Shedd Aquarium Reviews

This is over rated. We did not pay for our tickets as my son is active military and we all get in for free.

I do t need to go back. Also, the crowds were fierce. This did not affect my review. I expected the business due to the Memorial Weekend

Not worth the entrance fee, too many stairs or long queue for lift. Food options poor and expensive. Renovation outside so you have to walk around to new entrance. No map, so just guess your way around. Don’t bother, go to Lincoln Park zoo instead, better and free!

Probably the better of the museums /exhibits in Chicago. very updated with a lot to see. you'll spend about 2 - 3 hours there. There is a lot of interactive displays and the staff was great. Worth the price. Hint: get your tickets on-line ahead of time and avoid the lines

Shedd had an extraordinary broad collection of very exotic sea creatures well presented in a well-laid out easily walked environment. However, they do let a few-too-many people in to see the exhibits on holidays, when it gets extremely crowded in inside and hard to view the exhibits.

We arrived at opening time, and headed down to the lowest level… and were able to enjoy the touch-a-sea-star exhibit before crowds arrived. We saw the Octopus 4D show and it was both fun and informative.

Always fun and nice but always packed and hard to move around. Dolphin shows are on the high end and upsetting when on a budget in town. Always great upset and never smells like dead fish.

The Shedd Aquarium is an awesome place to take your kids. They love it. However, the shows they put on have went downhill. We went to show with beluga whales. Was only 10 minutes. Years, previously, shows were 30 minutes or more. You barely get seated, and it was over.

They did have some 4D shows this time. My Granddaughter chose to see the sharks. ( must purchase tickets) That was really cool! Loved it.

There is also a few hands-on adventures, such as petting Sting Ray's, Star Fish, and Sturgeons. The kids seemed to enjoy that, also.

Overall, it was a nice place to visit.

I hadn't been to the Shedd aquarium since I was about 10 years old so I didn't remember much about it other than I really loved the experience. I'm happy to say that over 25 years later when I returned, I left with the same feeling. I opted to purchase the extra 4D Blue Planet Octopus experience for my husband and I and it was totally worth it! We also stuck around to see one of the free shows, which was a highlight on sea lions. I wish it would have been just a little bit longer, but it was still worth our time. The other exhibits, even though some of them were closed for renovations, were engaging and fascinating. I look forward to returning again after the renovations are completed to see the changes!

We got this attraction as part of a city pass which is a great way to get it at a better cost. We when early morning so there was not lines to get in. Staff was great and respectful. Is a great experience for people of all ages. Can't wait to see the addition that will extend to the lake. I will take you a good 4-5 hrs. if not more to look all around at a slow pace in order to enjoy all the tanks.

Wonderful experience for someone who truly loves marine life! I wanted to go with my boyfriend to an aquarium for the longest and Shedd was the perfect place to go. They have all different types of sea creatures and little interactive things for kids. This place is for all ages and I would definitely stop here if you have an hour or two to spare! 🦈🐚

The Shedd Aquarium is close to two other big activities, the Field Museum and the Adler Planetarium. It overlooks the beautiful Lake Michigan and is within walking distance of the train (metra) and bus.

The Shedd Aquarium is incredibly pricey for visitors. I have been to aquariums all over the world, and this is one of the most expensive ones I've visited. The visitor ticket is over double the price of the resident ticket. While I have no problem with paying more than a local, almost 60 USD per person is exaggerated. To make matters worse, the price point does not match the quality of the aquarium. For that price, I expect to be wowed, which did not happen.

Surprisingly, the aquarium is very small even though they have large mammals on display. The beluga tank is pretty crowded with 7 adult whales all in the same pool. The dolphin tank was empty when I went, so I can't comment on that one other than the water was very murky.

Despite there being no animals in the tank, there was a dolphin show at one point, although "show" is a strong word. The one I saw started at 12:30 and lasted 10 minutes. There were two dolphins in the pool who did a few tricks each, and then the rest of the time was spent on climate change and pollution awareness. I have nothing against this awareness message. In fact, I think it's very important to talk about these things and educate visitors. However, a ten minute talk can hardly be called a show.

Other than that, most of the exhibits were closed because the aquarium is undergoing renovations. That's understandable, but what is not understandable is, once again, the price of the ticket. Why would visitors pay the full price when most of the aquarium is closed and under repair? There should be reduced tickets until they wrap up their repairs. It feels like unsuspecting foreign visitors are being taken advantage of.

I would not recommend visiting the Shedd Aquarium, at least not until the renovations are completed. The visit currently takes less than an hour, unless you add to your visit a film viewing. However, why would you go out of your way to go to an aquarium to watch a movie? We go because we love animals and the oceans of our world, so that is what we should see.

Not much to say other than Shedd Aquarium is great, probably one of the best aquariums in the country. My favorites are definitely the sea otters and sea lions. The live animal shows are also a lot of fun. I honestly can't think of any downsides to the aquarium other than it can get quite busy and loud so be prepared for that. There are always lots of families enjoying Shedd.

Approx 30 years since I was last here. It is 3 floors of Duh, Aquatic animals. The top main floor has different wings with different regions and their aquatic friends. In the center is a massive circular fish tank that's a couple stories tall. The next floor down has the show room floor, where they have their shows with Seals, or Dolphins, or even small Whales. Just a warning the shows are only 10 minutes long. That floor also has the Dolphin and Whale tanks. Plus a couple of exhibits. Plus there's a beaver habitat. Finally the bottom floor allows you to see the dolphins and whales from under the water. Plus there's a Penguin habitat.

There is paid lockers at the beginning. I find that to be $5 that were well spent. Especially during winter.

The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable.

Overall an easy 5 star review. Would I return? Absolutely, a great way to spend 3 hours.

Yes, it's true; I'm a sea dragon freak. I don't get to see these amazing little creatures very often, and Shedd has them. So I bought my timed ticket (how I hate timed tickets!) for a Friday morning in early July, and off I went. My ticket was for the 10:00 to 10:30 AM slot; when I arrived just after 10, I was ushered right in.

I found my sea dragons quickly and am not ashamed to say I simply stood there and admired them for an abnormally long time. Also got to see some lovely sea horses. The huge tank upstairs is both a showpiece and a centerpiece---deservedly so. But there are amazing animals all over this aquarium; you just have to have a little patience with some exhibits, as some of the creatures like to hide.

I had deliberately avoided buying a ticket for Saturday or Sunday here, because I was sure both would be jam-packed. Unfortunately, on the day I attended, I believe that every camp within a 50 mile radius had sent the majority of their campers, if not all of them. The place was quickly brimful of small children, and it got to be so crowded and so obnoxious I had to leave around 12:30. Thing is, I'm not sure just when this place would be less crowded; the Shedd is hugely popular. It's also quite pricey. I'm not sure I know a way around either.

The Shedd does have food options, but at this writing they also allow you to bring your own food, which you can eat in designated areas. You ought to think seriously about doing this. I had a sandwich at Soundings Cafe which was both expensive and inedible; surely even an aquarium can do better?

Overall, a really nice place to visit, but there are definitely some drawbacks.

I was very disappointed line were confusing and as soon as you enter they have you sit down and watch a seal eat some fish and do some tricks while we watch the dolphins in the background that did no tricks whatsoever, I had went to the Atlanta Aquarium and it is no comparison, they are charging way too much for this visit.

Normally I give top marks to such places, purely because you can learn so much, even as an adult. However I give low marks on this occasion, even though I still recommend to visit this place, if there is no similar aquarium in your area. In order to understand my logic, I will draw some similarities with similar places around USA and the world:

- parking: around 25 USD in a car park which was full even mid week, before lunch. While the car park belonged to the City of Chicago, it was across the road from the aquarium - Corpus Christi aquarium we saw a few weeks ago charged only 5 USD for example. Even reduced entry tickets purchased weeks in advance for ourselves were around 25 USD - everything is rather pricey
- several areas to eat inside the building, however everything looks old, lots of screaming kids everywhere and parents sitting like not caring - you cannot really have a meal with all these screams near you, right?
- inside, the building needs a good lick of paint, as opposed to Corpus Christi aquarium which looked amazing
- with the exception of the girl (around 5'9 tall, chestnut long-ish hair, mid '20s - around 11am on May 24th 2023) at the information desk who was very rude and sarcastic to me, the rest of the staff was nice and friendly. I asked this girl to advise me on how many levels are to plan our visit, as she kept re-emphasising several times, the map on display 'is for me only, you have to download your own map on your phone'. I am very good at reading maps and retaining info, I do not need her to repeat herself and tell me things I am not interested in, but just to answer a question. She then looked at the person on my right (who chose not to join the queue behind me) and pushed me aside as if there is no Covid still around......... or at least to show me some respect.

Positively, there are lots of varieties of fish to see well structured in tanks depending what area of the planet they come from, besides massive tanks with beluga whales, sharks, alligators, rays, a naughty sea lion and a very small area with penguins (even London zoo has a larger area for penguins). Despite being mid week, the place had lots of screaming kids, pushing you aside and misbehaving - I wonder if they learned anything? These screams give me lots of headaches and dizziness, no wonder I was left rather sick later on. I wish there were days or hours for adults only: I like learning anything just like when I was at Uni.

The Shedd Aquarium is a really nice place to visit. We went with only an hour to spare before closing and we were able to see a lot. They have a nice exhibit on the fish of the great lakes, an exhibit on sharks and coral, and of course the Caribbean reef, just to name a few. The staff was friendly and helpful. I was interested in seeing a puffer fish and one of the staff members pulled out their phone to reference an app in order to tell me where one might be. I was bummed that the touch tank with stingrays was not open - apparently it is seasonal from May to October. We used a City Pass to get in, and even though we didn't have a prescheduled time reservation - they helped us out at the ticket booths to get in. Glad we went, though one last thing, we had a really hard time getting a Lyft to pick us up from the area. Perhaps there is a preferred spot we did not know about, but we were waiting in the cold for some time, so plan ahead.

I could spend hours here. My 8 year old wanted to rush through a lot of it because he was mostly interested in the sharks and Beluga whales. But if you took time and really looked at each exhibit you could easily spend 4 hours or more. We saw the sea lion animal highlight show - Laguna did lots of cute tricks. Wanted to see the Beluga spotlight but they are only on the half hour and they don’t announce ahead of time which animals it will be (sea Lion, dolphin, Beluga). The shark 4D was 12 minutes long, loud and a bit scary - not worth it in my opinion. It was fairly busy on a Weds afternoon. Totally worth it in my opinion. My son enjoyed it too.

First, this aquarium is wonderful. The exhibits show tons of cool fish, coral, eels, dolphins etc. We watched a 4D movie about octopuses and that was fun too. I liked that the dolphin show was free with admission. The only negative was that the place was very crowded. It almost felt unsafe. We had advance tickets which was good because it was sold out the day we went. I wish the amount of tickets sold per day was less.

An enjoyable aquarium, definitely not anywhere close to the best we been to, but it was included with our City Pass, so we attended. Very crowded on a Sunday afternoon, so avoid that time.

The place is very nice and knowledgeable. I really enjoyed my time here. We don’t have any kids, but people could have with kids.

Beautiful location and building on the lake. Abbott Ocean area was outstanding. Variety of exhibits was extensive. Whoever designed the entry process (3 steps) has never managed crowds before. Very crowded and numerous broken elevators made getting around a pain. Maybe go during the week in the morning?

Lots of beautiful fish. We spent about 4 hours and saw everything. We went to only one of the animal programs because we thought they were just going to be informational talks, but it turned out to be the dolphins doing tricks! So we were glad we checked it out.

We went on a Tuesday morning and it was extremely crowded - not even a remote possibility of social distancing. If you are at all concerned about getting COVID, wear a mask even though it's not required anymore!

Nice place for kids to visit. Just need two to three hours to see everything. The sharks 4D was awesome. Parking is tricky so we just took Uber. Lots of different biomes to see. The beluga whale was the best. They were so cute and playful. A must visit when in Chicago

Glad to get in slightly before our booked time, however, was extremely crowded. Kids had fun, but seemed a bit bored. Expected much more from all the hype of people that I’ve told us about the place. Good to see once.

Expensive!! Whilst this was a return visit because it is a cool aquarium and I enjoyed the last visit, be prepared for the cost. $45!!! And multiple sections closed 😡. Not even a student discount. Hard to justify going back sadly.

My family and I loved this aquarium. There is so much to see and do. All the different display sections were nicely put together. We particularly enjoyed the Great Lakes and Amazon sections. It was so cool to see the whales. Be sure to check out the times for the dolphin show.

The last time I was here it cost $24 a person an I thought that was expensive. $50 is ridiculous and the website impossible to navigate when buying tickets. We won't be back.

Get there early! The aquarium fills up but if you are able to go when it opens you'll have a great experience! You can tell they are working on upgrades, and there's activities for kids of all ages. Loved the belugas!

This was a very well organised visiting experience, the lines were minimal and everything at the beginning flowed well.
The aquarium was huge and housed a huge range of aquatic live from all over the globe. There was always people walking around with ‘ask me’ signs so you can ask questions and directions around.
It did seem we went on a particularly crowded day being that the weather was quite poor, so this seemed like a natural escape from the elements. This did come with its own challenges thought, the number of pushchairs there was too much and there seemed to be this repetitive obligation for our ankles to be attacked by them. There should have been some rules around pushchair being left elsewhere.
We went as a couple but would recommend this to anyone if a couple, family or individual.

We went to the shed Aquarium in Chicago illinois with my family from Ireland After being in the museum next door We then went to the shed aquarium at 4pm Was told It closes at 5pm so I asked them for a discount seeing as we wouldn’t get to see any shows but was told NO and the attendants were extremely rude If it were just me I would have left but we had family with us and we each paid $50 each which was a complete rip off especially ar the time we went in there. While in there we regretted paying as we didn’t get to see much except birds Every other area was getting ready to shut down
It was an absolute disgrace that they took $50 from each of us knowing most was shutting down There were no shows going one with the dolphins and as we were leaving we just wanted to look at some whales but was told they were closing I mentioned to one of the attendants it’s only 4.46 but was told in a rude manner They are closed
I will never take my relatives to the shed aquarium again. It is not a place to enjoy your moneys worth and the people working there need to be nicer or they will lose business I will be advising my friends and family never to visit the so called great place
And I would advise the company If you have people coming in at 4pm either you give them a discount or free admission or simply just let them know you are closed You deceived us and took our money That’s downright robbery We gave you money for nothing and you took it.
If anyone cares to contact me my Number is 630 656 3268.

This is my second visit to the Shedd. I knew we were in trouble when we pulled in and saw a line of school buses. We reserved early morning with our City Pass based on their recommendation of low attendance likely for Monday. It was so loud and crowded it was hard to see the exhibits. Also a large portion of the museum is under construction and closed. The dolphin area is really nice.

Wife and I went for the pictures that were online spent 60 per person for admission 30 for parking which would have been fine if they had the things they advertised online but I feel like it was a waste of time and money I drove 3 hours see it very disappointing and pictures are very misleading

Fantastic experience, it was very crowded getting tickets in advance would be recommended or you may not be able to get in as it sells out on busy days.

We enjoyed the aquarium. The only downsides were that we were hoping for more big fish. We’ve been at other aquariums with the walk through tunnels where the sharks swim over and beside you, but Shedd doesn’t have that. Also, it’s kind of hard to navigate. Overall, we had fun though!

