Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The first thing you'll see as you enter is the Caribbean Coral Reef exhibit.
This 90,000-gallon circular tank occupies the Beaux Arts-style central rotunda,
entertaining spectators who press up against the glass to ogle divers feeding
nurse sharks, barracudas, stingrays, and a hawksbill sea turtle. New technology
includes an enhanced sound system and a roving camera connected to video
monitors mounted on the tank's periphery, which gives visitors close-ups of the
animals inside. It's worth sticking around to catch one of the daily feedings,
when a diver swims around the tank and talks into a microphone about the
species inside and their eating habits.
The exhibits surrounding the Caribbean coral reef re-create different marine
habitats around the world. The best is Amazon Rising: Seasons of the River, a
10,000-square-foot exhibit with more than 250 species of animals—including
piranhas, birds, sloths, insects, spiders, snakes, caiman lizards, and monkeys—
are on display in this re-creation of the Amazon basin.
You'll pay extra to see the other Shedd highlights, but they're quite impressive,
so I'd suggest shelling out for at least one, assuming your kids won't run out of
gas before then. The 3-million-gallon saltwater Oceanarium is an indoor
marine mammal pavilion that re-creates a Pacific Northwest coastal environ-
ment and also happens to be the largest of its kind in the world. With its wall
of windows revealing the lake outside, the Oceanarium creates a stunning opti-
cal illusion of one uninterrupted expanse of sea. As you follow a winding nature
trail, you encounter beluga whales, white-sided dolphins, Alaskan sea otters, and
harbor seals. A colony of penguins in a separate exhibit area inhabits a natura-
listic environment meant to resemble the Falkland Islands in the southern sea off
Argentina. You can observe all these sea mammals at play through large under-
water viewing windows. On a fixed performance schedule in a large pool flanked
by an amphitheater, a crew of friendly trainers puts the dolphins through their
paces of leaping dives, breaches, and tail-walking. Check out the Oceanarium
schedule as soon as you get to the Shedd; seating space fills up quickly for the
shows, so you'll want to get there early. If you're visiting during a summer week-
end, you may also want to buy your Oceanarium ticket in advance to make sure
you can catch a show that day.
The newest signature exhibit is Wild Reef—Sharks at Shedd , a series of
26 interconnected habitats that house a Philippine coral reef patrolled by sharks
and other predators. The floor-to-ceiling windows bring the toothy swimmers
up close and personal (they even swim over your head in certain spots). The
Shedd mounts temporary exhibitions, so call ahead for the latest. A recent fea-
ture was Sea Star Quest, with a touch pool that made for the most interactive,
kid-friendly exhibit in the Shedd's 74-year history. Look for more of the same as
the Shedd strives to give guests a better first-hand understanding of sea creatures.
If you want a quality sit-down meal in a restaurant with a spectacular view of
Lake Michigan, check out Soundings, right there inside the aquarium. There's
also a family-friendly cafeteria. In total, you'll need about 2 hours to take in all
of the Shedd's offerings.
1200 S. Lake Shore Dr. & 312/939-2438. www.sheddaquarium.org. All-Access Pass (to all exhibits) $21 adults,
$15 seniors and children 3-11; admission to the aquarium and either Oceanarium or Wild Reef $17 adults, $13
seniors and children 3-11; aquarium only, $8 adults, $6 children and seniors. Free admission to aquarium
Mon-Tues Oct-Feb (except the last 2 weeks of Dec). Mon-Fri 9am-5pm (until 6pm Memorial Day to Labor Day);
Sat-Sun 9am-6pm. Bus: 6 or 146.
The Lakefront All ages. Chicago was blessed with forefathers with
foresight. Thanks to them, the lakefront was declared in 1836 to be public
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