During the renovation, the belugas, Pacific white-sided dolphins and other Oceanarium animals will be in the good care of several aquariums and zoos around the country that are accredited by the same organizations that accredit Shedd: the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums. Many of our trainers are accompanying the animals, and they’ll send regular updates and photos for the Web site during the nine months that they all are away.

Please note: The rest of the aquarium will remain open throughout the work on the Oceanarium. You can still visit about 25,900 animals in the Waters of the World galleries, the Caribbean Reef, Wild Reef and Amazon Rising, including such favorites as sea turtle Nickel and Australian lungfish Granddad, the oldest fish in a public aquarium in the world. And you can still experience sense-sational short features (while you rest your feet) in our popular 4-D Special FX Theater. Also look for exciting new activities: a dive presentation in the shark habitat of Wild Reef; new animal encounters; behind-the-scenes tours in the aquarium; and a new interactive program called “Aquarist for a Day.”