My friends and I really enjoyed our time here! Even though they are under construction right now they still have a lot of the aquarium open for viewing. They definitely need some updates for sure. I would say if you’re coming here on a weekend during summer, make sure you buy tickets in advance. We bought ours about two weeks out and when we arrived we saw they were sold out for the day.

Also, when you get there at open there is a huge line to get in, but it moves pretty quickly. I do think they should probably start scanning people through security starting maybe 15 minutes before open to help alleviate some of this back up.

We did find the layout a bit confusing since a lot of the aquarium is “under ground” and we were trying to work our way through each level. The main level’s tanks are very small but I’m sure they’re working on that with the update. There’s not a lot of signage to tell you where to go. Even if you download the map to your phone it’s hard to find some things.

There are some great views of the skyline, I’m sure at night it looks even better! We really liked seeing the penguins but I think they need a bigger enclosure, same with the belugas. The reef section was also neat! Overall, I would say go if you haven’t been but just know it’s in need of some updates and that it’s under construction.

We really enjoyed our visit here. It was a Tuesday morning, so crowds were minimal. We really enjoyed most of the exhibits and the dolphin show was superb. Would definitely recommend visiting here.

Had a city pass so this was the first stop. Be warned parking anywhere downtown can be expensive so keep that in mind but I loved this place.

A group of friends went to Shedd Aquarium to do the Penguin Experience. Before the experience started we toured the aquarium and had lunch in the cafeteria. The food was pretty good and prices seemed reasonable. The aquarium is undergoing major renovations so some sections are blocked off. We met our Experience greeter Shane and he was fantastic. He was a great greeter and guide. I can’t remember the penguin trainers name but she was awesome. Highlight was getting to pat a penguin at the end of the experience.

I've lived in the Chicago area for four decades, and I had the worst tourist experience of my life at the Shedd Aquarium. The only available parking nearby the afternoon of my visit had a flat rate of $55, which is triple of what it usually costs. The rate increased in anticipation of the international soccer match later that evening.

In order to avoid paying this exorbitant price and to get my family to the aquarium, I dropped them off after 3:15 pm. The closest parking I could find via app was a mile and a half away. I drove there and walked back in 90 degree heat, which took an hour.

When I got to the aquarium before 4:30 pm, I was unable to purchase tickets via its app. When I got to the ticketing area, I was informed that the aquarium had sold out for the day. The aquarium's website said, "Open 9 am - 10 pm (late close)." They had an evening event scheduled, which prompted the later closing time. The website said nothing about potential closing hours 5 hours before the stated closing time, and it did not say that the closing time differed from those without event tickets. I assumed my family and I had an extended period of time to visit the aquarium due to the posted info on the website. One has to call the aquarium to learn that appointment times are required and the aquarium could sell out.

When I asked to speak to a manager to get some help, I was told that the aquarium was not sold out but they had simply closed admission for the later event. I informed the manager that I had made the decision to park expecting the aquarium to be open late and that now I was separated from my family, which included my mother, who is visually impaired and has difficulty navigating unfamiliar places, and my young niece from out of town. I couldn't really accept the manager's solution to return tomorrow because my family, who was a bit vulnerable in navigating the city, needed my help. I asked to speak with this second person's manager.

When she returned, she rudely would not acknowledge me, and I encountered the head of security who was aggressive from the start. I simply needed help connecting with my vulnerable family, and they called security on me. Then three more security guards arrived. I spoke to another representative who simply repeated that the aquarium was sold out and had no compassion for the problem caused by the inaccurate information provided by the aquarium.

I finally was able to reach my mother by phone, and she and my niece met me toward the exit. The head of security took this as an invitation to begin yelling at us, repeatedly interrupting me and talking over me as I had my back turned and tried to find a solution with my mother who was upset and nervous about managing to reconnect if they went back into the aquarium.

As my family waited for me for hours while I was stuck in traffic returning, the concessions attached to the aquarium was sold out of water and food except for only a few options. My mother mentioned that the person selling the food was not providing receipts and charged different prices for the same item she bought minutes apart, quite possibly pocketing the money.

The museum campus is a world class facility, but it is extremely poorly managed. The parking area near the campus got shut down as the soccer match started, and I couldn't reach my family for hours. I was treated like a potential criminal rather than as a guest, after the aquarium poorly communicated its opening hours and ticket availability. I get the unfortunate impression that its managers don't care enough about the experience of the visitor to have food stocked, reasonable parking, accurate communication, and friendly help for families of different abilities navigating the facility.

You may still have fun, and I truly wish people do as a visitor to my city. I was disappointed to miss time with a relative from out of town, and I was embarrassed to talk with a visitor from Denver who paid $55 to park just to be informed that the aquarium was sold out. That poor level of service is bound to catch up with a tourist destination as it degrades the experience for visitors.

The Shedd Aquarium’s exhibits are 100% improved since the last time I visited 20 years ago. Some wings are currently under construction. Parking, admission and concessions are pricey.

This is the most expensive aquarium I have been to, but it is worth it if you have at least a half of a day. Wow, there are beluga whales, dolphins, sharks, sting rays, penguins, and so much more. I had an hour before closing and did a super fast walk through, to even stop of at a “petting zoo” experience, and even saw the beluga whales and dolphins playing and got through it all! I would have much rather sat down and watched them play and even looked slowly at everything else, but if time is of the essence, you can do this in less than an hour. However, because of the price tag, you really want to spend the morning or afternoon to enjoy it all. I do recommend a visit. It really is a neat place.

You kind of have to be in the right frame of mind when you visit here. There is more to see and do here than at other large aquariums (National Aquarium in Baltimore or the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta). However, there are also several drawbacks.

This is Chicago’s most visited attraction and the crowds range from crowded (on weekdays) to call the Fire Marshall (on winter holiday weekends). The building echoes and it will be loud with screaming kids.

Most of the aquarium dates from the 1930’s, which means the building is beautiful inside but also means you have a lot of small tanks in the galleries and lines can form to see the fish in the tanks.

The entrance was chaotic even with the city pass. There are two lines but no signs indicating which line was the city pass line. City pass line saved no time because you still have to be in the ticket line to exchange your city pass reservation for tickets and the 4d show selection and time (included with city pass).

Arrived at 10:05 for a 10:00 reservation city pass time and didn’t get into the aquarium until 10:45 due to the slow moving line. That is unacceptable. Why can’t you get your ticket and pick out the 4d movie time online with your city pass?

The newer part of the aquarium is a lot easier to maneuver around and has beluga whales, sea otters, and dolphins. It also has a small stadium area where you can see an animal show (whales, otter, or dolphin) every hour on the 1/2 hour; however, they don’t tell you which animal they will be presenting, which is weird.

Everything here is also expensive. Non resident adult is $40 for admission (if you don’t have the city pass) on top of $30 parking. Public transportation is difficult because the subway/el lines don’t run by the museums. There is a bus you can transfer from at the nearest El stop. There is a food court, which serves ok but expensive food. Had a hot dog and chips for $10 (does not include drinks.)

Overall, if you have the city pass, and like aquariums, it is worth the hassle to come here. Otherwise, you may want to skip.

My husband and I visited while on a birthday trip to Chicago. I've been to the Tenessee Aquarium and the Georgia Aquarium (admittedly, both visits were pre-pandemic) and didn't enjoy this aquarium quite as much as them. First, when we found the aquarium, we couldn't find the front door! The obvious front door of the building was actually the exit, though neither was clearly marked - we watched other families stand in front of the building, confused as well about where the entrance was (it was on the side of the building, which wasn't obvious from the front). Overall, the aquarium was informational, clean, and "user friendly", and I can see how those with children would love it!, but we found it to be just meh. The underground/shrink-down adventure was neat, and the Shark 4D Experience was pretty cool, but it only lasted a few minutes. The aquarium was clean, the gift shop wasn't quite as overpriced as I'd have expected, and the employees were friendly and helpful. The flow of the entire place was just non-existent. It was hard to tell where things were (very few signs and the layout was discombulated).

It had been more than 30 years since I visited the Shedd Aquarium, and we had such a nice time. I imagined spending 2-3 hours there, but it was actually more like 4+. The Shedd was clean, well-staffed, and despite the construction activity, was still a very worthwhile visit. The dolphin show was a definite highlight (no extra charge).

The only negatives were the cost of admission/parking ($30 for parking plus nearly $40/person x 2 adults and 7 teens) and the absence of paper maps. However, on the whole, it was a great visit!

We did the penguin experience which was great! We got to meet Izzy and Porter, two Magellanic penguins from the colony. The penguins were fun and the staff was friendly and knowledgeable. Afterward we walked around the aquarium and had a great time! The beluga whales and the dolphins were highlights, and the Amazon area was very well done.

The aquarium is worth a visit, there is plenty to see and do especially for kids. The 4D experience is was ok, but the stingray experience and the shows are the best parts. It does feel a little run down in places but there’s some construction going on. Overall we thought it was a bit overpriced for what it was but it was a good way to pass an afternoon, just very crowded!

I haven't been here since I was a kid, on long ago summer trips to visit family. So I made a point to go with grown up eyes this time.

Having worked in an aquarium, I was quite impressed with the variety of critters on display. Even the California state saltwater fish, the Garibaldi, was featured in the kelp forest tank.

Aquariums are especially fun for kids, and the various exhibits engaged them as well as the adults

The Amazon display was especially interesting to me, as it showed all aspects of the region and how it functions, as well as reminding visitors about preservation.

Highly recommend this, even if you've been to other aquatic venues.

Loved the dolphin show! Saw beautiful pink fish, ugly eels (LOL). Loved the beluga whales. Food court good, especially the ribs at the center court.

Good option to enjoy with the family. Great variety in species and lots of marine life. Fish, Belugas, Dolphins and more....

Loved all the exhibits, experiences and shows - especially loved the Pacific White-Sided dolphins! Cafe prices a bit expensive for quality of food. Beautiful gift shop. Appreciated filtered water to refill water bottle. Majority of staff very friendly. Only con was the restrooms - need to be cleaned more often throughout the day.

Best Aquarium we’ve been to as a family so far!! Beautiful building, clean and organized exhibits, and a very friendly crowd. Shedd also had an awesome exhibit on freshwater/Amazon wildlife, with huge fish, an anaconda, and electric eels, so much fun!

Do you crave spending $109 (for two adults and one small child) on tickets to a tired and crowded aquarium? Boy do these guys have you covered.

Visitors pay double the price of Illinois residents, and are also subject to surge pricing at busy times. And yeah, reward the locals in the unlikely event that they don’t have better things to do, but welcoming it is not.

Once inside you can see Beluga whales and dolphins, but I did worry about the small size of their pools. The rest of it is very underwhelming, with a few small tanks of fish and not much else. At one point my husband consulted the site map, convinced that there was another section he had missed. Sadly not. We got our bored child a toy at the gift shop ($30, obviously) and hit the road after 45 mins.

Chicago is a fascinating and fun city; spend your money elsewhere.

Went here w/wife a two grandkids (age 8 and 13). Aquarium provided wheelchair for my wife. good. We all loved numerous exhibits. Dolphin show was really grand. Sharks (with a shark teacher) was a highlight. Penguins and Belugas were lovely. Petting sting rays captivated my 8-yr old. Many great large and small exhibits. Too many to comment on here. It will be a great full day for everyone. Food there was okay. No time to explore different ecosystems. Not enough time. Really requires 2 days. No time to explore shoreline exhibits. Terraces with city-views were closed for a private event.

Actually, I'm not a fan of these institutions. however, we had the maps and time to look at the boiling aquarium. It was a lovely time. We touched rays.

I would suggest the Shedd Aquarium should be added to any itinerary you have planned for Chicago! From the circular tank you first see, with its multitude of colourful sea animals to the Anaconda lurking deep in one of the tanks in the Amazon exhibit, you'll continue to be amazed. Not forgetting the Beluga Whales, Dolphins and Seals. Don't miss: A chance to stroke Lake Sturgeon, elegant fish that are smooth to the touch and almost seem to enjoy being "petted"; Sharks swim around and above you in the shark exhibit; Penguins, a joy to watch, always seem lovable, almost comic creatures; the Dolphin eco educational show, learn more about these highly intelligent animals; you can even find Nemo or someone that looks very much like him. Adult ticket costs around $38 and it's well worth it!

I grew up coming here in the 1970's - 1980's. Loved it as a kid. Now as an adult, well I am not sure. Love the remodels over the years - it looks beautiful. The exhibits are educational and well done for the most part. Staff is helpful. I say average for the following reasons: Nothing really "blows me away" from an experience standpoint. No dolphin or whale shows while we were there. The price feels a bit steep for what you get. Tickets and lunch ran us close to $165 for 3 us. We passed on having photo taken other treats as it was just too much. Coming to Chicago for a mini vacation was expensive overall, but we have done better on pricing at other aquariums in the past.

I have been to all kinds of aquariums so I was kind of suspect about this before going. The only reason we visited is it was a part of the City Pass. My wife and I were so glad we visited. We had an amazing time here as it is a well done attraction. There were great displays but also unique experience like the beluga whales and penguins. However, I equally enjoyed the Octopus film. The we had the chance to see a octopus in a tank display. One of the great things here was the animals were so active. You may have gone to other Aquariums, but don't let that stop you from visiting this one. You will be impressed.

It was an OK experience but the online booking system is flawed and it is overpriced. Making people book online on their phones outside in the rain instead of hiring more staff is silly. The website also doesn't accept some international cards so I wasted a lot of time mucking about trying to book when it would have been much nicer to just go in and buy tickets at the desk.

Geared for toddlers and the under-10 crowd. If you're tentative walking at all, know that you'll be battling strollers at every turn, especially at crowded times. Policies and staff don't make it any easier for older people to get around and enjoy the displays either. There are no hard copy maps of the facility and limited signage...you are told that phones are the only guide to locating exhibits and finding out when shows are scheduled, a logistical strategy that isn't as easy for older people to use at any time, but particularly when moving around. Shows in the amphitheater with hard cement-tiered seating and no backs are almost impossible for people with joint problems/pain to sit on. If you don't want to sit in the few wheelchairs they have up top--who does?--you're out of luck. I nearly got thrown out just trying to stand in the back in a location that didn't block anyone's view and had to spend 5" explaining my hip disability before staff very reluctantly let me stay. (There were 2 rows of seats with pads that might have been reasonably comfortable, but they were roped off and reserved, presumably for VIPs who never came.) Really, the Shedd has to get a lot better at understanding all disabled people aren't in wheelchairs and help with better accommodations and access must be made for older people like the DMV does. Although my husband and I fully support the wonderful marine biology research Shedd does around the world, we did not feel welcome at their facility at all.

It is like a underwater adventure without going wet. There are many cool fishes, playful dolphins and majestic beluga whales(white whales). They are so cute. you will start with beluga whales then penguins then visit seal then go to dolphins. The dolphin show is so wonderful. It is just a 8-10 min show but they let us know lot of facts about dolphins. The best part is the giant tank with sharks and sea turtles. I could touch the starfish and know some are hard and rough while some are soft. Overall it's an amazing experience with kids.

