies and the dolphin show. Also parking under Soldiers is 16 for up to 4 hours and 19$ for more. It is more on game days.
This all aside, I love the aquarium. They have really fixed up the place too. The Pacific Northwest dolphin area is beautiful and their Holiday Fantasea show was great. Santa arrives on a flying boat! The jelly exhibit was a little boring and very crowded. My favorite has always been the wild reef, which was still just as cool as I remember it. There is a giant tank with a shark wall and a clear floor where you can walk above stingrays.
This is a great place for kids and families, but don't go on the weekend and bring your wallet! -
Review from Christy M.
Chicago, IL
1/2/2012
My boyfriend took me here on a surprise date. He does that sometimes, and I just love it! Sorry ladies, he's taken.
Anyway- we went for a holiday beluga whale show and to wander around the building and see all the aquatic life swimming around.
The show, of course, was sold out by the time we got there. There seemed to be a lot of confusion regarding the groupon. Pretty much everyone there had purchased the groupon thinking it also provided admittance to the beluga whale show. Unfortunately everyone was wrong and the show was a seperate thing, and of course was sold out by the time the majority of us got there. Wah Wah.
However, my man is resourceful and the nicest guy ever- by simply being himself, he was able to get us into the show- without a ticket. Rather than screaming at employees about how unfair it was that we misunderstood the groupon, he was simply sweet and kind and long story short- we wound up seated in the show, enjoying the whales. Thanks hun (and kindly ticket-taker)!
The only real downside to the entire night was the whole 'seeing the other exhibits' portion of the evening. I believe they say the aquarium closes at 9pm... however what they don't mention is that they shut off all the lights in the tanks around 7:30pm. So by the time the show was over, we were free to wander around and check out the tanks, however we were peering into total darkness. Now my man loves the sharks and he was so excited to check them out. Sadly, their tanks were pitch black. By pressing your face right up against what I'm certain is a totally disease free glass plate you could sort of make out the shapes of the sharks swimming around inside. Even the giant tank upstairs smack in the middle of the building was lights out at 7:30pm.
We got the see the jellies exhibit as well. That was quite cool. Those are some gorgeous, graceful creatures... no bones, no brains and no blood- what!?
I would def return to see all the fun species swimming around, doin their thing. However I would warn aquarium goers to call or double check hours that exhibits are lit up for viewing. -
Review from Paul R.
White Lake, MI
1/29/2012
Don't Go to the Shedd Acquarium!!
The Shedd has no considerations for their patrons. A friend and I were visiting from Michigan and decided to go to the Shedd this past Saturday, 1/28/12. We arrived at 9:15 AM (15 min after opening) and found a line that went out the door and was about 100 yds long outside the door. It was around 28 degrees outside and very windy. We waited in line with all these families, in the cold, for 45 min to get in the door!! We were all freezing outside. Then when we finally made it inside the door, we found the line inside zig zaged and would take about another 30 min to get to the ticket counter.
My friend and I decided not to buy tickets but we stayed in the lobby for about 30 min to warm up. When we left, we found the line outside had grown and was now at least three times as long as before. So people would be standing outside for over 2 hours !!!
I would not go to any place that is so inconsiderate of their patrons that they leave them standing outside in the cold in January for long periods of time. There was no sign or indication of how long it would take to get in, there were no heaters outside, and they had ONLY 6 ticket stations for selling tickets to the general public. This was very poor planning and showed no consideration to their patrons. I would recommend against going to the Shedd. -
Review from Ken O.
Since I haven't been to the Shedd Aquarium for a few years, so I thought it was time to check the museum out again. Plus, the Jellie Fish exhibit intrigued me so what the heck??
Went on a Saturday morning when the museum first opened - no line - no wait - cool.
For the most part, the Shedd Aquarium is just like any other aquarium. However, the Jellie Fish exhibit was interesting and relaxing to watch. Glad that I had paid extra for that exhibit.
The Aquatic show was okay. The views from the oceanarium are incredible. The Wild Reef exhibit was really nice. The team members were not really mingling with the guests. I will say, with the number of guests, the place was very clean.
I wouldn't really spend that much time here. Children seemed to enjoy themselves.
As I was leaving, there was an extremely long line of patrons waiting to get in.
I'm sure it will be another 2 - 3 years before I go back. -
Review from Claudia S.
