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Shedd Aquarium

See penguins fly through chilly waters, spot sleek sharks cruising overhead, and count the suckers on an octopus’s arms. At Shedd Aquarium, look nature in the eye, investigate, and discover the wonder of the aquatic animal world.

Chicago CityPASS includes:

General Admission Plus a 4-D Experience – All-access admission includes all exhibits, Animal Spotlights, and seasonal Stingray Touch, plus a 4-D Experience (subject to availability; closed for renovation Jan. 5 - April 30, 2026).

Chicago C3 includes:

General Admission – All-access admission includes all exhibits, Animal Spotlights, and seasonal Stingray Touch.

Highlights

  1. 01.

    Step between two distinctly rich environments, freshwater and saltwater, and experience what life looks like beneath the water’s surface in the new Wonder of Water exhibit.

  2. 02.

    Travel through the Amazon River Basin in Amazon Rising, where you’ll encounter ancient arapaima, elusive electric eels, and a massive anaconda, perfectly adapted for life in a seasonally changing aquatic environment.

  3. 03.

    Splash into a coral reef and get a diver’s-eye view of a diverse marine metropolis, including sharks and stingrays, in the award-winning Wild Reef exhibit.

Visit Shedd Aquarium with CityPASS®

CityPASS® tickets offer multiple great ways to see Shedd Aquarium. No matter which you choose, you'll save.

Compare All Chicago Tickets

Advice for Visitors

Tips

Best Time to Visit

Monday through Thursday and mornings before 11am are least crowded.

The aquarium is evolving! Shedd is in the process of creating dynamic new exhibits and experiences that will provide greater and more accessible entry points to connect with aquatic life. During this transformation, select experiences may be unavailable to guests. The 4-D Experience will be closed Jan. 5 - April 30, 2026. Learn more about Shedd's Experience Evolution.

Be sure to stop at the Shedd Store where you'll find something for everyone, including sustainably made toys, plushes, apparel, accessories, water bottles, mugs and much more. Your purchases directly support Shedd’s mission to spark compassion, curiosity and conservation for the aquatic animal world.

To get the full experience, allow about two and a half hours for your visit. If you're short on time, don't miss the sharks in Wild Reef.

Learn more on the CityPASS Blog about what you'll see at Shedd Aquarium.

Shedd Aquarium holds free hours for Illinois residents throughout the year. If you're planning on visiting during one of these times, we recommend making reservations in advance, as the aquarium is busier than usual and can sell out.

Attraction Features

Amenities

Dining: Bubble Net food court, Soundings Café, Deep Ocean Café (seasonal), Popcorn Kiosk, Farmer's Fridge and vending machines; Any food or drink you bring or purchase must be consumed in designated dining areas. Explore the dining options.

Gift Shops: Shedd Store. Or, shop online here.

Accessibility

Shedd’s exhibits, restrooms, and most behind-the-scenes program locations are fully accessible. Learn more.

Parking/Transportation

Learn about getting to Shedd, including parking, transportation and directions. Valet parking is available most weekends.

Offers & Upgrades

10% off Your Purchase

Get 10% off your purchase of $50 or more at the Shedd Store.

$2 off a Virtual Reality Experience

Add a Virtual Reality Experience at a discounted price!

$2 Off 4-D Experience

Add a 4-D Experience at a discounted price! (Note: The 4-D Experience will be closed for renovation Jan. 5 - April 30, 2026.)

20% Off Must See Tour

Experience the best of Shedd on this 75-minute Must See guided tour. Explore the aquarium — and even go behind the scenes — with an enthusiastic guide! Sit in the best seats in the house for an Animal Spotlight; chat with an animal-care expert; touch a slimy, soft sea jelly; and enjoy more can’t-miss experiences. Have a limited time to see everything at Shedd? The Must See Tour is the perfect way to hit several highlights in just over an hour.

Contact Information & Hours

  • Shedd Aquarium
  • Museum Campus Chicago
  • 1200 S DuSable Lake Shore Drive
  • Chicago, IL 60605

Hours vary by day and season; check hours here when planning your visit.

Ticket sales end two hours before close; last entry is 45 minutes before close.

Closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

Read reviews from CityPASS® travelers.

Chicago CityPASS
Vacationing with a family of 5
We have purchased CityPASS now for three cities: Southern California, New York and now Chicago. We have a family of 5 and this makes planning so easy and affordable!! Not to mention not standing in line for tickets!!!
Chicago CityPASS
The CityPASS was the perfect way to plan our stay in Chicago. I was able to show my daughter my favorite places in Chicago, and a few others as well. The CityPASS provided a better price, and skipping to the front of the line was like icing on the cake!.
Wonderful week in Chicago!
After doing much research about CityPASS and other group admission passes of the like, I knew I had to get the CityPASS. Chicago CityPASS gets you into 5 of the top sightseeing places - with an upgraded admission!
Great Price
My family came to visit us from Colombia. It was their first time in the states and I wanted to make sure their first vacation was more than what they expected it to be. When I came across the Chicago CityPASS online I knew it was just what I needed to make their trip memorable.
CityPASS Saved My Vacation and Marriage
We used Chicago CityPASS recently and it was a not only a vacation saver but a marriage saver. My husband and I would typically argue about which way to go and what to do next. The CityPASS was easy to use and offered detailed information as well as discounts.
Chicago CityPASS is rated 4.7 out of 5 by 14465.
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great value We bought CityPASS for our trip to Chicago, and it was 100% worth it. The price was more than fair, and having all the tickets in one place was a bonus. We will definitely consider this option if we travel to any other cities they have offerings for!
Date published: 2026-03-12
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Certainly useful and comfortable I used CityPASS for a two day trip and I think was the best thing I could've done, I did all the five activities I selected with no complications. I think this pass is better than others since it is realistic in terms of time, the fact that gives you 9 days to do all your five activities and doesn't increase the price for days is good so you can really enjoy the visit.
Date published: 2026-03-11
Rated 3 out of 5 by from Better for totally new visitors to an area. While it is true that CityPASS did save me money overall on the places we visited, I found the descriptions of the attractions to be a bit misleading, especially the "What is Included " in several of thje museum packages. An example, the Field Museum recently changed their policy and you do NOT get a choice between the two exhibitions or the 3D movies. Fortunately for us, one of the staff there was willing to make an exception for us when we pointed out what was on the CityPASS page of the download. But there were other issues at other venues that I though should have been clearer in the CItyPASS descriptions .For someone totally unfamiliar with an area it is probably a good way to see some key sites in a city. But for someone who was very familiar with the city, it was kind of a letdown.
Date published: 2026-03-07
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Perfect way to get to see many sought-after venues CityPASS was a perfect way to see so many of the highly sought-after activities in Chicago. It was definitely worth the price, easy to use, and I am so glad that I decided to purchase them.
Date published: 2026-03-01
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Excellent I found the CityPASS to be very worthwhile. We were able to access all the attractions included, and I thought the cost was excellent. The access and ticket delivery were very easy, all through the app, and I didn’t have any problems at all. I highly recommend it with confidence.
Date published: 2026-02-26
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All images courtesy of Shedd Aquarium / Header image: Brenna Hernandez