Took the tour

The tour is an amazing experience. We were able to take the tour and were fortunate enough to be the only couple. We learned a great deal about how the mammals are cared for, history of the museum and many interesting facts about the staff's experience as well.

It’s was so sad to see Beluga whales in small exposures in captivity. The shows reminiscent of seaworld.

The fish tanks were over packed with fish

If they really cared they should take a leaf out of Norways where protective enclosures are built in the ocean.

Really sad and heartbreaking experience.

BUYER BEWARE: We visited on 12/29 with a noon reservation for our party of 10 (three households). I have never been indoors with my children in a space that felt so crowded, chaotic, and claustrophobic. There was a line out the door when we arrived (it did move quickly), and an even longer line out the door when we left. The door for the elevator when we got in (so many strollers, thank goodness we didn't have one) was so long we cut through a cafeteria or something and up a crowded flight of stairs to find some exhibits. None of it felt well-marked, it just felt like following a sea of people.

I (middle-aged mom) left after about 10-15 minutes. I just couldn't take the crowds. The five kids in our party were already invested in being together and wanted to stay, so the rest of our party remained for about 90 minutes, until my nephew could not take the crowds and noise anymore. That includes the nearly 30 minutes they waited for a live animal show that they universally came out saying disappointed them all.

I wrote the aquarium with my disappointment and requested a refund. To me, the reservation system implies that this is being done to keep crowds to a reasonable level. But if they are going to let it get this crowded, to me the reservation system is only benefitting the aquarium. I would rather show up and take my chances they have sold out, and get to judge for myself if the crowd level is acceptable for our family before shelling out more than $400 for our party.

The photo included with my review is the photo I took from a corner AWAY from the exhibits as I literally had taken a moment to get as far from the crowds as possible to calm myself, as they were overwhelming me. So bear in mind this was the LEAST CROWDED place I could find to stand to try not to feel so closed-in among the people. When I decided to leave alone (thank you husband and in-laws for continuing on with my kids) as it was bothering me so much, I could not find my way out myself. I had to ask an employee by the live animal show how to find a door out. I came out some side door.

For context, I live in a very urban city (San Francisco) and go to museums there all the time with my kids (the California Academy of Sciences, the De Young Museum, the Legion of Honor, the SF MOMA, the Bay Area Discovery Museum). While in Chicago this same week between Christmas and New Year's, we went to Water Tower Place (the American Girl Doll Store and the Lego Store) and to see a sold-out Blue Man Group and to stores and hotels on Michigan Ave. All of these places were crowded but not unpleasantly so. (The Lego Store has a line outside and does not let more people in until a certain number have left the store, the American Girl Doll store is a free for all.) We had a good time at all of them with zero complaints. Just so you know I'm not unused to museums, urban environments or major tourist attractions and holiday crowds.

I would not choose to go to Times Square on New Year's Eve, personally. I don't like being in that crowded an environment, it's just not fun for me and mine. And I don't think I'll ever choose to go back to the Shedd, where I had previously had fond memories of a visit in my young adulthood.

To the Shedd's credit, they did respond in a timely manner to my very unhappy emailed feedback. So points for not avoiding conflict. However, I was disappointed in the content of their response (YMMV, you may find it a more reasonable position than I do). I am including this so you know what you are getting into if you commit your family to a reservation. I am thankful my family had an otherwise enjoyable trip and visit to Chicago and that this amount of money will not devastate us, though it will be felt. But the Shedd's customers should definitely be aware of what is and isn't guaranteed when they make a reservation and prepay for admission, and in that spirit I share our experience there, as TripAdvisor has been invaluable to us in planning our family trips for many years.

"Thank you for taking the time to write to us about your recent experience and sorry to hear it did not meet your expectations. We see a large crowd around our busier days like holiday weeks. With timed ticketing, this has allowed us to even out the entry times for our visitors so we don't have everyone coming to the aquarium around the same peak times, which is past has caused hour wait times outside the aquarium and closing entry times. Though we have a capacity limit, we still have a ticketed limit, lower than what we can have to allow a better flow than what it could experience.

Since we are a non-profit organization funded primarily through ticket sales, all tickets are non-refundable as stated in our refund and cancellation policy."

My husband and I enjoyed our Saturday evening at the Shedd Aquarium. The staff was eager to answer our questions and share fun facts about the resident animals with us. We entered at 3:30 PM and stayed until closing. We enjoyed the light crowds and perfect vantage points to view the animals. I could have stayed and watched the Belugas all day! There is plenty to do for all ages and definitely recommend a stop on your next visit to Chicago. We purchased a City Pass and it was 100% worth it! In two days we visited Shedd, Aquarium, Field Museum, Skydeck Chicago Experience and Art Institute of Chicago. They were all amazing but the Shedd was #1 for me.

Way too expensive. Several exhibits were closed. All the extras are additional price. While you can anticipate an odor for fish, this place smelled horrible. Tanks should be more clean. Finding your way around was confusing. Nothing felt engaging. Parking is a tad of a walk for non-city folk. I hadn't been in over 25 years, and won't need to ever go back. Newport and Ripley's are much better!

Nice aquarium, but expensive entrance fee. Timed entry, so book ahead on line. First time visiting and my honest opinion is, it's nice and big. Spacious and clean. Well thought out, all enclosures seem clean and well kept. Be sure to check out all levels of the aquarium. Nice gift shop.

Nice aquarium and larger than most, but still felt crowded atound fish tanks. There is not a clear flow through exhibitions so you have to wander back and forth to see it all.

This Shedd Aquarium is quite unique with the large exhibit and shows with Dolphins, Beluga Whales and Sea Lions. This is the second year in a row that I have taken grandchildren and each time I found there was more to see of the regular exhibits. I had not remembered the Penguin exhibit from last year and nearly missed it.
Plus, there are four different 4D movies that everyone can enjoy.

The Shedd Aquarium was cool. Would I go back? Probably not. The way that it is laid out just causes a lot of crowding, which is unfortunate, especially when you have adults taking 100 selfies and littles who can't see anything. Now, I do love the Belugas and was so so excited to see them! We didn't do any of the shows, as we were doing the museum and aquarium in one day and were on a time constraint, but we did do one of the movies and it was really cool. The kids enjoyed the aquarium a lot. Our 9 year old loved the otters! Our daughter, 16, really enjoyed the architecture more than anything else. I mean, it is stunning! We were able to park in the parking lot right across the way from the aquarium and walk over. It wasn't bad at all, but we got there super early! Overall it was good, but not the best aquarium we have been to!

It makes sense this aquarium required reservations. This was a fun experience for our family. There were so many animals and interactive experiences. The shark tank and dolphin show were the best. We all found something in the gift shop at the end of day.

We went to this aquarium with our teens. It was very boring. They have very few interesting exhibits. We saw a cute show with a sea lion but, to our surprise, it only lasted about 10 minutes. We paid just a bit extra for a 4D shark movie. They need to upgrade their technology. It was lame. I guess our money wasn't wasted because it supports the animals but I definitely wouldn't go here again.

Overrun with day camp kids, VERY noisy. What we saw was good (our favorite was the mama beluga, also the dolphin show), but still seemed overpriced. Current renovations mean ticketing and admissions is a mess.

Great penguin habitat. A lot of the fish aquariums don’t have the fish in them that is listed. Minimal educational advancement, they need more information. Good emphasis on conservation. Ridiculous pricing Chicago adult $19.95 whereas myself an out of state senior was charged $47.45.

A very nice aquarium. It was close to the Field Museum and the Planetarium, which we were doing all in once day, using our CityPass. They had a pretty cool area featuring the Amazon. I was surprised to read that it does not meet animal welfare guidelines by TripAdvisor. I wonder if it's because of the dolphin show, or the touch ray pool. Regardless, we thought it was a nice aquarium.

Shedd is one of the few aquariums with Beluga whales, and you can even do a Beluga whale encounter. The aquarium has sections such as Great Lakes, Amazon River, and so on, so you always know what part of the world the aquatic life you are looking at come from. Aquarium is just the right size for an enjoyable day, and has a food court.

Even though tickets are timed, that appears to mean nothing as far as crowd control goes. This place was packed when we arrived at our scheduled time, and it made the entire experience very unenjoyable. It was nearly impossible to see anything because people were shoulder to shoulder and no one really moved. Lines were ridiculously long for some of the experiences, and we noticed people saving spots in line for their group instead of going to the end of the line like everyone else. We skipped several experiences as a result. The museum appeared to be too short staffed for anyone to notice. Maps were only accessible via a QR code, and it was difficult to navigate the museum to find what you were looking for. It was hard to know what time different shows started because we didn’t see times posted anywhere, so we ended up missing a show
we were really looking forward to. The next one wasn’t until 2 hours later. We left frustrated after about an hour. Save your money and go somewhere else. We’ve been to much better less crowded aquariums than this one. We had high hopes for this aquarium, but it failed.

It was a nice place, you can see to many types of sea animals and fishes, my favorite was the Beluga, I really loved it. In my opinion I didn't like the location of the things, at a moment we got lost, and we didn't know where to go because the map was a little bit confusing, but then we figured it out. However, the aquarium is really nice, with a very large posession of fishes, and with a very interesting story

Pre purchase tickets if you expect to get in. It will sell out. There isn’t a map or anything to indicate where the exhibits are or what is in them. If I had not looked online I never would have know there are dolphins inside the aquarium. There are no signs to tell visitors what attractions are available. People were standing in long lines for what they thought was entrance to an exhibit only to find out it was it was a line for the elevator. People had to pass the photo viewing to get out of one area. That made a very long line of people trying to get out and no idea what was going on. Lots of unnecessary lines that could have easily been avoided with signs and better flow. People were trying to enter as people exited. It was a mess. I have been to other aquariums with better flow and no backtracking. The only advantage was the dolphins not at other aquariums.

#1 TIP - Wait until at the very least the Summer of 2024 to visit. They are in the midst of an INTENSE renovation/update that is going to drastically transform your overall experience making it way more immersive, educational, hands-on, etc. If you can hold off until 2030 when it's supposed to be fully completed...even better! By this Summer it sounds like they will have the new entrance complete with outdoor gardens, a bigger, better store, new wonder if water featuring two towering saltwater and freshwater habitats, and finally the Amazon Rising exhibit featuring the animals that call the Amazon River basin their home. Think - electric eels, anacondas and colossal arapaima. Watch the "Shedd's Experience Evolution" video on their website for an in-depth look into all their many upgrades and changes. I have been to Shedd's multiple times previously, but not in the past 15 years or so and let me tell you, I was not impressed this April. Many exhibits/sections are closed due to the renovations making it extra cramped and crowded. Also not much has changed since my last visit meaning it is in desperate need of this ongoing transformation. In order to see the main large oceanarium there was a long 15-20 minute wait. Then we were herded into elevators (I didn't see stairs available as an option) to the lower level. Once down there we found the large oceanarium filled with different kinds of sharks and fish to be one of the highlights. There was also a tide pool that simulated the tide coming in and out. A hands-on starfish exhibit (we skipped this as the line was long) and several other smaller tanks filled with bright colored tropical fish. A highlight were the deep water fish that blinked like lightning bugs! Upstairs we skipped all the smaller tanks of Midwest lake & river fish and other critters as it was just too busy and crowded. They did have an interesting hands-on experience where you could touch a lake sturgeon (the largest fish in the Great Lakes, but my girls said NO THANKS to this). Admission is pricy to begin with and any of the 3 or 4D experiences are extra. We watched the Octopus 4D experience and found it to be very short (10 mins?), but original, as you will have a few surprises right at your seat. The amphitheater was a highlight as it provided a nice spot to take a break from the crowd while watching the beluga whales swim around. We sat there long enough that it started filling up and we realized a dolphin she was about to take place. The show was entertaining enough lasting about 10 - 15 mins as well. I would suggest arriving at least 15 minutes early for this as well as it was packed to the gills! Ha! Finally I'd say the penguins located on lower level 2 were worth visiting and highly entertaining! Consider visiting one of the hot dog stands outside Shedd's for a less expensive, less busy meal option. You can sit in the park or grab a spot right on the Lake Michigan shoreline!

Lots of cool animals to see and displayed very nicely. However, it did not really stand out amongst other aquariums. Also, my pepper spray that I carry for protection was taken by security at the entrance which I was disappointed about.

Spent the day here on a trip through Chicago.
Always a great place to visit, but they need to provide better way-finding and maps. I don't need (or want) paper maps, but some well placed kiosks and better signage is needed to help guests find what they are looking for.

Very over crowded and nothing was overly impressive other than the whales and balugas. Very expensive to walk around and look at a glorified fish store.... almost all the displays were smaller tanks.

Not worth the entrance fee, too many stairs or long queue for lift. Food options poor and expensive. Renovation outside so you have to walk around to new entrance. No map, so just guess your way around. Don’t bother, go to Lincoln Park zoo instead, better and free!

Overall I had a great time here. It's not quite as as many fish as in the Atlanta aquarium (just for example), but the building is gorgeous and they have some great exhibits. I wouldn't plan an entire trip to Chicago for this aquarium, but if you're here already it's a fun place to go for an afternoon.

Plan on purchasing tickets in advance. My granddaughter and I Ubered there on the last Wed of March- got there around 1. Sign on stand says "QR code to purchase tickets". I did. Oh yeah ... didn't catch that the NEXT group to be admitted would NOT be UNTIL 5 pm (said one unhappy Nana, standing in the misty rain). Did the Sign notify you of that? NO ..... So I went to the portable office, where they at least allowed me to purchase a membership (note - I live in central Indiana), so for an additional 36.00, we could just go on in. I had to stop 4 other people from making my same mistake. Whether they stayed or went, I don't know. Very unethical to not post an additional sign, stating (sic) "You may have to wait longer" What a racket.

Very disappointing & Very overpriced. we were shocked at how small the pools are where the Bulugas & Dolphins are kept! Very sad! The main Aquarium again was small in size. Would be nice to have a walk through tunnel instead. It took us one hour to walk around the Aquarium as I felt the need to leave quickly due to The sheer noise from all the children. We totally understand them getting excited, however maybe consider doing, quieter time visits? I wanted a total refund. We will not be recommending the shed Aquarium as a place to visit. Visitors From England

There is nothing exciting about the place. Most of the place is under construction. You might see all these aquatic animals in any Aquariums in other cities. I don’t recommend this place as a must see for the amount of money you are paying for the tickets. Best option: Buy tickets through Chicago city pass , you can enjoy two additional 4D shows as well, along with discounted ticket price.

Nice place to spend the day. Went with friends and the kids really enjoyed all of the interactive exhibits. There's plenty to see and the cafeteria was a great place to relax and take a break between exhibits.

We went early, and it seemed to be getting much busier as the day went on so keep that in mind when planning a trip.

We went to Chicago for my son's birthday and the one thing he wanted to do on his special day was the aquarium and it didn't disappoint! We could've easily spent all day here, but managed 3.5 before we had to move on. So many beautiful creatures to see. Some people have complained about the confusing layout but I loved discovering new things as we walked around. We saw the Sharks 4D movie and the whale show, both fun. On our list of favorite Chicago things.

Would definitely get the City Pass to make this more affordable for families.