Chicago, IL
12/12/2011
I want to give this place 5*, but I can't. Despite it being one of my favorite places since I was young, I feel the prices aren't always worth it. Then again, I've walked into areas I didn't pay for without realizing and no one's said anything.
Regardless, the Shedd does, for the most part, have great exhibits. Employees are very friendly and depending on what time you go, it's not too crowded. I recommend going in the late afternoon as most field trip groups will be leaving.
The Shedd holds a special place in my heart and is one of my favorite museums to recommend to visiting family, but it still feels like it's missing something. -
Review from David L.
11/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
I came here with my gf on Saturday around 9:20-12:30pm. The line was already out to the bottom of the steps when we arrived, and by the time we left, it had more than doubled in size. If you want to avoid waiting 60+ min in line, do yourself a favor and get here when they open.
Compared to other aquariums I've been to, it's somewhat mediocre. However, the jellyfish exhibit was quite nice, and they had a nice collection of animals. The dolphin Fantasea holiday show was amusing for the wrong reasons, since more than half of it was just people singing rather than animals performing. We sat on the 3rd row, and the railing blocked our view of the show considerably.
Overall, it was still a fun experience, and the aquarium was much bigger than I thought it was.Listed in: Lions, and tigers, and bears!…
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Review from Amanda S.
12/3/2011
We went during the week in the middle of the day so there were not too many people there, just a lot of school groups. Parking sucks! We had to park at the stadium and it cost a fortune. At least it is a beautiful aquarium! No flash photography. It has tiered pricing so you can buy the pass most suitable to you. We did the Shed pass and it allowed us to see everything but the 4D movie. My favourite thing about this aquarium is that it focused on freshwater fish and habitats it makes it very unique from the other aquariums I have been to in the past. There is salt water tanks but it is not their main focus. Don't forget to head downstairs and check out the basement exhibits.
Their cafeteria is not bad for a cafeteria. I had a burger, fires and an apple. There is also plenty of bathrooms and changing tables. -
Review from Annette M.
New York, NY
1/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
Some friends and I decided to stop by the Shedd while visiting Chicago and we had a good time - good, but not great. The Planet Earth 4-D show was pretty cool, although the part of the "4-D" that involved a rod being occasionally rammed in my back was not cool at all. The high points were the beluga whales, the penguins, and the sea otters. The jellies exhibit was fine, but kind of a let down, and the rest of the tanks were just okay. Not a bad time, but overpriced for what you get - I've definitely been to better aquariums.
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Review from Helen S.
11/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
I came here for part 1 of a daylong Chicago museum trip -- my bf and I also went to the Field and the Art Institute. We got there around 9am and it was about a 20 minute wait in line from the bottom of the stairs (it was pretty considerate of them to put up sheets that blocked the wind/rain, as the weather wasn't nice that day).
The jellyfish exhibit was beautiful, and I liked the sharks section and also being able to touch the starfish. I really enjoyed the holiday aquatics show, which was much more entertaining than their normal show -- I especially got a kick out of the Santa Clause floating onstage in a boat and the carolers singing in the water (it's things like this that amuse me).
I've been to the Shedd once before. This time around, the museum was much bigger than I remembered, and it was also a lot more interesting (or it might've been my company). -
Review from Jen R.
12/15/2011 ROTD 12/24/2011
I am an awesome daughter + I give good gifts = Beluga Encounter Christmas present for the Moms
P.S. I tagged along, too. Seriously, the gift was so good I had to give it to myself, ya know?
First off, everyone at the Shedd loves their jobs. I totally need to work here - I've never met so many happy people in my life. And now, it's beluga time. The encounter was limited to six people. Lucky for us, Fridays are slow, so there were only four of us in the morning encounter, which started with a half hour orientation with Alice. She explained how she got started at the Shedd, told us about the quirks of her fave Belugas, and got us into our gear - think huge brown foamy waders. Def the hotness. Next we met Andrew, one of the trainers. He talked us through a dvd presentation, reinforced the rules, went over the bios of some of the whales, and we were off. Just a quick note - out of the six belugas, three are usually on performing duty, so you'll meet two of the remaining three. They rotate, so you never know who you'll get, although our encounter centered on Kayavak. Oh, and on your way to the encounter get ready to be paraded through the regular beluga exhibit and have people grab at you and beg to know your in. Oh, and expect lots of "Are you wearing those, because like, you're actually going in the water!?" Yes, fool. That's how I roll.
