Shedd Aquarium

At Shedd Aquarium, our mission is to spark compassion, curiosity and conservation for the aquatic animal world by inviting guests to look nature in the eye. We have officially reopened to the public, and we have stringent measures in place to create a safe and enriching experience. Whether you visit our special Underwater Beauty exhibit or watch sharks glide overhead in Wild Reef in-person, or you visit us from afar through our Virtual Encounters, there’s always more to explore at Shedd. From belugas to bluegill and from sea otters to sea turtles, discover the wonder of the aquatic animal world.

Shedd Aquarium has developed a phased approach to reopening that includes new protocols such as highly limited admission capacity, safe social distancing and increased air filtration, cleaning and sanitation measures throughout the 276,000 square feet of public space at the aquarium. New visitation requirements will also allow guests to safely stretch their wings and visit animals from green-winged macaws to red-bellied piranhas. Full operational adjustments and know-before-you-go information is available at our website. Among those include:

•New, separate entrance and exit points
•Limited hourly building capacity
•Timed-admission to maintain an even flow of guests throughout the day
•Required face coverings (ages 2+)
•Social distancing of at least 6 feet required
•Circulation paths to encourage one-directional flow
•Additional handwashing and sanitization stations
•Expanded sanitization and cleaning regimen, including frequently scheduled cleaning on high-touch surfaces and deep cleanings every night
•Physical barriers installed in places where social distancing cannot be maintained
•Temporarily pausing experiences such as aquatic presentations to reduce large gatherings and groups

At Shedd Aquarium, animals connect you to the living world, inspiring you to make a difference. From whales to snails, tarantulas to turtles, you’ll meet 32,500 creatures from aquatic habitats around the world. Explore Shedd’s Abbott Oceanarium, where you can get face to face with beluga whales, dolphins, sea otters, sea lions and penguins. Polar Play Zone is a permanent exhibit where kids and their families can play, pretend and discover through hands-on activities. See the aquatic show, starring the dolphins, belugas and more, and don’t miss the “Jellies” special exhibit. Then meet some of Shedd’s critters up close during live animal encounters in the Waters of the World galleries, talk to a diver in the 90,000-gallon Caribbean Reef, take a walk through a flooded forest in Amazon Rising and watch sharks overhead in Wild Reef. And visit Granddad, the oldest fish in any aquarium or zoo! Two million annual visitors can’t be wrong: Shedd Aquarium is the “must-sea” destination in Chicago!