The signposting to get into the aquarium is very poor- everyone was arriving at the main front door which has a big sign saying 'Come on in' to be told by a young man sticking his head out the door to go around the side- not signposted. The Aquarium is a fun day out for small children and bigger children for sure, but we had visited the aquariums in San Francisco and Monterey before which felt more generously spaced for the big animals. We felt bad for the beautiful Beluga Whales being kept indoors. I would take children here if you are in a city break as fish always soothe the frayed nerves of toddlers and parents alike, but not my favourite Chicago stop

Beluga whales which were amazing. Loved the dolphins.. the movie “penguins” was wonderful. Very entertaining. Friendly staff and energetic. Touching pools were fascinating. So worth the
money.

I felt like- for such a huge place, there wasn’t much to look at. There was a lot of wasted space. Most of the aquariums were filled with fish which… let me tell you- if you’ve seen one fish, you’ve seen a ton of other fish. It just wasn’t worth us walking around so much. It was quite boring. There was one display of tropical Caribbean fish. The rest were not that exotic. They were lake fish or fish from around the United States. There was maybe a few from Africa or North America, but it just wasn’t exciting to look at. We saw the sea lions and the beluga whales, and we watched the dolphin show twice (because they don’t announce what the show is until you’re sitting down). We went to a 4D movie about sharks which lasted 12 minutes. It was not as thrilling as I thought it would be. I know they have to make it mild for the kids in the crowd, but it just didn’t make me say, “Wow! I’m glad I paid for that.” Overall, it just wasn’t that great compared to other aquariums we’ve been to.

This is not the Worst Aquarium I’ve been too but I’ll definitely say it’s not the Best. The Dolphin Show / whale show saved them . It was probably the most entertaining thing about the aquarium. If you’re looking for the Atlanta or Florida Aquairum (Tampa) . This is not it.

Pros:

- Beluga Whale and Dolphin show. The show was well organized . The view of Lake Michigan was beautiful . Multiple shows and a lot of available space for families to sit. No splashing in the winter time . Seats are very low so be careful if you have knee and/or back problems.

- Hot Dog stands outside the aquarium. Probably cheaper than Aquarium food . Did not eat inside the aquarium.

- Relatively close to the other museums/ sites included with the City Pass . BUY the city pass . This Aquarium can be walked through quickly.

- Organized entry . Entry was relatively quick.

- Employee walks around with a sign that says ask me. Individual was very helpful . I asked the person a lot of questions because the maps and signage inside the aquarium are not well informative.

Cons:

- Parking . Yes on weekends you have to pay meters in chicago . Meter parking is hard to find. Therefore you’d have to pay 35$ to park close which fills up quick or pay at the garage which is a nice walk . It is cold in February. Plan accordingly.

- Unclean bathrooms. Pay your cleaning staff more and hire more cleaning crew . Cleanliness is everything. It should be atleast 6 staff rotating the building given the size of the crowds.

- Long wait time to get on elevators to go downstairs. This was a waste of time and a way to try and force families to take photos and pay for them. Nothing exciting was down there minus coral reefs. Who was the engineer and mastermind behind this project?

- 4D Theater experience used reusable glasses which are not properly sanitized . These glasses should be replaced with recyclable glasses to ensure sanitation standards are met. The shark 4D show was educational though.

This aquarium was huge and had so much to see! The dolphin show in particular was so cool, and we actually saw it from below first on one of the lower floors where we could see into the tank. I highly recommend doing that in addition to watching the show in the Amphitheater. I do wish the Great Lakes section was a tad bigger, but that’s all personal preference.

Very expensive for non residents, nearly $100 for a couple. Dolphin show very good but show schedules hard to find. Some building work on the front so not all open. Would go again.

This is a must visit place. Everything is amazing. We took our 1 year old and he seems to enjoy the visit as well. Our family had great time.

Went back to Shedd for the first time since elementary school, and not much has changed. It's pretty small, smaller than I remember. We got through everything in about an hour. What's even more disappointing than the lack of content is the complete lack of creativity of the exhibits. 90% of it is just hallways with drab looking fishtanks. We felt like we paid $80 for 2 tickets to see what amounted to a pass by the fish section of a pet shop. We had a saltwater tank at home for a few years that had more interesting fish to look at. I would save your money and go to Brookfield Zoo (or Milwaukee Zoo if you feel like making a drive).

Nice aquarium with pretty typical aquarium exhibits. Exhibit space is fairly small per today's aquarium standards but still fun. The highlight is the indoor animal performance space. The 4D shows are fun as well. Don't forget 1 is included with the GoPass.

Enjoyed our afternoon here and saw a lot of interesting exhibits. A bit pricy though (paid about $180 for 4 people). But enjoyed my time there.

We go to Aquariums wherever we travel, and honestly this was at the bottom. The price was high if you're not a resident, we were given a specific time to come, but it was jammed packed with busloads of people. You can barely get close enough to see anything. What was more disturbing is the size of the tanks that the aquatic life has to more around. Very disappointing.

The aquarium was a good experience with many fish and shows. My favorite part of the aquarium was touching the stingrays and fishes without any doubt. The sharks and corals was also a great view. Also, the 4D Amphitheatre was a good experience.
I was also curious to see the beluga whales, and experience their sound for the first time.
I would say, if you like fish and like to explore them then the aquarium is a must visit. And if you have kids with you they will love touching the stingrays, be ready to spent more time near that.

I visited the Shedd Aquarium on a weekday, hoping for a quieter experience. Unfortunately, it happened to coincide with several school field trips, so it was a bit more crowded than expected. That made it slightly harder to view some exhibits, but with a little patience, it didn’t take away from the overall experience.

I’ve always enjoyed aquariums, and this one didn’t disappoint. The exhibits are thoughtfully divided into themed sections, making it easy to explore and enjoy at your own pace. There’s a wide variety of marine life to see, and the touch station—where you can gently interact with some sea creatures—was a fun addition.

My favorite part of the visit was seeing the Beluga whales and dolphins. They were beautiful to watch and definitely made the trip memorable.

The aquarium also has an on-site café, which was convenient for a quick bite, and a gift shop with a great selection of souvenirs.

All in all, it was a lovely visit. Even with the crowds, I had a great time and would gladly return.

Overcrowded, expensive and disorganized. I live in Illinois and took visitors from out of town I was embarrassed by how disorganized it all is. The place is so crowded that you have to take turns to see the fish, a “sea” of strollers, so many kids you get dizzy, at least 4 buses of teens. At 40 per person a family of 4 spends a lot of money for a lot of aggravation.

It’s horrible, plz are rude and they charge u differently by hour and no refund. There is nothing u can see in it. Such waste of time and money

I LOVE aquaria.

I heard that the aquarium in Chicagi was well worth a visit.

They offer free entry to first responders and military. That sounded great.

They offer free entry to Chicago residents who are military or first responders !

Chicago residents pay less than $20. Non - residents pay depending on how busy it is.

Bottom line we were asked for nearly $50 each.

Sorry but we are on a budget so we can only say the aquarium is in a nice location. Soldier Field is both a memorial to US service personnel and is the Chicago Bears ground. It is also the Chicago Fire Soccer team's ground. Sports fans a d military types can both get a fix here.

Also the 'Field Museum' is close by. In UK terms think the Natural History Museum in Kensington.

Also there is the Planetarium. We are heading here today.

Aquarium - too expensive for non Chicago residents ! Sorry !

Really appreciated the timed entry to reduce crowding but they were sold out when we arrived so was glad we had bought our tickets on line a month ago. This is a great place for families. Very clean place with really helpful staff. It was getting crowded by noon so was glad we had arrived we they opened. The belugas were amazing. Not so pleased with the penguin exhibit though.

Thankfully we got in here with a discount because I don’t think it would’ve been worth full price. It was overly crowded even for a weekday morning (school groups I think) and wasn’t a whole lot to do. The show in the main area is spaced too far apart timing wise to even catch it during a couple hour visit if you miss the prior one.

We visited here using our GoCity pass, which I highly recommend to anyone planning on visiting with kids especially, as you will save at least 30% off the normal admission price. To be fair, we live in Omaha and are quite spoiled with our great zoo and aquarium here. But my son and I still had a great time here and spent pretty much the whole day. The only let down is that the Amazon River exhibit section was closed for construction (my son was bummed he couldn't see the Mata Mata turtle lol) but otherwise we really liked the Shark Reef area and he was enchanted by the beluga whales. We went to the sea lion show, which afforded a great view of Lake Michigan through the huge windows. Great views of the lake and city skyline when we sat outside on the patio for lunch. The staff was friendly and engaging; my son took part in an interesting and educational demo about different water types (salt, fresh, brackish etc) and he's a gift shop freak, so he had a great time picking out a couple of things. In addition to the GoCity Pass, if you are visiting from out of town, save your money and hitch a ride on the CTA bus, which drops off and picks up right in front of the aquarium; it will save the headache of trying to find a place to park (limited) as well as the cost for parking.

Spent a couple of hours here. It was interesting, but a couple of hours was more than enough. There is a dolphin display, which, if I'm being honest, I am not keen on. These beautiful mammals shouldn't need to perform for an audience, they should be free.

Amazing!!!! A very nice ride!!! We recommend visiting the Chicago Aquarium, the surroundings are also very beautiful.

Although the aquarium was quite crowded because it was spring break week, we enjoyed our visit and appreciated the timed entry process. I am really glad that I read the comments on Tripadvisor before going. We booked the "Must See Tour" as recommended by many and it definitely was worth the money. Jessica was our tour guide and did a fantastic job.

The Shedd is very prominently positioned on the lake and visible from downtown. Very nice walk / jog down the waterfront to see it.

We thoroughly enjoyed our morning at the Shedd. The show with the dolphins was great. It has been quite a long time since my last visit and I was very impressed with the displays. The gardens were beautiful and compliment the building nicely.

This aquarium is not as good as the Sea World in Florida. Another thing they have good whale 🐳 exhibit . Also the they have a shark 🦈 exhibit too . Lastly they have a Caiman too .

Very crowded on a weekend, which was expected. The exhibits were good but some of the bigger fish were a little hard to find. The "ask me" people were so helpful. The dolphin show was great and the view to Lake Michigan is stunning

Better suited for toddlers and very young children. Very just average views of the species. Not sure what we were thinking when we booked it as one of the city pass options. Strict time entry, long line up in the hot sun.
Unless you are going with very small children would pass on this visit.

I bought tickets the day before - took the day off work on a Thursday, and drove 3 hours to Chicago with my wife and two year old son. We arrived to find the aquarium sold out for the day. We had tickets secured, but spent the 3 hours sandwiched shoulder to shoulder like sardines in the aquarium. The comical part is the whole building has occupancy signs plastered all over the walls that say “it’s dangerous to exceed 105 people in this area” and there are about 3x that many people within 200’ of the sign, so I’m not sure why they bother posting them in the first place. After this experience I’ll be content if I never make another trip to Shedd. For the price there are much more enjoyable alternatives in the area.

There was nothing to see!! The otters were no where to be found. We saw the beluga whales and penguins but this was really not that great of an aquarium. We went through it quickly. Disappointed.

We overall enjoyed the Shedd Aquarium. But it took over an hour in line to just get to the ticket window. All the exhibits were really crowded, and though they are well done and interesting, it was just a bit too much. The Manta Ray Touch was a highlight, and well worth the walk out there.

Very popular. I went on July 5 and it was super popular. I would say the main floor had many sections of different fish from different regions. But it was pretty tiny. Also very crowded. There is a middle section that is called Caribbean waters which had sharks and was a circular aquarium. That was pretty nice. The bottom floor had “wild water” that part was more interesting but to enter you have to go down from the elevator. So after you are done the loop, it takes you back to the elevator to leave. I would say that was the best part. Part of my city pass also included a movie. That was pretty interesting. I did not stay for the show.

Very large and inexpensive aquarium for the surface area. Lots of varied species and a show included in the entrance price. Under construction in September 2023.
I had a great time there.

waste of money $40 per person, not worth spending, for 3 people $122 total. need refund. Nothing great here.

We hosted a corporate event for about 115 people and we had a HORRIBLE experience. We went for 2 site visits before the event, went back and forth on a number of questions/clarifications prior to the event, but on the day of the event the communication and professionalism were very poor. They refused to recognize that it was a private party and adjust protocol accordingly. They would not allow re-entry under any circumstances, and in multiple situations made people stand outside the doors in single digit weather, while we still had guests inside and the party was still going on just because re-entry was "against protocol". They wouldn't even let a husband walk his wife to the uber and come back in. Security was heavy and extremely rude. The event planner did not communicate with security prior to the event so we had issues with parking that escalated. We had an issue with our penguin experience taking place 30 minutes later than scheduled. The event coordinator did not follow through on items that were discussed prior to the event. The list of issues goes on and on. Although the venue is nice and it was a cool experience for a number of our guests, the actual quality of service was extremely disappointing. I would not recommend hosting a private party here under any circumstance.

Close to the Field museum, the aquarium has plenty of exhibits with a wide variety of fish and aquatic wildlife. Great place to visit for animal lovers

We enjoyed our visit to Shedd. The staff at the entrance were very organized and got the crowd moving. The animals are well cared for at Shedd. The challenge for us was the flow of the exhibits. There didn't seem to be a clear path to most exhibits and signage was lacking. As the crowds increased during our visit, people were going every which way trying to see the exhibits and it was very difficult to read the displayed information about the animals. If possible, it would be beneficial to have lanes where visitors would enter to walk by the tanks. It would help contain the abundance of strollers as well. But the outdoor eating area was beautiful with Lake Michigan as the backdrop. We took some great pics of the fish as well. The 4D Octopus movie was very entertaining!

We enjoyed our visit to aquarium very much. Beautiful exhibits as well as architecture. Would definitely go again.

More of a 3 1/2 stars really!
The aquarium was part of the city pass, so we thought we would give it a go whilst in the area.
Some of the animal environments seemed clean and spacious, but others, especially the sea lion and beluga whales, seemed small and a bit dirty. Hopefully, the ongoing refurbishment will sort this out.
The staff that we spoke to were all friendly and seemed to care about the creatures they looked after.

My family had a blast and loved all the tricks the belugas, dolphins, and seal could do. The shows they provide are an amazing experience

Decent couple of hours. Not as big as some of the reviews suggest but there is plenty to entertain the family. Good location and easy to get to. I must say the prices for the cafeteria food are astronomical.

Enjoyed a visit to the Shedd and took in the Amazon exhibition (of interest because we had been there) and was amazed at the variety of water life. Other exhibits seem well done. The penguins were a little disappointing as there were only two varieties and hardly any at all of the Rockhoppers. The dolphin were on great form but I question whether any of this is good for the captured creatures. Even the fish seemed confined to very cramped areas. Definitely an education for those unable to travel.

Neat aquarium, with lots of interaction. The staff was knowledgable and friendly, the place was nice and clean. We enjoyed the visit despite a fire drill evacuation out in the cold in the midst of our weekday afternoon - not too nice when your time is counted visiting and you spend lots of money to enjoy precious family vacation time. We made the best of it but would have appreciated a little more information from the museum staff, a symbolic compensation for our trouble (like a rebate for a future visit or a hot drink?).

I can’t imagine paying full price for a family to walk through what is basically a string of gift shops and junk food stands with a few fish tanks between. Seriously, is this an educational institution or a theme park? The whole place smells like popcorn and every 3rd kid is crying. Not the kid’s fault—there are a ton of stairs and few elevators for strollers and the layout is very confusing. Skip it and walk through the beautiful parks surrounding the Shedd. You will have a much better time and save major money.