Our trainer for the thirty minutes in the water was Tim, and he was the best. Noticing my ma wasn't the most comfortable in the huge waders (they are super thick to insulate against the fifty-five degree water and suction on to you, but trap air, so you need to shuffle your feet at all times), he let her hold on to his shoulder the whole time. He answered all questions, and even let me do an extra trick or two. Did you know that bump on the top of the beluga's head is called a melon, is filled with oil, and they can move it back and forth? Well, now you do. The belugas are also called the canaries of the sea because they're so vocal with all their chirps. They also love to have their tongues tickled. So dirty. The whole experience was amazing - and as everyone at the Shedd emphasized, during the encounters they are there to cater to you. They really want you to enjoy the experience, love the animals as much as they do, and count down the days until you can come back. And it worked. I'd recommend the Beluga Encounter to everyone, and better yet, it's discounted through the holidays. So if you haven't finished your holiday shopping yet, I just did it for you. -
Review from Justin M.
Des Plaines, IL
10/30/2011
First of all this is the second time I've been here and both times were not to good although the first was better than the second. The upgrade tickets to the water show is not even worth the 2 dollars!!! Horrible...The guy just talks the whole time and their isn't even really a show. They try to educate you on how they train the animal which is okay but not for the whole show. We want to see something
cool like dolphins jumping, not just rubbing their tongues and feeding them. Horrible. Horrible. Horrible. If you're in Chicago, I would advise you to do something more entertaining and cheap like watching cars drive by on Michigan Ave. Plus it's over populated by rude people and kids who cut in front of you. -
Review from Hitomi A.
Des Plaines, IL
10/30/2011
The most horrible aquarium I've ever been to!!
I would give three stars if it was free, but it was not a free day. With $35, you would get... Regular exhibits with zillion tourists with huge cameras blocking the view taking zillion pictures + 10minute very disappointing aquatic show (an annoying commentator went on and on about how they train dolphins, and all we got to see was trainers feeding the dolphins. No tricks, no jumps, no nothing) + jelly exhibit that was smaller than my grandmas bedroom with more tourists blocking everything...
So if you want to throw your money in a trash bin, you rather do that than visiting this hell hole. -
Review from Jamie F.
10/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
2.5 hours.
That's how long I waited outside *in the rain and cold* to get aquarium tickets.
My fam and I were desperate. It was the last activity on our to-do list in Chicago and my uncle got us free (basic) Shedd passes, which did not include any live animal demos/shows. By the time we got to the counter to upgrade our passes, the aquatic show was already SOLD OUT :( No show tickets = no beluga whale, no dolphins, no touch pools, no presentations/talks, no animal feedings, nada. If we had known sooner, we wouldn't even have lined up!
So what did we see? Not much. The hoards of people pretty much blocked everything in sight. It was a weekday too! And the main fish tank? Well, I've seen bigger (that's what she said?)
Needless to say, I was very disappointed with the hyped up exhibits and expected better. The one good thing about the Shedd is that it makes me appreciate my hometown aquarium (New England) so much more.Listed in: Chi-town!
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Review from Alexander W.
Houston, TX
11/16/2011 7 photos
Shedd off your clothes and come swim with the dolphins! Shedd Aquarium is a great experience for people of all ages. I first came here as a kid, when it was the largest aquarium in the world. Now 15 years later, is it too late to go back to school and become a marine biologist?
Exhibits of sharks, jellyfish, and seahorsies are here to entertain your ocean induced fantasies. The price is a little steep for the all access pass. I think you can do without the 3-D movies and special exhibits. The dolphin show is entertaining but I expected a little bit more. -
Review from Christine K.
San Diego, CA
11/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
This aquarium is suffocatingly stuffy on the first floor. The jelly exhibit was very interesting and the seashorses are extraordinary if you haven't watched them swim around before.
I spent a couple hours there and the best part was probably the Jelly exhibit going on currently. Compared to other aquariums, it doesn't particularly stand out. -
Review from V S.
Elgin, IL
1/6/2012
I LOVE this place, especially the awesome Penguin display in the basement area!! The dolphin show bored the heck out of me but I'm sure little kids love it.
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Review from Denise J.
Hampshire, IL
1/4/2012
Make sure you save your pennies!!! to just walk in the door with all the exibits is over 30 bucks...YIKES!!! with that being said, my nephew loves this place so we always make it a point to go so he can see all the fishies : ) We got there as soon as the door opened so our line was only about 10 minutes, not bad at all!!! when we were leaving at about 1pm the line was wrapped around the building and they were saying it was about an hour wait....ummmm no thanks.....i dont think I'd wait that long for fish!!
