Save 50% on premium admission to the top 5 Chicago attractions with CityPASS.
Chicago CityPASS Attractions are Reopening!
Advance reservations are required at some attractions; learn more and plan your visit.
The safety of guests is a top priority for attractions; see visitor safety measures.
If you'd like to be notified when the majority of attractions have reopened, please sign up here.
Highlights
- Travel the world in 80 habitats and see some of the world’s most fascinating animals in Waters of the World.
- Learn about the yearly flood cycle of the mighty Amazon and see piranhas, tarantulas, stingrays, monkeys and an anaconda in Amazon Rising.
- Splash into a coral reef in the Philippines and get a diver’s-eye view of a diverse marine metropolis in the award-winning Wild Reef, home to more sharks, stingrays and live coral than any other exhibit at Shedd.
- Immerse yourself in the vibrant coastal ecosystem of the Pacific Northwest and encounter beluga whales, Pacific white-sided dolphins, sea lions and sea otters in the Abbot Oceanarium.
- Watch your kids as they try out life as a sleek sliding penguin or a deep-sea submarine explorer in Polar Play Zone.
Shedd Aquarium is home to Pacific White-Sided dolphins.
Take a 360-degree tour of an underwater reef community.
The 90,000-gallon Caribbean Reef exhibit, at the hub of Shedd's original galleries, is a great place to start your visit.
Visit the dolphins in the Abbot Oceanarium's underwater viewing area.
See clownfish in the Waters of the World exhibit.
With no bones, no brains and no blood, jellies aren't fish at all.
The 14-foot sawfish has a razor-sharp bill.
Beluga whales are the only all-white whale species.
At Home on the Great Lakes highlights some of the Chicago region's most notable — and notorious — animals.
Shedd is a leader in rehabbing and raising sea otter infants which stemmed from the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill.
Visit the Magellanic penguins, as well as the rockhoppers, in the Polar Play Zone at Shedd.
Location
SHEDD AQUARIUM
Museum Campus Chicago
1200 South Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60605
View Map
Contact
Hours
Daily, 9am-5pm
Closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Occasional extended hours or early closures may be possible. Please call ahead to verify hours.
(312) 939-2438
sheddaquarium.org
Offers/Upgrades
4-D Experience: CityPASS includes your choice of a 4-D Experience, subject to availability; see details.
Penguin Encounter: Shedd's most popular experience is offered Fri-Sun (7 days a week in the summer). Children must be at least 6 years old, and children 6 to 11 must be accompanied by a paying guardian. One chaperone is required for each 6-year-old. Reservations are strongly required as Penguin Encounters sell out months in advance. Cost for CityPASS holders: $94.95. Call (312) 692-3355 to check availability and make reservations.
Behind-the-Scenes-Tour: See Shedd from the perspective of our animal care staff during a 50-minute guided behind-the-scenes tour. Available Fri-Sun (7 days a week in the summer). Children must be age 7 or older. Guests ages 7-15 must be accompanied by a paying adult (18 or older). Reservations are recommended. Cost for CityPASS holders: $20. Call (312) 692-2723 to check availability and make reservations.
Virtual Reality Experience: Add a Virtual Reality Experience for just $7/person (regular $9); see booklet or CityPASS travel guide for details
Discount: Get 10% off a purchase of greater than $50 in the Shedd Store; see booklet or CityPASS travel guide for details.
Advice for Visitors
Tips:
- Check out daily dives, feedings, animal chats, and presentations schedules; see details.
- For everything you need to know to plan your visit, click here.
- The aquatic presentations are available on a first-come, first-served basis and can sell out. Upon arrival, we suggest going directly to the kiosks in the North Lobby in front of Soundings Café to reserve your seats.
- Please note that CityPASS guests may experience wait times on peak days (weekends, holidays, summer, Illinois Resident Free Days).
Amenities:
- Dining: Soundings Café, Bubble Net, Deep Ocean Café
- Gift Shops: Shedd Store
Best time to visit: Monday through Thursday and mornings before 11am are least crowded. Arrive early for the best selection of show times for the aquatic presentation, which often sells out on busy days.
Accessibility: Find accessibility information here. For guests who require sensory support, Shedd Aquarium has a sensory-friendly app; find details here.
Parking/Transportation: Click here for information on parking, transportation and directions.
Groups: Groups of 15 or more: Keep booklets together and present to a Shedd representative. Group leader will be directed to priority entrance location to check in the entire group.