A brief review of Shedd Aquarium:

• Activity: General admission for two adults
• Cost: $83, no applicable discounts
• Arrival/wait time: Per an email received, we arrived at 9:35 for a 10:00 AM entry time; however, it only took 3-5 minutes to make it inside.
• Pros: 1) Minimal crowds in the morning mid-week; 2) Unique exhibits
• Cons: 1) Poor layout & signage; 2) Several food areas closed; 3) Most tanks need cleaned, especially the Beluga & dolphin habitats.

Would I recommend? Not for full price.

Way to expensive for the exhibits the dolphin exhibit was very weak there was no otters the sting ray exhibit was closed parking was way way to high for the walk an lines u had to make an wait in the rest rooms where dirty the food was gross an to high for the quality over all total waste of time an money

It’s been years since I visited here. What a gem of a place. Many changes for the better. The live interaction with the mammals and reptiles was so good! Well maintained facilities. You can tell it’s managed well. Great for old and young alike.

My girlfriend and I went to the aquarium using the city pass, and I would say that is the best way to experience the place. The aquarium itself, while big, does not have much going for it. We were able to finish everything in roughly an hour and a half. During our visit, we were unable to see any otters, but saw penguins, belugas, and many different fishes. I would have to saw the biggest highlight for me during the trip was when the penguins waddled during the show. However, besides that, everything else was pretty underwhelming.

The reason why the city pass is great is because it grants one free movie (we watched the 4D octopus which was alright), but it also entry into the Field Museum and planetarium. They are both within walking distance from the aquarium and is an amazing way to continue having fun.

This was one of the more expensive aquariums I’ve been to. $50 a person after taxes.

It was still very cool. I liked how many big animals they had- dolphins, belugas, otters, sea lions. Definitely plan to see a few shows while there. We didn’t watch any shows and it took us about 2 hrs to walk around.

Also it felt kinda hard to navigate throughout the aquarium. Kinda confusing

Excellent all the way around. We spent 3 hours there (myself, 20 year old daughter and 17 year old son), the shark 4d movie was fun for them - they are still talking about our visit 3 days later.

One of my favorite things to do Chicago on a rainy day. I've probably visited the aquarium a dozen times but it always fun coming back. I think there is a new 4D experience in the process of being built, but don't know any details.

It was very disappointing. The tanks were not clean and it was lacking in animals. Food prices are incredibly high. Way over priced. Ripleys aquarium in Tennessee is way better.

Good aquarium and lots of variety. It needs time to go through each and has collection of all continents. 4D program you may decide to skip. Make sure you buy your ticket online.

We expected a completely different experience. This is mostly for children of which there were a lot! In addition, it was chaotic, unorganized and no one to ask for help. Maybe we were there on a day that kids were home for Easter break but it was crazy and not enjoyable for adults.

It was my husband and mine's Wedding Anniversary and we decided to spend a day in Chicago. We both wanted to experience the Shedd while there as its something we've talked about for years! This was the year! What at truly wonderful experience it was to explore the different types of underwater creatues in a self-guided way. They do have a few opportunities for you to pet or touch different fish including a sting ray and sturgeon. They offer some amazing views both above and below water to see dolphins and Beluga whales. I got to see Jellyfish which are my favorite and my husband got to see Penguins which are his favorite. Overall a really enjoyable time for us! Yes it was busy for a Tuesday morning but still worth your time.
My only tip is to try and go during the week as I'm sure weekends are CRAZY!

A must see while in Chicago, has so much to see and do. A very cool experience. With or without kids I would definitely recommend

My fiancé and I came here Saturday morning to celebrate his birthday. He really likes aquariums, but this was his first time at the Shedd. Guests were told ahead of time of construction and how some exhibits were under renovation. I think some of the previous reviews were given unfairly because they failed to do the proper research before visiting. Because they were picturing a different experience is on them, and blame shouldn't be placed on the Shedd. We knew ahead of time what we were getting ourselves into because of the renovations. We planned ahead and made reservations for the 9am entry. I suggest doing this, as the afternoon keeps getting busier as they let more and more groups in. Even with the closed exhibits, we had an excellent time. We stayed from 9:30am-1:30pm. We were able to catch 2 of the animal spotlight shows (around 10 minutes each), dolphins and sea lions. We really liked that a lot. The next time we come back we are for sure booking some sort of encounter (beluga, otter, shark feeding). Everything was booked up by the time we purchased our tickets. The groups for these encounters are small, so I would suggest booking early for something like this. Getting to and from the wild reef is a bit stressful since the only way is by elevator. Once down there they do make each group take a picture, which I would have bypassed given the choice. I appreciate that they offer a selection of food/drink throughout the facility, but they should really think about getting rid of popcorn as an option. Guests were making a mess everywhere we went, and we were continually stepping in it. We can't wait to come back once all of the updates are complete!

Gave Shedd Aquarium 1 star because of the rude staff. The people at the entrance with the Ask Me T-shirts get irritated when you ask them a question. Once you get inside they yell at the customers trying to herd them in like cattle. It’s really the rudest establishment I have ever paid money for.

The walkthrough starts with maybe 8 Beluga whales (amazing to see in person may I say) basically swimming in circles in what is a pretty small tank which I can’t see being good for their well-being.

This is followed by dolphins in a slightly larger tank, although they’re again, just swimming in circles. This is all topped off with a dolphin show which I thought we all collectively agreed was awful for their well-being?

I didn’t stay for that because I have a moral compass and went to see the rest of the aquarium. There are a lot of small tanks with fish, turtles, and caimans, although nothing to blow your socks off.

There’s a coral reef exhibit which is quite nice, although the quality and range of fish hails in comparison to other aquariums I’ve been to.

I also received a free 4D show with my Chicago city pass which, while the film was amazing, was one of the worst ‘4D’ experiences I’ve been to.

All in all, this aquarium can be described as ‘meh’ and coupled with the $45 entry, I’d say you should save your money for other attractions.

My family and I visited on Thursday, June 25. We paid full price for 4 adults and two children, nearly $300. We arrived at our designated time, 11 am. It was CRAZY. There were so many people including thousands of small campers crowded everywhere. We saw the spectacular dolphin show, pet a stingray and walked around levels 7, 8 and 9 (map labels) and were so unnerved by the densely populated crowds that we left, only spending about an hour there. We live in s IL and brought our kids here years ago and fondly remember that visit. We hoped to repeat it with our grandchildren but that was not to be.

It was a very expensive mistake. No plans to ever return.

Let's start at the ticket booth where my ticket cost $45.00. Then after passing 3 staff who's job it was to point me to the door up a never ending ramp (I use a cane) i asked for the "coat check" and was directed to the lobby (which i wasn't in due to the fact that the door to the lobby was only an exit.) There it cost me another $12.00 to leave my coat in a locker for 2hr. as there is no coat check. I did enjoy tank after tank of little river fish from around the world, then a 5 minute show watching the white sided dolphins jump.
Overall the experience was a bummer and i wouldn't recommend it.

Fabulous. should be listed as number one or two of places to visit in Chicago. Be4luga Whales, natural looking rock and waterfall structrures, all kinds of fish and turtles, dolphins, good views of everything. Crowded in summer of course. Deck at cafe has super views of Lake Michigan and skyline, free while you have lunch or a drink. EXPENSIVE BUT IT COSTS A LOT TO FEED THESE ANIMALS AND CLEAN THEIR WATER EVERY DAY.

Solid aquarium with interesting exhibits. Live animal shows are particularly fun but make sure you get there a few minutes early to get a seat.

Love the electronic screens at almost every exhibit to explore about each occupant of the tank or exhibit. Our 5- and 7-year-old grandkids loved them. They know how to navigate them and encouraged them to explore. A nice addition since my last visit. I always love seeing the whales. I was a bit disappointed that the shows were not planned ahead. We ended up seeing two shows and they were both dolphins. I really wanted to see the beluga whales. I loved it all. I will definitely be back.

Definitely a good indoor option on bad weather or cold day. Have not been for a number of years. They changed the format of the show. The dolphins no longer are in the act. They only bring out two seals and maybe last 20 minutes?

Jazz at the Shedd was a very nice event, recommend that for friends and couples. The Shedd aquarium itself it very small though overall. I’ve been to many aquariums across the country, this one is the smallest and least impressive. Allocate only about 2 hours max to get through it.

Shedd Aquarium is a nice place to visit but if you have been to a big aquarium before you won’t be impressed here. It should be bigger with a larger main aquarium.

Glad to get in slightly before our booked time, however, was extremely crowded. Kids had fun, but seemed a bit bored. Expected much more from all the hype of people that I’ve told us about the place. Good to see once.

Very nice aquarium & lots of tanks & water-life to see. We loved the dolphin show & seeing the Belugas… was very busy & quite humid/sweaty throughout.

What a fun aquarium! Loved the dolphins, beluga, and the penguins! This is a great place for little kids too. It has a great cafe (bit pricey, but good!). This was a treat to visit!
Shows are frequent, so you won't miss out on anything.

Almost gave up trying to get into the aquarium. The entrance was poorly marked and God help you if you didn’t want to use your smart phone to buy a ticket. Finally, what are the attendance directed me to an entry way where I could just pay cash for a ticket. Once inside, I was a palled to find out I had to produce an identification anyway. The whole point of paying cash was to avoid having my name floating around in a database being searched by nonprofits looking for donations. To be fair I have not been contacted yet, but I almost walked away.

That said,once inside, it was well worth the price if not the hassle. There are a wide range of exhibits with the beluga whales being the premier display. I particularly enjoyed a lot of the Amazon rainforest and jungle exhibits. Of course, the Caribbean reef and saltwater exhibit were beautiful.

Too much to see in the time I had left after wasting about 30 minutes trying to figure out how to get into the damn place.

Lots to see and do here. Recommended for any age. I need to make another trip when my kiddo is a bit bigger so he remembers everything he has seen.

My wife and son and I visited. We had a good time. We all enjoyed the dolphin show the most. The views of the city and the lake are great. I enjoyed the fresh water/Great Lakes section also, although frankly I thought it would be larger. I think a lot of exhibits and content had to squeezed into a relatively small area.

The coral reef section was also interesting.

We had a nice snack - sandwiches and coffee - in one of the snack bars - food good, employees very nice. Great view of the lake, lucky to get a seat at window.

I was disappointed in the gift shops. I figured I would buy at least one book there - I would have if I saw anything I liked. Not too many books. Topics I thought might see included The Great Lakes Ecosystem, Behind The Scenes at the Shedd, A Guide to the Shedd, etc.

I also would have liked to have had a paper guide/map/pamphlet made available.

No maps available so I have no idea if it's overpriced or I or just didn't find all the exhibits. The "shows" are 10 mins. Paid a lot of money for cold awful food.

Unexpected highlight for my 8 year old. We used the city pass and this was a ticket that came with the pass. We went close to opening and was able to see so many things in a couple hours. Touch tanks, dolphin show, 4-D movie were great. We paired this visit with a trip to the field Museum. If you are walking from the Roosevelt station you pass a Trader Joe’s. You may want to stop and pick up sandwiches for a picnic. The grounds around there were very nice.

All parking was $55 on the day we went. As a family of 5 we spent over $220 on entry tickets and the aquarium was average at best. The overcrowding was frustrating, and my wife and I left feeling we spent way too much on a very average to poor experience.

It was an amazing trip! They nickel and dime the hell out of you. Make sure you go with city pass. It’s absolutely crazy how much money you save with city pass.

The best exhibit is the first one as you enter. You can pet the stingrays and some even rolled over on their backs like dogs. Lol. The rest of the aquarium is ok. Pretty cool 4D movies. The sea lion had an attitude. She was not having it.

Even though there is construction going on it didn't interfere with our visit. Nice, big aquarium. Loved the cafe area & how much is recycled. Disappointed that the water was so cloudy in the underwater viewing area. Took less than 2 hours for the 3 of us. Very pricey.

If you know others like the one in Valencia, this one doesn't even measure up to the shoe, it is poorly organized, old and if you want to do some interactive activity you pay for it separately. We have wasted an entire morning because it is also very far away... And on the way back there was an UBER, which made the joke costly. Not to mention that eating two dogs cost us a whopping 34 dollars.

I visited Shedd Aquarium in August and enjoyed my time there, they have lots of different types of Marine life and displays on their habitats as well as relevant information about the same.
I didn't have time to see any shows but from the time spent there I learnt a lot :)

The Shedd Aquarium is well-organized with a great variety of beautiful animals to observe. We especially loved the themed rooms like Amazon, Oceans, and Great Lakes, which were immersive and informative. There was plenty of educational material available, enhancing the experience.

Our only concern was with the larger mammals. While smaller fish and crustaceans seem suited for captivity without significant impact on their quality of life, we felt the enclosures for the dolphins and belugas were too small to allow for them to display their natural behaviors. Of course, this isn’t unique to Shedd Aquarium but a broader concern with aquariums worldwide and something to consider if you’re a wildlife enthusiast.

That said, as far as aquariums go, Shedd is as educational and well-organized as they come. Still, we left with mixed feelings seeing such magnificent animals in limited spaces and sincerely hope their presence is not solely for display but also contributes to the conservation of their species in the wild!

We live about a 90 minute drive from the Shedd but I make sure to take my kids 3-4 times per year.

The exhibits don't change fequently but with aquatic animals each visit is different. Love the dolphin and whale shows. The kids love the 'touch' experiences where you can touch star fish, sting rays, etc. If you go in the summer you can also feed the sting rays for a few dollars.

Great place to visit and the kids always have a wonderful trip.

Beautiful architecture. All exhibits are very clean. Common areas where vending was available was not at all clean. The flow of traffic was absolutely atrocious. It was very difficult to get close enough to most tanks. Unfortunately, this is mostly due to rude people. I do think they allow too many people in the aquarium at any given time though too. It kind of ruined the experience. We stayed for about an hour and then decided to leave.

We loved the experience! They had everything we wanted, and they had lots of activities. Don’t pack too heavy, since you will do lots of walking.

Our family visited the museum on a Sunday morning around spring break. We decided to pay the up charge for the Must See Tour. This tour includes general admission, and I’m so glad we did it! We got to go behind the scenes of multiple exhibits, had priority seating for one of the animal encounter shows, and learned so much about the animals and the aquarium from Alejandro, our top notch guide. The museum got super busy as the day went on. Arrive as early as possible, bring water bottles to refill, and bring some snacks from home for an awesome experience.

Make a reservation and buy your tickets online. This place is super busy but beautiful and worth going to see. It's not cheap as far as aquariums go and in fairness, if you've been to other big aquariums, you won't miss much by skipping this one. The beluga whales were pretty cool and a unique feature that many other aquariums don't have. If your limited on time in Chicago, I'd put this on the "nice to see" vs "must see" list.

We went on a Friday morning after many schools had started. It was perfect. Not crowded. We had a chance to see everything and caught 2 of the shows. The belugas are a favorite and so special to Shedd. The patio was perfect to take in a view of the skyline and lake. Stingray touch was great and employees there were informative. Overall, a great day!

Let’s take it from the top:

Attended today with my wife and two young sons, 4 and 2.