All the animals are in good health and very active and fun to watch, and the new jellyfish exibit is AWESOME and I could have watched them for hours....but we had to move on.
Also they have stands all over trying to sell food, toys, drinks, etc. Not easy to get by them with a child, so bring extra money for those things....and believe me you couldnt pass all those carts of food without buying at least one thing anyway.
**Buy the ticket for all the exibits or you will have to get back in line if decide to see them later**more money but less of a hassle later when you want to see those cute animals** -
Review from Jake L.
Santa Monica, CA
10/18/2011
I expect better.
The view, location, and grounds cannot be beat.
I wish they'd take this place to the next level and perhaps limit the number of people that are allowed there at a time. I mean, there has to be some sort of fire code?
The two times I've been I've been over-run by school-aged kids on field trips. -
Review from Mimi T.
10/31/2011
This aquarium is awesome! I can just spend the entire day here if I could, but there's too much to do in the very little time that I have in Chicago. Maybe next time.
I had purchased a Chicago CityPass, (I HIGHLY RECOMMEND ya'll purchase one too because the line was ridiculously long outside.) So I got to bypass that long line that started inside at the ticketing counter all the way down to the outside of the bottom of the aquarium steps. Or maybe you should just avoid weekends all together and come during a weekday. The CityPass gets you into everything: water show, 4-D movie, and the jellies exhibit.
I phoned in my reservations for the Penguin Encounter weeks in advance. It's only offered on weekends (Fri-Sun), and only 10 spaces per time slot. It lasts a little less than 2 hours. I got to see the penguin just right there at my feet, and she was behaving really well that morning, so the trainer let us pet her. Awesome! It comes with a complimentary photo. You can buy other pictures too at an additional price. (They have all the pictures printed out, so it guilt trips you to buy it because if you don't, they keep it for awhile and then recycle it. I felt like that's such a waste.) All this for $30 because I had already purchased an admission ticket.
This is a super kid-friendly place. Lots of kids running around on weekends. They're super cute, but annoying at the same time. They're just everywhere. LoL -
Review from Kristin C.
Redmond, WA
9/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
Even though I am an adult with no children, I still LOVE Aquariums. I love Zoos too, but I have always been a huge fan of marine mammals, so the Shedd Aquarium is fantastic. I have been to a number of Aquariums including Monterrey Bay, Seattle, Vancouver and the London Aquariums, and this one definitely ranks among the best. I noticed someone said the Seattle Aquarium was better, and I can guarantee you that it is NOT, it's not even close.
I strongly suggest you get the City Pass, for $76 you get entrance to 5 museums including the Aquarium, and I think the Aquarium alone is worth it. You get the $35 entrance which includes a 4D show and special VIP seating to the Aquatic Show and the Jellies Exhibition. You also get VIP entrance, which can save you an hour because the line to get tickets later in the day is crazy. I also suggest getting here right when they open because after noon its too crowded.
I loved the Beluga whales! They are so beautiful. I watched one of the training sessions and it was awesome. I love the fact that they have both an above ground and underwater exhibit. My favorite place to relax at aquariums is right in front of the underwater viewing area of the dolphins and whales. The penguins are super adorable too, and as always, I loved the dolphins. Mr. Sea Lion was super noisy though, I don't think he appreciated all the attention the Belugas got.
This place is huge, and seeing everything would take a very long time. We were there for over 3 hours and still probably only saw half of the Aquarium.
This place is fantastic though, and I definitely suggest making a trip here. If you plan on doing the Field Museum and the Aquarium in the same day, I suggest coming here first and then going to the Field, the Field isn't as crowded later in the day as the Shedd.Listed in: Chicago!
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Review from Alan K.
10/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Hooray for free days. (For Illinois Residents) I had just recently moved here and I didn't really had proof that I had just moved here except for my Chicago Card. I mean there is no reason to have a Chicago card if you don't actually live in Chicago so that made sense to them and they let me in for free.
I think that families can get great benefit to this exhibit, especially children who are intrigued by water dwelling creatures. The first portion of the aquarium smelled kinda funky, but that dissipated as you went into the exhibits that were not exposed to the outside.
