Shedd Aquarium

Welcome to the John G. Shedd Aquarium. …

Our journey begins at the physical and conceptual heart of the aquarium: the Caribbean Reef. Situated directly beneath the central octagonal dome, this massive, ninety-thousand-gallon circular tank offers a spectacular,…

Stepping into the 'Amazon Rising' exhibit, the environmental parameters shift dramatically. The lighting becomes dappled, simulating the dense canopy of the South American rainforest, and the air grows noticeably warmer and more…

We now descend an elevator into the depths of the 'Wild Reef' exhibit, which replicates the high-energy, biodiverse ecosystem of Apo Island in the Philippines. The architectural transition is striking; you are brought below…

Moving to the eastern side of the building, the space opens up dramatically into the Abbott Oceanarium. This colossal pavilion was constructed in 1991 to recreate the rugged coastal ecosystem of the Pacific Northwest. …

Located beneath the Oceanarium is the Polar Play Zone, an exhibit that plunges you into the frigid, high-contrast environments of the extreme northern and southern hemispheres. The temperature is noticeably cooler here, a…

Before we conclude, it is fitting to visit the 'At Home on the Great Lakes' exhibit. Having traveled the globe from the Amazon to the Arctic, this gallery brings our focus back to our immediate surroundings. …

As we conclude our tour of the Shedd Aquarium and walk back toward the grand foyer, let the sheer diversity of life you have witnessed sink in. Under this single roof, we have traversed oceans, flooded rainforests, and icy…