The price is high unless you have a discount. Thankfully I got a discount via my “home zoo” membership.

The parking situation was embarrassing.

The process for actually getting your ticket scanned for entry was beyond chaotic. No lanes, no velvet ropes, nothing. Pretty much a free-for-all.

The amount of people allowed inside the facility was absurd!

Granted, some of the exhibits are fantastic, but I don’t think that can make up for all the hassle and frustration of being extorted for $25/30 for “on-site” parking, no real line at check in, or the masses of people inside.

There are also lots of step to climb. Or take the elevator when you can. If you take the stairs, that gets old quick, and if you take the elevator, you’ll have to wait in line for it. This doesn’t make for a fun time when you have “little people” with you. If it had been me and my wife, I think that would have made for a very different review, but that was not the case.

The people running the facility know about how long people will be inside and how many people fit comfortably inside viewing exhibits, moving about, etc. However, they just don’t care about those issues, and I’d be curious if they’re actually adhering to fire code the way they pack people in there. If there would happen to be a fire in there, God help us.

My wife liked the food options, so that’s a bright light. Also some decent alcoholic beverage options.

Didn’t notice many Staff around inside to answer questions and the like. Not great. I would have at least liked to have asked if there was an octopus on-site.

I had not been here in at least 20 years so good to go again. Very busy on a Saturday afternoon including a lot of screaming children which was to be expected. Very expensive for non-Chicago residents but I guess after 20 years that was ok. Very interesting array of fish and aquatic creatures; whales, dolphins, penguins etc. Totally worth the effort.

What an amazing aquarium! We really enjoyed our time here. We learned that we should not have gone on a weekend - it was so crowded! But we still had a great time. I especially liked seeing the "babies" that were hatched in the past few months, near the Plankton display. The dolphin show was really cool, too. We also appreciated the conservationist teachings regarding ocean plastic and regarding the coral reefs. Highly recommend a visit to this amazing place.

What a neat place to visit. But I do have a few gripes. There’s only so many people they give tickets to hourly. So you pick a time slot. Which to me I thought was a great idea since that would give people more space. Unfortunately it was absolutely packed you couldn’t move. It was hard to look at anything and was less then enjoyable cause everyone is pushing through to get to each exhibit. It was very frustrating and it seemed like so many people felt the same. I’d like to go back and enjoy more time looking at the exhibits and not feel so rushed. Maybe letting less people in each day would be helpful for guests. Other then that it’s well maintained and the gift shop is neat.

One of the bigger aquariums I been too. I personal love the Beluga whales and penguins the most! Hand on experience as well but mostly a lot walk around to look at.

Fun place to go and see animals! We paid extra to experience the 4D movie on Octopus and it was worth it-very entertaining! We also had the chance to see the spotlight show on dolphins which was amazing! They even have beluga whales!

The Shedd is host to some of the most awe-inspiring wildlife. The underwater beluga tank is mesmerizing and one of my favorite aquarium experiences ever. Plan to catch the animal talks. The staff is knowledgeable and passionate, and the info they share will help you get the most out of your visit.

The aquarium has amazing wheelchair accessibility. There are elevators at both sides of the building, which eliminates the need to backtrack. Multiple bathroom configurations are available depending on your personal needs. I was particularly impressed by how the staff handled seating at the dolphin show. Not only was there reserved wheelchair accessible seating, but the staff was trained to reconfigure the crowd control stanchions so I would have an unobstructed view. Those little details are noticed and appreciated.

We had a wonderful time. It was good that we got there early. It was starting to get full by mid day. Glad that active duty was free, but they did not give any discounts to reserve or retired veterans. Some exhibits were closed, but enjoyed the interactive tanks.

There wasn't a huge line. It's best to get tickets early. It's a wonderful aquarium and lots of tanks and a variety of fish. The beluga whales are active and beautiful. The shark and dolphins are playful. It's definitely a must do if you have the time.

Loved every minute of our visit. I don’t always enjoy aquariums but this one is special. Expect to stay at least 2 hours. It does get crowded but it’s easy to move around

We really enjoyed our visit to Shedd Aquarium. My favorite part was the beluga whales. It was very crowded on the way we went, and you had to stand in a slow moving line each time you wanted to see an animal, which made it a little less fun, but we still enjoyed it a lot and I wouldn't be opposed to going again.

We visited the last Thursday of April and arrived at the opening time of 9am. the main entrance facing west was closed, so you had to enter through the southern entrance - not sure why, but this could be confusing. We used CityPass and we got right in with almost no delay. This enabled us to see the 4d shark film at a pre-selected time which was included in the pass, We enjoyed the penguin exhibit, the dolphin aquarium and the various, well maintained aquariums that displayed various aquatic environments around the world. Throughout the aquarium, there were many workers working on the aquariums while we visited. It's an outstanding aquarium.

I didn't give it 5 stars because it got crowded quickly, too crowded, with numerous school busses dropping off a LOT of kids. Unfortunately, many of these kids were running around bumping into people, screaming and hollering, getting lost or just not listening to either chaperones or their parents. I had to watch every step I took so I wouldn't step on someone's kid. I even saw one male chaperone (or father) running from the elevator yelling loudly for a lost child. It was so loud with the kids yelling, I could barely hear my wife talk. My wife and I finished up our visit and left before noon, which included spending about 15-20 minutes in the gift shop. I wanted to stay a little longer, but it was no longer enjoyable. I should have brought my earplugs to drown out the noise.

My suggestions to this aquarium are as follows: 1. Have an adult night, where only adults can visit the museum during evening hours such as 5 to 9pm - but with no kids. 2. Have more detailed maps available to orient visitors around the aquarium to allow for more efficient viewing. 3. Train staff/personnel to advise chaperones, parents of children to control the children with them or risk being asked to leave - either that, or limit the number of children with each adult. We paid good money for our visit and shouldn't have to have our enjoyment of this great aquarium diminished due to too many kids - some of which were unruly.

Best aquarium in the US. The backdrop of Lake Michigan is beautiful! We took the behind the scenes tour - which is a must! Get to see the shark tank from above (where public is not permitted) and learn the history of this amazing place.

First! I reccomend taking the behind the scenes tour. You are supplied with audio devices so your guide doesn't have to speak loud over the crowds in the common areas. You will be escorted back into the areas only the employees work to get an idea of what it takes to operate this place. I would say this experience was a personal extention to what you see on National Geographic. Your guide will help you understand how fragile our ecco systems are when it comes to protecting the enviroment and how it relates to our daily lives. So much to see. The tour last 75 minutes, then you have the rest of the time to see what everyone elses see and experience. If you have kids, take them to this place. It was just my wife and I, but I enjoyed the experience.

Everything is in disarray, the dolphin show lasts 20 minutes and the presenter talks more than the dolphins do.

I would only return if I go with children, because they really enjoy it.

But it is NOT for adults!!! Don't spend your money there

This was a great experience, I've been to plenty of aquariums where each tank has one type of fish or everything is at an additional cost. At Shedd animals that would interact in nature are grouped together in larger tanks and it's fun to watch them together. Also there is a dolphin show that is included with admission which I have never seen before.
It's a good educational experience, it's a good lazy day activity, it just depends on how you want to spend your time.
I wouldn't buy anything from the cafeteria however, prices were high and not really worth it.

I went to the Shedd on a Tuesday in July. It was very crowded. I download the app, but really did not need it. We avoided the main area and worked our way backwards. That helped avoid the crowds. Exhibits are really great. Amazon, African rivers, Great Lakes, so many different fish. There are a lot of hands-on things for kids. Do not mist the Stingray experience. The only down side is the food selection. They do have a food court with standard American food(hot dogs, ,beef snadwiches, pizza, chicken tenders, burgers.) If you have any dietary restrictions-pack your own food.

This is one of the best aquariums I’ve had the pleasure to visit.

Many of the exhibits are among the best I’ve seen at portraying a natural progression from sea to shore.

A definite place to visit for everyone when in town.

Beautiful acquarium with such a diverse amount of fish and species within the museum! The Amazon exhibit is top notch, the Caribbean reef is fun and a great Intro to the museum. They do a wonderful job of proving the different fish within areas of Africa, SE Asia, the Nile River, the Pacific and regions all around the world.

The Beluga whales are beautiful as are the dolphins and ambience on the shores of Lake Michigan.

The only reason for four stars is the shows were a little light. Maybe I was there on an off day. Overall, Shedd is a must see!

Avoid. We saw beluga whales and dolphins with no enrichment in their enclosures. These poor animals were circling and swimming upside down, evidently distressed or bored. I don't believe these intelligent mammals should be kept in captivity, especially not in this manner. Was sad to see, for a place that touts conservation. The fish tanks were much better, I did enjoy the amazon area. Would be a much better facility if they only had fish. The otters seemed very happy and had a good exhibit.
Very very noisy, screaming children, despite the timed entrance policy it is clearly oversold. Even for summer vacation time, it was extreme.

We had visited the aquarium in colder months but this time we went on labor day weekend and it was a huge mistake. This is pricey to begin with even after our bank of america discount (we only paid for kids tickets). They surely can't handle crowd as long lines form outside the aquarium. Once inside, it's not any better either. Dolphin show was free but barely lasted 8 mins. 4d movie was also too short but at least wasn't too expensive.
We won't visit this attraction again..

I have two toddlers and someone stole our GB Pockit All Terrain Stroller and Diaper Bag! We are due to fly back home to California this Saturday and I have nothing for my children! The Shedd said they’d “call us back” tomorrow but no offer of reimbursement! You all need to have a paid worker looking after all stroller sections, make a stroller check ins with tickets or something more advanced to avoid theft! How will I travel back home now with my kids!? My one year old just started walking! He needs a stroller! And a GB Pockit is not cheap! Such a horrible experience! I never want to return back to this place nor Chicago!

The Shedd Aquarium is enchanting. There are aquatic animals of all kinds, both fresh and salt water. The layout of the Aquarium helps a lot, and the tour is spectacular. The Beluga Whale and Dolphin Show is an attraction in itself. With or without your children, don't miss this tour.

The kind of place you already imagine what you will find, the difference is how each compartment is made available. There are passages, other levels with special premises, where the presentation of the dolphins is simply beautiful, with the scenario taken advantage of Lake Michigan, something that cannot be described. It is worth seeing.

We had a good visit. Our family enjoys just walking around reading, learning, and observing so we were satisfied with what the aquarium had to offer. However, for what it offered it was way overpriced. Kids will have fun even if adults aren’t thrilled.

If had high hopes of a very fascinating visit to the Shedd Aquarium and all began very well. It has a superb coral section, and a very impressive big tank with sharks and other large and small fish. So far so great. We then proceeded to the Ocean section to be confronted with a number of Beluga Whales in a tank that was way too small (they should never have in there in the first place). They also had a performing dolphin show, which I did not want to see.
In 2024, surely there is no place for intelligent animals to be in captivity for human entertainment. Even Sea World is phasing out the Orcas. I do not like to see this and I feel very sorry for the whales and dolphins.
Perhaps I should have done more research and not bought a ticket if I knew.

I regret giving my money to this place. I wish I researched it more before I went, skipped right past the gift shop in order to not give them any more money. It was like a small SeaWorld. The tanks were WAY too small for all of the animals there. Way too many fish in too small of a space, especially the dolphins and whales. And the coral reef tank....countless fish, 2 sharks, one sea turtle, I've been in swimming pools bigger than this tank. If you care about whales, dolphins, sharks, alligators or any other kind of sea life, DO NOT go here.

The Shedd Aquarium has an excellent collection of marine life displays spread out over several floors. The marine animal tanks range from small (easy to see and spot the fishes) to very large (to see whole schools of some fish species pass by). A fun highlight during my visit was passing through the penguin exhibit at the same time as they were being fed; watching the penguins waddle around chasing the meal of fishes was cute.

I also caught the beluga whale show in the main amphitheater in the lower level. This show (included in the admission price) was crowded during the summer weekend I was there, so plan to show up early to get a decent seat. Showing up early may also allow you to watch the dolphins practice their athletic tricks before the main show, a nice benefit. The main beluga whale show was also pretty good.

For some reason this Museum still insists on selling tickets online before you arrive; none of the other Chicago museums (including the others on this same campus) require this. I hadn't bothered to buy online as I wasn't sure exactly when I'd arrive. I didn't have any problem just walking in and purchasing tickets at the main entrance's machines.

Too expensive for what you see inside 👎 look to old and not much great exhibition to see. We see better aquarium . I don’t know why they are on the better aquarium un US

Shedd is great , lots of interesting fish to see . My only complaint is price is 39.95 and doesn’t include everything in Shedd . You have to pay extra for some special shows and such .

Decided to go here on my last day before flying out.
Gave myself three hours - I think double this is needed as there is so much to see!
The place is a bit of a warren, so it is sometimes difficult to navigate the place.
Did a 4D show shich was entertaining and also the Beluga whales spotlight.
Would have loved more time!

This aquarium stands on the shore of Lake Michigan in the heart of Chicago. The large pool with the lake view through the glass is amazing. Penguins, jellyfish and sea creatures are usually visible. Admission isn't cheap, as are other tourist attractions, but it's worth considering if you're in Chicago for a few days, as there's a shared ticket with the Sky Deck and museums. Renovation work was currently underway, but it was open.

Expensive ticket to the aquarium bought with high expectations. Entrance to the side of the aquarium through a renovation. It was extremely busy and due to the large number of people, some windows were not clearly visible. Also the large amount of strollers caused you to make bad progress. The only space was with the dolphins who were enjoying themselves. However impressive were the white besiege,s . The rest can also be seen in other aquariums

We had an amazing time at the aquarium. Our favourite part was the Coral Reef section. It took us good 2-3 hours inside the aquarium. Also, do note that Shedd aquarium is not part of the city pass. You have to take separate ticket for Shedd aquarium.

Wonderful aquarium in Chicago sitting right on Lake Michigan. I've been coming here for years with my kids (15,10,10) and we still enjoy each visit. Parking can be found fairly close in the outdoor museum lot or in the Soldier Field garage. Both are no more than a 10 minute walk.

Wide variety of animals and exhibits from all over the world. I would say 3-5 hours depending on how long you want to stop at each exhibit.

The aquarium fills rapidly the later in the day you go. If you want to try and avoid the crowds as best you can, arrive 30 minutes early and be one of the first to enter.

Food is available or bring your own. Pricing is acceptable for Chicago and decent quality.

Nice aquarium. Some outdated areas, but clean for the amount of people that were there. All in all it was okay, not an aquarium I would make the trek to again.

I went on a Thursday afternoon thinking it wouldn't be too busy but I was very wrong. The aquarium needs to figure out some sort of movement for people to go because so many people were going in different directions, making the whole experience chaotic. Some arrows or better signage would help. They also barely have any maps and it's difficult to understand where you are.

I also want to mention that it was $47 for basic admission and that one of the main exhibits was closed. I went pretty slowly through the museum and could still see everything in about an hour. They don't really have that much to see and I've seen better aquariums for a cheaper price. And since one of the main exhibits was closed I feel like there should have been some sort of ticket discount.

Overall, I wouldn't go again. For the family of 4 in front of me at the ticket counter, it was almost $200 just to go to the aquarium! Go to the field museum instead. It was much more impressive and much cheaper.