This aquarium has a huge variety of water creatures from all over the world. I did not go into the paid exhibits because my ticket only included the free ones such as the Caribbean Reef, Waters of the World and Amazon Rising,.However, if it is indicative of the creates I did see, the other paid exhibits such Abbott Oceanarium, Polar Play Zone, and Jellies special exhibit would have been as intriguing. -
Review from Larena H.
9/15/2011
This is a great aquarium! It is the best aquarium I have ever been to. The aquarium as a whole is HUGE. It's a gorgeous location too. The architecture is very nice too.
When we visited, we decided to make a penguin friend by paying a few extra bucks for the penguin experience. That was totally worth it! Well, it was much cheaper about a year and a half ago, but still. You get to pet a little penguin and watch them up close. They're very curious little creatures. They even took a photo of us when we pet our new penguin friend, but that might have been a part of their promotion since they were just starting the program. I had never been that close to a penguin before. They're so darn cute! I mean, how could you not like making a new penguin friend? Which reminds me... Hey, penguin number 926, do you still even remember me? You never call.. some friend you are! Well, I haven't called either, so I guess I can't be too mad at you.
The "Believe" show is pretty cute too (at least I think that was the name). They brought out the penguins towards the end of the show, so make sure you try to get a front row seat if you don't want to pay for the penguin encounter. Maybe you'll get to see a penguin up close that way. I doubt they'll let you pet them though since they require everyone wash their hands and shoes very thoroughly before doing the penguin in the encounter. Apparently they can get spooked pretty easily, so be cool about it and make sure your kids don't "rush" the penguins. I know, that's hard ;)
This place is massive, and they even have the longest surviving aquarium fish in the world! He is an Australian lungfish named Granddad, and he's been with the aquarium since 1933. He's the oldest fish in the aquarium, and has survived longer than any fish in all the aquariums of the world. That's pretty amazing! If you have a difficult time finding him, just ask any one of the staff members.
If you have kids or if you don't have kids, this is still a great place to visit. Sure, the place is covered in kid, but you can still be amazed at the beauty within.
Tip: definitely purchase your tickets in advance. The lines here can get pretty long, and you don't want to waste a large majority of your time in line. -
Review from Kathy D.
9/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
The biggest and most favorite aquarium that I have been to. Keywords: That I have been to.
VIP ticket passes = no lines = SCORE in the morning
4D Happy Feet Show = Cute = Poked too hard by 4D effect but I loved it
Aquatic Show = cute dolphins and tricks = more action would be even BETTER!
Exhibit styles = very organized and informative since it is by region
Stayed there for about half day = Priceless and well worth it with the views of the lake!
Jellyfish and Seahorse exhibits are not that impressive compared to Monterey Bay Aquarium though fyi.
If it is your first time in chicago, it is a must at least once!Listed in: Chi-Town
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Review from Annie N.
10/12/2011
Maybe it was because fishes aren't as cute as other animals (I blame it on their lack of fur); maybe it was also because everything was behind a glass (including the huge snake which I was more than ok with); or maybe it was the crazy crowd there .... but honestly, I was not at all impressed by this aquarium!
Their collections aren't nothing special. I guess after a while viewing fishes, it get boring. Unless Marlin and Dory were in one of those tank, I was not entertained at all by those fishes! They have a huge tank in the middle with lots and lots of fishes swimming around, which was a little bit fun to watch for a while, especially the sharks.
I did wanted to see their jellyfish exhibition but I didn't want to pay for it. Booo... lots of their stuffs are extra and it'd expensive to see it all. I'm not sure if I would recommend this to others!
Their Beluga Whales though, are the cutest! I used to think they are ugly but I fell in love with them watching a TV special about them --- they do have a program to let you go in and play with the whale... for a cost of about $250. If you have the money, I'd daresay it's worth it.Listed in: Host Duty
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Review from Dishan W.
11/28/2011
This was one of my most looked forward to attractions on my recent trip to Chicago. I was extra happy when I heard they had a special Jellyfish exhibit going on (because who does not love Jellyfish!?). Overall I left very happy with the Shedd but reasons for 4 and not 5 stars are:
- The fact that the 4D cinema playing Happy Feet and Dora when their "Planet Earth" showing (sort of a quick recap of some of the scenes from the show) was really well done and the 4D effects were not even that annoying. I understand that kids love the cartoons and those 2 shows did have the longer lines but I still feel like they could cut down on the kiddy oriented shows. Or better...get rid of the 4D theatre and get more fish in there!
