You'll be amazed by the amazing animals that live at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium – all 32,600 of them! Counting every coral polyp, there is actually more than a million that call this leading education and conservation institution home.
SPECIAL EXHIBITS & SHOWS
At the newest exhibit Stingray Touch, reach into the waters and feel the slippery soft wings of these gentle gliding creatures. Awe-inspiring and always on the move, the cownose and yellow rays on display are just two of the 70+ species of stingrays in the wild. At the Shedd, connect with them in an up-close and educational way. The exibit's 20,000-gallon, interactive touch pool is filled with approximately 40 stingrays under a tented habitat that spans more than 1,400 square feet on the aquarium's outdoor south terrace.. Open for a limited time May 17 through fall 2013, this is the largest outdoor special exhibit of its kind in Shedd history.
Check out the Shedd's special exhibit Jellies, and learn about this fascinating species without bones or brains! Extended through 2013, Jellies has mesmerized over 1.1 million guests since its opening. Encounter more than 10 different species – from beautiful and translucent moon jellies, to unique upside-down jellies, to a variety of intriguing and eerie sea nettles. As you dive through the interactive and educational experiences, you'll be drawn by the jellies' gentle movements and learn their secrets, such as how their simple bodies have allowed them to survive for millions of years.
PERMANENT EXHIBITIONS
Visit the Pacific Northwest in the Abbott Oceanarium and get up-close and personal with whales, dolphins, sea otters, sea lions, and more. Take a walk through a lush temperate rain forest, and head to the coastline where you'll discover the surprisingly diverse habitats in the cold waters along the ocean coast. Check out the various pools where you can find beluga whales and Pacific white-sided dolphins.
Also, be sure to make a special journey to see the penguins! Since penguins don't live in the Pacific Northwest, they get their own special habitat within the Oceanarium. Finally, take your little explorers through the Polar Play Zone where they can pet sea stars, try on a penguin suit, and more!
Take a 360 degree tour of an underwater reef community in the Caribbean Reef. Watch over 70 species including sea turtles, sharks, and stingrays glide through the water. Check out the colorful corals and sponges, and if you are lucky, watch as divers feed the animals and talk to guests through underwater microphones.
Go on an exotic journey in Amazon Rising, and watch out for anacondas and piranhas, spiders, rays and crocodiles. Then visit the Wild Reef, to get diver's-eye view of sharks, eels, and more.
Dive into oceans and explore lakes in Waters of the World. Get tickets for the fascinating 4-D theater where you'll watch a 3-D projection from "special FX" seats that will thrill you with wind, strange and wonderful smells, tickles, and other exciting surprises! Or check out the Aquatic Show to watch dolphins soar and belugas dance.