We are spoiled by living close to the Monterey Bay Aquarium but this place is good! We really enjoyed our visit with plenty of interesting exhibits and activities to keep everyone interested for about 3 hours. Dolphin show was great but unfortunately conflicted with the shark 4D experience which was fun but not live, so we missed out on all but the first ten minutes of the dolphins. We visited late in the day- around 3:30, took the 146 or 130 bus from downtown and after the aquarium we headed to Soldier Field for a game. Worked out really well.

Great for all ages! So much to see. The main attractions are definitely the Dolphins and the Beluga Whales. They do animal spot lights throughout the day that are definitely worth the watch!

We love it .I would recommend it if you are going to Chicago. You must see the beluga show.this is a great museum.my son enjoy it so much.

The aquarium has some nice exhibits but not much has changed since I visited years earlier. But I was with people who hadn’t been and they loved it. Although very crowded we were able to enjoy.

Limited signage and help. Online Maps only and hard to read. A few Elevators for large crowds. Outdoor setting is beautiful on the lake.

We had a great time. Yes it was crowded and lots of children, but we loved the excitement of the children seeing the fish and reptiles. We did not purchase our tickets ahead of time, but no worries there are machines to purchase a ticket by credit card with someone to assist you or you can go stand in line and see a person and pay cash. They give discounts to Active military and residents of Illinois. I love how the Shedd Aquarium was broken down into segments for example Great Lakes fish or fish from the Amazon. There are some fish with glowing eyes, jellyfish, stingrays
and even a place if you want to touch fish. Recommend this place and take your time enjoy it.

This was okay. It was very crowded and the crowds were quite pushy and rude. I’m a little concerned with the size of the tanks for the larger mammals (whales, dolphins, sea lions). My son, who loves aquariums complained of the smell. I’m not sure if that could be helped or not though.

One of the free attractions with the Chicago Pass. We were not disappointed as there is so much to see. I recommend that you book your time slot in advance. Apart from the many exhibits you should have a coffee in the cafe and admire the view.

Tons of people at the aquarium and hard to take in everything. A lot of the fish are super small and the exhibits aren't really anything special. The movie was super short and felt like a waste. It is great for kids, though. A whole floor of interactive activities for them.

We thoroughly enjoyed this Aquarium it was huge and had a large variation of sea life. We spent about 5 hours in there as there was so much to see. We took the train then a bus and we’re dropped off outside. There was a few eating places in the aquarium and a few gift shops. I would definitely recommend a visit. The aquarium was right beside Lake Michigan so had fantastic views, we walked back from there along the river walk which was beautiful.

I hadn't bern to an aquarium ij years. We went on a jazz night and it was pretty crowded. Lots of different fish, obviously but fsirly standsrd stuff. Nice building ij Grant park.

It was really too crowded to enjoy. You couldn’t get close to many of the smaller tanks. It just felt like there were people everywhere. We never did get to see the Wild Reef, because I couldn’t justify standing in another line for an hour. Aside from the crowds, the exhibits we did see were just ok.

This is a great aquarium! We did the beluga experience, which was phenomenal, but there are so many things to see and do. It looks overwhelming when you first go in, but you quickly figure things out and realize that some exhibits wind so you see both the entrance and the exit at the same time. All the fish, the penguins, the dolphins, the belugas, the otters are all fantastic, and there are lots of petting areas (sting rays, lake sturgeon, etc). It's one of the best aquariums I've been to.

Super crowded, but it was holiday weekend. They had timed entry which helped. Good to buy tickets ahead of time. Nothing super special inside but it a huge facility.

This was part of the "City Pass" and my family and I enjoy aquariums, so decided to check this one out. We have been spoiled by some really amazing aquariums, so this one was good, but not outstanding. We did "miss" many of show type stuff, they had a large auditorium where is appeared they did shows, and there were none going on when we were there. Probably should have done more research to see when those happen and made sure we saw those. But still fun to see the whales and dolphins swimming around. And lots of smaller displays, what you might find in this area, or that area, around the world. We had just come from the field museum, and after about 2 hours decided we had seen enough fish and went back across the street. It is very convenient to the Field Museum (2 minute walk over), so great plan to combine those two into one day.

The entrance prices are outrageous, handicap parking is not accessible, The Aquarium was not open due to remodeling thats why we went there, we waited for the dolphin show and we had a 10-minute show with Bubba the walrus. I think the fish aquarium should have been well known not up and open to the public! It was a major let down to us!

The admission was part of the city pass. We took an uber from our hotel. It dropped us right outside the aquarium. It was pouring and even with the city pass the line was really long. We had a show included and picked octopus 4d which was fun with bubbles, twitching seats 20 min show. Scan the map. All the exhibits were absolutely packed with school children and strollers. You have to very patient and we our masks on for safety. There was no room for navigation. It made it difficult to enjoy the exhibits. We lovef the belugas especially at feeding time. The penguins were really cute. The giant fishes at the rainforest exhibit are awesome. The views outside are incredible too.

We have always enjoyed the Shedd Aquarium whenever we visited Chicago. This visit was different. Entrances were blocked, huge signs announcing the upcoming improvements, but no signage directing you to the entrance. The huge tank with all the fish in the Caribbean area was blocked off—that’s the major attraction. I’d say about half the exhibits were unavailable due to construction. We spent less than an hour there, which is unacceptable for a $40 ticket plus $30 to park.

The physical facility is large enough. The staff was very friendly and helpful. However, it costs a small fortune. And they fleece you for lockers, gifts, etc.. Some of the tanks were dirty. Some had cloudy water. Never did see an octopus or electric eel. I looked hard, since these were something I was very interested in seeing. Whole experience... ehh.

Unforgettable Wednesday evening listening to live jazz and watching the sunset and fireworks over the skyline and Navy Pier. Food and Bev available for purchase. The Shed does it right. And , yes, they are a top shelf aquarium. Make your way here for sure .

I thought the tickets were expensive but that the experience would be worth it. It wasn’t. It started out with the entry being on the opposite side of the building after walking 30 minutes from the train, but that was a minor inconvenience. Once you enter, it’s SHEER CHAOS. There are literally hundreds of kids running and screaming as soon as you walk in, and no direction on where to go or what to see. We tried to use the online map, which was useless. Started at the lowest level and worked our way up. There was nothing special on display. Tiny fish tanks for the most part and then two larger aquariums with dolphins and belugas. That’s IT! They advertised a special experience with penguins and an octopus on their site (for a fee, of course) that turned out to be a movie. Who wants to watch a movie at a live animal exhibit? And we never found the “wild reef,” despite looking and fighting mass crowds for 45 minutes. Guess it’s a secret? My husband, daughter and I were relieved to get out of there and agreed that much smaller animal exhibits we’ve been to in Indiana were far superior to this. The only consolation is that perhaps our admission $ will go to help the animals in some way.

Shedd Auditorium is a beautifully designed space with a wide variety of fish from around the world, as well as a well-done dolphin presentation.

We were in town on the same weekend as the Shedd Aquarium had free admission for Illinois residents, so it was CROWDED, definitely took away from the experience for us and we had to line up outside in the freezing cold to wait to get in during our time slot. Other than that, the aquarium was pretty neat. Not sure it's worth what they charge to get in but maybe just for a one time experience it's worth it. We couldn't see the penguins as they turn the lights off to that display when they're doing the dolphin show and the otters were not on display that day so that's definitely disappointing when you pay a lot of money for admission. The Beluga whales were the highlight for us. But the rest was just kind of average. One and done for us.

It is a beautiful aquarium, we loved it; the wording was clear and all the animals well presented and quite clearly visible. The price of admission is very high, but it was worth it, Recommendation!

It was just okay. Took visitors from Toronto and we all left feeling a bid less than satisfied. Very crowded, loads of kids -- but it was during July - so no surprise there.
The dolphin and shark exhibits were pretty pricey.

After a long walk from the L train, (with next to no signage of how to get there,) everything started bad when you learn you've got to walk around to the opposite side of the building to gain entry. As someone with the all inclusive City Pass, there was no signage where we should enter, but luckily one of the kind staff was able to sort things out. Better signage would make the world of difference here.

Upon gaining entry, it wasn't at all clear which animals were on which floor and the staff themselves gave conflicting and incorrect information. When we did see something, compared to other similar aquariums, the enclosures seemed really small for the animals.

As someone who's visited really good aquariums in Atlanta and London, we can't recommend this particular aquarium, particularly due to the cost. If it was chaotic off season in September, we can't imagine how bad things would be in July.

Absolutely unenjoyable. Went the Thursday after Christmas for our pre-scheduled 2:00 time, but sat outside about an 1 1/2 hour, watching a constant stream of people entering. At 1:30 the line outside to enter was all the way across the front of the building. The number of people all scheduled at 2:00 was staggering. We finally got inside, just to find such a thick crowd of people you couldn’t move thru the halls, much less get close enough to the mostly small aquarium windows to see anything. Our 11 and 18 year old were ready to leave within 30 minutes. The long lines to every activity were snaking thru the crowd making it even harder to navigate thru the crowd. The largest center aquarium was really not much to look at. There’s no way to see the main tank, like the moving floor that runs under/thru like Atlanta, and Nashville’s aquariums. The others were mostly 2 by 3 windows with a lot of fish you’d see at a pet store, like tetras and neons. The short dolphin show stops right when you think it’s getting started, with mostly a woman talking, whom you couldn’t hear. Don’t sit in the side sections because they shine what looks like a spotlight directly into your eyes most of the show. If you’ve been to Atlanta’s aquarium, Nashville’s, or even Springfield, Mo aquarium, you will think this one is pitiful. Don’t waste your time.

I'm visiting family in Chicago (flew in from Tampa) and it was my first time at the Shedd Aquarium!! The aquarium was incredible with tons of exhibits to see. Our main highlights were the dolphin show and the beluga chat! Will definitely come again if given the chance 😊

Superb exhibits and plenty to see and do on a rainy day in Chicago. The variety of animals and sea creatures is excellent and all the information is really educational. Only downside was the amount of people in at one time and that people were allowed to walk round eating and drinking.
Fantastic day overall.

apparently there is an aquarium in georgia and florida that is bigger than Shedd but all I know is that Shedd is absolutely wonderful. a MUST SEE for anybody who travels to Chicago. they have so many different species to look at it is almost overwhelming. Beluga Whales!!! Dolphins!! seahorses and jellyfish. just about any sea creature you can imagine, they had it!

Nice visit to Shedd this morning. Shark 4D movie was cool. The aquarium is definitely geared towards sharks. Smaller than expected, but clean, organized, and nice!

Even though this is one of the largest aquariums in the US, I didn't have very high expectations but they were blown away! This place was great! There are just so many exhibits and so much to see. I will say the layout is kind of confusing and the maps weren't all that helpful but employees were in giving us directions to specific animals. I was very excited to see Beluga whales since they are my favorite, they're so so cute! We spent about 2 hours here without seeing any of the shows so you could easily spend a lot more time. The building itself is architecturally beautiful as well.

While on a visit to Chicago, we visited the Shed Aquarium. I am a zoologist, scuba diver, museum lover and special needs mom. Shed Aquarium was a "must see" on our list. The whole visit from the entrance to the shows to the layout and elevators were quite a challenge for accessibility. With the exception of the kind lady at the entrance who helped us get to the movie, none of the staff were very helpful or friendly to us or others dealing with accessibility issues. We reached out to the manager whose reply was "we know and hopefully it will be better in the future." Not very assuring or enough to make us return. In my opinion, this is a leadership/ management issue and they are in need of some HR changes. Maybe hire someone with empathy and knowledge on how to make their beautiful facility accessible and welcome to all.

Large collection of lake fauna and flora. Outdoor space from which to enjoy the Chicago skyline while enjoying a drink.

It’s the worst place in Chicago to visit in. We went in a raining day but wasn’t allowed to wait in a sheltered place because we were 30 minutes away from our scheduled time. Thanks to stupid guys in the entrance!!

Beautiful aquatic animals. The animals were well cared for. It was noisy. Lots of kids. But it was a lovely place. We got city passes.

$50 per adult! That is absolutely ridiculous for a below average aquarium. That’s just the entry fee. There are shows that will cost you more. They did offer free admission for active duty military but not for retirees. So, 10 weeks of service we thank you but 20 plus years pay $50.

The Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta only cost $40 and is considered the best in the country. If Georgia is a 10 then Shed is a 4 at best. Don’t wast your money, go the the Field Museum instead.

Shedd Aquarium…more like Sh** Aquarium. For all the hype and pricing you would think they would have more to offer. All they had were stingrays, penguins, dolphins, beluga whales, and starfish. Not very stroller friendly. The staff that were in charge of the animals were rude as hell. They act like their job was a nuisance. Please don’t waste your money here. Go to the planetarium or the field museum.

Well done exhibits. Unfortunately we visited when several groups of young people were there. They were noisy and the situation was chaotic in places, which hindered our enjoyment.

My friends and I were wanting to come to the aquarium for a while but could never justify the 40$ entrance fee, but we finally decided to make the trip. Shedd is really nice and we appreciated all of the exhibits. The only issue I had was that they have a concession stand by the center tank and it was 60$ for 2 drinks, a bag of popcorn, and a cookie. Avoid getting any food here and bring your own snacks.

We were excited to see the aquarium on our recent visit to Chicago - it was my 16 year old son's first trip and he chose this as his major attraction/expense. Honestly the best part was the taco food truck we hit on our way in. The venue was jammed - so overcrowded I was shocked. The number of strollers and screaming kids was overwhelming. You couldn't get to the aquariums to see them, and every shot I have seems blocked by someone lifting up a toddler for a better view. The beluga thing was a little sad and we couldn't get into the whale show because of the masses of people. They were clearly understaffed and the staff were completely stressed out. I'm honestly not sure that the aquarium is doing any good in the world - but they are making a crap ton of money off ticket sales. I don't think the toddlers or their parents learned much about ecology. I had hoped to, but I didn't either.

Very large space with tanks and presentation of dolphins and belugas.
We can touch on trays and on another big fish.

We loved the show and the penguins, dolphins, whales and more.
You need to watch out for pick pockets because my sister wallet was taken. They seem to have professional pick pocket at this site but it is worth seeing so have your money and credit cards hidden

We visited on one of their night time openings and came away less than impressed. There were areas which were quite dark and not easy to walk through. That being said, it was much less crowded so that made it easier to get closer to the animals and also to chat with the friendly staff. They’re going through some renovations so we won’t make much of some of the damaged trim and exhibits. Great animals though!

The Aquarium is so popular we were surprised to learn that our preferred day and entrance hour needed to be reserved ahead of time. Our first availability was 6 days away! But the place is well organized and enormous, well worth the $34.00 per adult. We saw a show, a trained sea lion, leaping dolphins, white beluga whales , and more than 70 different habitats (tanks of water with fish). Children everywhere and some old fogeys like me pushed around in the provided wheelchairs. Our group of 3 adults spent 4 engrossed hours.

A lovely place to spend a few hours! Staff were very nice and it was great to walk around and see the dolphins and beluga whales! It was very busy though which meant seeing certain things was a bit harder! A good place for the kids!

It is one of the world's largest indoor aquariums, housing around 32,000 creatures. While you're here, you can feel stingrays float beneath your fingers, listen to sea lions bark, and learn all about a variety of turtles.