- The show was not impressive. I admit they did say at the start that we were the test audience for their holiday show and as a result the animals might not know some of the stunts. Obviously there is no way of knowing how much the dolphins and beluga's missed out on to my untrained eye but I would hope the actual show was more impressive and involves less singing by a trio and appearances by Santa. And the show seemed to be more for cheap thrills than actually trying to educate the audience about
- This is somewhat nerdy, but I do wish they had more info on their specimems, I realise not a lot of people that visit have a lot of interest in all their animals but it would be nice to know more info on the animals.
-And I've been to a couple or so other highly impressive aquariums and compared to them the Shedd does fall short a bit, so this 4 star review is because I know that there are some stellar 5 star worthy ones out there.
I realise that most of my review has been criticising the Shedd, but in reality I did love my time here, they have a very impressive collection of animals and the fact that they had an actual monkey in the Amazon exhibit was a huge plus in terms of showmanship but I don't want to think about how it must feel to be the only arboreal mammal in this place. Staff are friendly and very interactive and I really do wish I got a chance to see one of their "animal encounters". I recommend basically all their exhibits because everything has certain "can't miss" aspects to them. And the jellyfish exhibit is definitely a can't miss. Those things are so damn interesting to stare at!!Listed in: 5 Chicago Days
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Review from Katelyn C.
Chicago, IL
12/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
I absolutely love the Sedd. Definitely a day trip always remembered ever since I was a munchkin. My mother and I travel, A LOT, and it seems that almost every city we go to we end up seeing a zoo or animals, in some way or another. Being from Chicago we have been to the Shed I do not know how many times over the years. Yet, this last time was quite disappointing.
We were super excited to see the Jellyfish exhibit but it was rather small, and not more than 10 different species. Although, I do have to give them credit on a great learning experience; I would definitely recommend reading every sign that is posted because it is very interesting, educational, and commonly unknown knowledge. The exhibit still could have been larger since they are specifically advertising for jellyfish.
We came here about two weeks before Christmas and the dining area and main entrance was so loud with kids screaming I could barely hear myself think. I was ran into and mistreated by so many school children it was ridiculous. Granted, I tend to dislike children all together, but these children were outright obnoxious. Those children don't need to go to the aquarium, they need to go to adequate and manners classes; Seriously. I understand this has nothing to do with the Sedd itself, but I needed to vent a little since those horrific children almost ruined my whole trip.
The windows of the otters and penguins could be cleaned a little more often so you can view/take pictures more readily. On the flip side, the Philippines exhibit was more than amazing. It was like a little hidden gem of quietness and relaxation.
All in all, not even a group of horrifically ill-mannered school children could ruin my experience. -
Review from Leslie S.
9/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
If you like Sea World, this is as close to Sea World quality as you can get in the Midwest from my humble experience.
The Aquatic Show is a must. They start seating 30 mins ahead of time and ask that you arrive no later than 15 mins ahead of time. Go when they first start seating. It's always busy and fills up quickly. While you wait, enjoy a panoramic view of the lake and the Chicago skyline. Then visit the beluga whales, otters, sea lions, and penguins among others after the show.
Wild Reef has a beautiful and huge aquarium complete with large sharks, not just the little guys you saw in the Caribbean Reef aquarium. Just past the large aquarium, there is a dark aquarium that most just walk by. Read the blurb and check out the little fish that light up their eyes.
The Jellies special exhibit was cool, but a lot of people get released into a smaller space with mostly small aquariums, and it can be difficult getting your turn to read the narratives, take a photo, and check out the jellyfish without getting stepped on, bumped into, walked in front of, etc.
Check out one of the dive times at the Carribbean Reef aquarium, the large round aquarium in the middle of Shedd when you first enter. These are always fun and informative. There's a diver in the tank, feeding the fish, and interacting with the speaker outside and the audience.
In the other regular tanks, they have a near-80 yr old lung fish that is the oldest fish in any aquarium...in the country...in the world, I'm not sure. There are some pretty cool seahorses, frogs, and other fish, too.
This and the Art Institute are two of my favorite things to do in Chicago. -
Review from Grace J.
South Pasadena, CA
10/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Looooveee the jellyfish..but the penguin exhibit was closed the day we went for cleaning =*(.
The water show with dolphins was very very very anticlimactic...but overall an enjoyable time.