A stop at Shedd Aquarium is a must, especially if traveling with kids. Keep at least three hours to make the most of your visit.

Buy online tickets- the earlier you purchase tickets, the cheaper they will be. Travelers with a Chicago City PASS or a Go City Chicago Card receive a complimentary Shedd Pass

Shedd Aquarium, The Field Museum, and the Adler Planetarium -are all on the Museum campus and at a walkable distance

between the Chicago skyline and Lake Michigan view from here - it’s amazing...!

Amazing habitats with so many beautiful fish. Touch tank with sturgeon. Beautiful beluga whales. Dolphins. Sea lions. 10 minute “show” on the half hour highlighting different animals. The habitat for the dolphins and belugas is 2 million gallons and such a beautiful backdrop with the lake visible through the windows. Skip the food court though - food very underwhelming and cold.

Such a great time. I could have spent all day here admiring the exhibits. So many beautiful fish and aquatic species. It’s well laid out and interactive.

I just found this aquarium to be too big, too crowded, overpriced and a confusing layout.

I understand why you need to purchase tickets online, in advance but this was poorly communicated and resulted in long lines of people standing outside the entrance not understanding the process, then trying to purchase tickets online in a poor cell service location.

We purchased the 4D experience to watch the Octopus Blue Planet movie and was surprised that it was not amazing. The Toronto Aquarium, while smaller was a better overall experience.

We love aquariums! My daughter's favorite animal are dolphins, so we did not want to miss out on the beautiful Shedd Aquarium. We went early so we missed out on some of the crowds. We had the City Pass so we were able to see a 4D movie that was included. Our choices were Octopus, Shark and Penguin, we went with the Octopus movie and it was informative and fun! Our kids liked the air puffs, sprays of water, and the bubbles at the end. We also were able to see an animal spotlight on...of course dolphins! We weren't sure what it was going to be about. I asked someone and they said it could be either dolphins, Beluga whales, or sea lions, but they wouldn't know which one until right before the show. We just happened to luck out! We spent a lot of time here, and saw everything! Highly recommend!

The aquarium is very cool, the exhibits were large and spaced out so there was room to see everything. Entry to the aquarium was a bit chaotic though-we had pre purchased our tickets and it was unclear the process if anything was needed from us.

This is a great museum. The building is amazing, the exhibits are set up really well and there's a good variety of fish and other animals to see. We managed to catch the dolphin show which was educational and great to see. Touching the rays was a real highlight. My teenagers are difficult to please these days, but this one was their choice and they loved it.

Loved the Aquarium.
I was on a solo trip to Chicago and needed to fill in a few days.
Loved wandering around the aquarium on my own, watching a couple of the shows and seeing the different reefs, aquariums and displays.
How awesome are Belugas?
Definitely worth a visit, especially if you have children.
Stay for lunch, enjoy the views over the lake and have a wonderful time with the animals.

Amazing experience. I am an adult (senior) and enjoyed it very much. Great information. I learnt a lot about life under water and got more concsious about environment topics. A must for children over six so the can grow up loving and caring all alive criatures as well as the environment. A must see in Chicago. Don't miss the 4D experience.

I love the Shedd Aquarium! I'm from Pittsburgh so I always stop here when I'm in town. Its one of the best aquariums in the country. They have so many different things to do that don't include animals like movies, VR, etc. One thing to add though is it is not COVID safe if that is your type of thing. It is extremely crowded.

My son loved it. There was a lot to do and see. I would recommend if you are going to Chicago. My son loved touching the stingrays.

Good size aquarium with a decent amount of different sea creatures to see. the dolphin show is cute but to wait 30 mins for a 6 min show is disappointing.

I've heard they will be renovating and adding additional buildings and features so will be ice to see that complete in future.

Try and snag some discount codes cause it's a little pricey for non-residents.

Wife was super excited to visit here on our Chicago trip. We were surprised to see so many closed exhibits. She really wanted to see the huge shark tank that was completely closed off for construction.

Very expensive if your from out of town. Many aquariums and a short Whale show. I paid 225 for 2 adults and 3 children. We where only there for a few hours. The museum in the same parking lot is a much better deal.

I have fond memories of this aquarium growing up! A state Gem! A must visit if you are in Chicago! The diverse sea life as well as the marine show are great educational experiences for all ages! And the building architecture is beautiful!

We took a family extended weekend trip to Chicago. Since, I love aquariums, we visited the Shedd Aquarium.

For us the experience was not worth the cost. Shedd advised you to purchase your tickets online. The ticket price is based on whether you are a Chicago resident, the day you visit and the time you enter the aquarium. Our time was on a Saturday at 1:30 PM, We just had the basic tickets without any special experiences and spent $208.00 for tickets for 4 adults. There do not have veteran/military or senior discounts.

Based on the cost, we expected to see some exceptional exhibits. We left the aquarium feeling it was nice but not worth the cost as we had visited other aquariums which had similar exhibits and were less costly.

Oh my gosh there’s so much to see. I havnt been since I was a young girl. The navigating can be a little confusing. So definitely download the app. The staff is very friendly. There is quite a few stairs. But make sure you walk to the lake as well.

It was very crowded and hard to get around. For the price we were expecting more. I’d save the money and do something else instead. It was underwhelming.

Horrible to see animals being held in such dire conditions. We were expecting to see small fish but they keep large animals e.g. beluga whales and seals in tiny enclosures. Will not be visiting again. Tickets are also ridiculous prices and the place is packed.

It is recommended to buy the tickets online.
I tried that 4 times, but it never worked.
We then stood in line for ages in the 35 degree sun. Many people had the same experience.
I have been to many aquariums, but I was rather disappointed with this one. In my opinion, it is not worth the $40 entrance fee and the wait.
There are other places in Chicago

I always hesitate to come here when my kids ask. Chicago could not make its museums any more difficult to access. Every time we come the traffic is awful, the parking is awful, and the aquarium is way too crowded. Today was hordes of screaming toddlers, kids (and grownups!) banging on the exhibit glass and so many people that we couldn't get close enough to really see a lot of the exhibits. Even the gift shop line was 20-25 people deep.
Moreover, we only live 10 miles from Chicago but are not city residents. . . . which makes the Shedd ridiculously expensive. For 3 of us (me and my 2 kids aged 12 and 14), tickets were $40/each plus, another $5/each for a short 4D movie, service charges and $25 for the privilege of parking 2 miles away. So about $170 for a three-person visit. Yikes.

The Shedd Aquarium is nice to visit. It has a large variety of sea life attractions. The oceanarum is very interesting with the dolphins and whales.

However, the visit map is not as clear to follow, and the 4D specials are not up to 4D standards. They could be a simple movie documentary.
The animal exhibition is fun - we were lucky to catch a dolphin show; however, the show time is too short, and the dolphins stunts are limited to few minutes.

The Shedd aquarium has a wonderful layout to experience their exhibits. We got there when they opened in the morning. After viewing the exhibits we had lunch there before leaving. A wonderful way to start your day. The campus where this is located is beautiful.

A beautiful aquarium museum with lots of different fish. There is also a show.
It is particularly nice that you can pet starfish and fish. I think that is a unique idea that I have never experienced anywhere else.
The price-performance ratio is rather average, as the entrance fee is very expensive!

Very impressed with this aquarium. We try to visit aquariums when we travel and this one is definitely at the top of our list. Loved the way it was set up and organized, and also educating information about the types of life that were in each display. Seeing Beluga whales were a plus! You wont be disappointed visiting this aquarium !

Definitely best for small kids. I went on a free day for Illinois residents, and I cannot imagine paying full price for this experience. Paid $5 extra for for the 4D experience, which consisted of 3D glasses, puffs of air from the seat back, and bubbles in the air - the entire film lasted 10 minutes. The dolphin show was also about 10 minutes. The beluga whales were great, sharks were great, touch the stingrays was great. Otherwise, meh. Very old fashioned fish tanks, very little sense of being “under the sea.” This is definitely an old and outmoded facility, especially if you’ve been to the aquarium in Monterey Bay. The Shedd layout is cramped and chaotic, everything seems haphazard, way finding is poor. Also, nothing that lists the times of everything that day - I stumbled on to the dolphin show by chance because I could hear the announcer, not because show times were listed anywhere, even on the app. Disappointed.

We normally love going to the Shedd Aquarium over the past 20 years. However, what was lightly shared when we were purchasing the ticket online was that it was under construction. OK - not a typical hindrance - we still wanted to go. What we didn't realize when we got there was the original Caribbean Reef (yes - that one in the picture) was closed, as well as the Amazon Waterways bay, as well as the exhibit and gift shop that is normally behind the Oceanarium. The animal encounters (dolphin show) was only 10 minutes long. We spent at best 1.5 hours at the museum, when we normally would have spent at least 4. We look forward to returning once it is renovated, but beware under the current state.

I’ve been to several aquariums and this one is really underwhelming. A lot could be done to improve it. Drop the price by 15 bucks for one. This place is overpriced for what you get. Also improved signage is needed. If they don’t want to give out maps, they need large directories all over the place. The online map is poor. Also , there is no signage for the brief animal presentations that take place. Would it be so hard to put up sign that gives the time of the presentations and what animal they are featuring so I dont have to waste my time sitting there just to find out they are repeating the same presentation I just saw? Also , I spent $54 on food for 3 kids that was mediocre at best.

we went to the shed aquarium one morning we got there when it opened at nine and laughed at about 1230 we watched two shows and saw some really great exhibits. What I liked best about this aquarium is that it was clean and it didn’t smell fishy like most aquariums even though you expected it just was cleaner. Love the beluga whales We really enjoyed our day there, this was part of our city pass and we really enjoyed it

This came with the city pass so was free, it is currently under construction until 2027 but still kept us entertained for a couple of hours. We enjoyed the fish enclosures and thought they were laid out well and had a good variety, we particularly liked the sharks. We went to the dolphin show and this was fun and the dolphins looked like they were enjoying it. Only reason I have marked it down is the whale and sealion enclosure looked small and the penguins were constantly indoors but I’m hoping once the new extension is built they will have a bigger space. They are clearly well looked after by the staff. If you have a spare couple of hours it’s worth a visit

I was surprised and disappointed by the world-famous Shedd Aquarium. The building and exhibits didn’t seem to have a natural traffic flow, so people were walking all over the place cutting each other off and bumping into each other. The human inconveniences were small potatoes compared with what the animals had to deal with, though.

The animal spotlight show featured dolphins doing tricks à la SeaWorld, which didn’t seem appropriate for a globally renowned institution like Shedd. The show was only 10 minutes and was very light on information. I would have liked to learn more about the Pacific White Sided Dolphin.

The beluga whales were magnificent creatures and I’m grateful to have seen them. I just wish they had more space to swim around, cleaner water and more mental stimulation in their habitat. Their water was cloudy, they seemed crowded and all they had to entertain themselves was swimming in circles around the tank. The tank didn’t seem big enough for several 18”, 3,000 lb. mammals and the entire exhibit made me feel sad for them.

The sea lion was on display in a space the size of my small bathroom. The sea otters weren’t even in their exhibit, with no notice or explanation. I came to the aquarium specifically to see the sea otters. Bummer.

A point in Shedd’s favor: the gift shop. It had some cool stuff that was better than the usual tourist hats and tchotchkes.

We use to come here every 3 or 4 years because it was nice back then. This time my whole family was disappointed not much to see. Also a large portion of the museum is under construction and closed. The entrance fee is getting expensive not worth for the money that I spent for four people. Very disorganized. No person that guides you. The caribbean reef which is we like the most is also close. At least you should let people know before we buy tickets pls inform your visitor/customer that shedd is under renovation and dont expect exhibit to see.

The Shedd is exactly the same as it was when I was a child, which was 30 years ago. It’s extremely dated, which I’m assuming they’re addressing based on all the construction. A team member told me they anticipate all of the construction to be completed by 2030. It’s dark, gloomy, and small exhibits are just sad. Although the building/exhibits haven’t changed in 30 years, the price most certainly has. Only Chicago residents receive a discounted ticket, not cook county or IL residence. REALLY? $45 admission per person is straight blasphemy. And finally, the staff members here are just plain rude and act like they hate their job. No hello or goodbye, no welcome. No insightful tips or information. Just straight faced grumps. I think I encountered 2 nice employees during my 2 hr visit (which is a really all the time you need to spend here). You’re better off going next door to the museum. Way more bang for your buck there. Maybe I’ll give it another visit in 2030…..

Great experience even considering Saturday in Feb packed with families with strollers. Loved the dolphin show and the beluga whales. Did the 3d virtual reality shark experience and manta ray and whales

My wife and I (mid-50s) visited w our son and his fiancée (mid-20s) on a busy Saturday afternoon. There’s so much to see! It was crowded, especially w families w young children (lots of strollers), but that wasn’t too much of a challenge except for using the elevators. We especially enjoyed a 10-min animal demo in the oceanarium and the opportunity to touch a sturgeon. Sharks! Beluga whales. Dolphins! Penguins. It’s a beautiful building, too and right on L Michigan.

We thought the exhibits were good. The highlights for us were the dolphin and beluga whale shows. Very well done and nice educational component. It can be a challenge to navigate and it’s easy to get turned around even when referring to the maps.

The exhibits / halls were well taken care of and clean the staff around was very helpful and made sure you didn’t hurt the aquarium life.

Look at taking 2-3 hours for your entire visit here it’s not as small as it seemed at first glance.

Do get in before or after all the school field-trips haha that many kids in one aquarium was too much for me.

Great experience

It's a nice aquarium, but the hubs and I were expecting it to be off the chart since it's in Chicago and kind of famous. We were a little underwhelmed.

The Shedd Aquarium is a great aquarium with nice exhibits. It’s worth planning a visit if you’re in the Chicago area and you haven’t been to the aquarium before. It was our first time back in a while and we have teenagers now. They enjoyed it; but we’re wouldn’t need to go again. Lots of families with small children and lots of strollers to navigate.

We saw everything (plus some shows) in 3.5 hours. Adequate places to sit down and eat a packed lunch if you choose to bring your own food in. Lockers are available ($5 for a small locker and $ 7 or $8 for a medium sized locker)

The aquarium is pricey. Try to find discount codes if you don’t live in Chicago or have a pass. There are first responder discounts available too (but that doesn’t include health care workers, unfortunately)
We paid $25 for parking; valet parking available for $35.

The gift shop is well stocked, has some cute things and totally overpriced.

Not what I expected at all! My husband and I took our almost 2 year old and we were very disappointed. We’ve been to many aquariums and this had to be the worst.
First of all, we spent about $100 on tickets for two adults after $25 for parking. The whole aquarium was poorly laid out and very confusing. It was not your typical “look at all the fish species and other marine life”. There were mostly larger animals (1 otter, 1 beluga whale, and a few dolphins), which is cool, but it was difficult to even see them since the tanks were so dirty.
We wanted to be sure to see the “show” because that must be why we paid so much money. When it came time, we asked a staff member helping with seating which animal(s) we’d be seeing and he said “No one knows. It’s a secret”…. We watched one sea lion… for maybe 15 mins and it was difficult to even see anything, since it was not in the water, just standing in one spot.
Needless to say, I wish I had spent my time and money elsewhere and would never recommend it to anyone.