Shedd Aquarium Reviews

It's very expensive. They walked in people trying to seat them blocking our view well into halfway through the show. Food in Cafe was expensive and of poor quality.

Kids loved it however.

This place is totally cool...so many different sea creatures that I never. got to see up close until now...and many I never knew existed!! This was a great experience for my daughters...they had so much fun...I touched a starfish..and a stingray(it didn't sting)!! We also found Nemo & Dory!! Oh yeah the dolphins are so cool!!

There's just not enough time in one day to take it all in.

Terrific aquarium but is really expensive on normal admission. We went on a free day and didn't have to pay $40 adult or $30 children basic admission, of course $20 parking and $5 coat locker adds up before souvenir and food.

The whales are beautiful, dolphin show was worth the wait.

I love Shedd Aquarium. Absolutely must see/do when in Chicago. The dolphin show is spectacular.

Could use a better cafeteria and it's kind of a small location to visit yet staff is super friendly

Absolutely beautiful, educational, and I can tell the animals are well cared for. The price for entrance is understandable because animals are a constant need of resources, but I really didn't like how the otter/beluga show was literally curtained off and you had to pay extra for that, among other little attractions within.
Overall, we really enjoyed it, and were happy to see how environment conscious the Shedd is.

Our ten month old loved the fishies, and we loved the dolphin show. Busy for a Friday, but still able to find seating at the show. Gift shops were nice, too.

I highly recommend the Beluga whale experience. Definitely worth the money!

It is still amazing every time I go there because there new stuff I noticed every time

My kids loved this place. I had a group of 3 young children. We made it about 2 hours before they needed a nap. Which is great because now we have a reason to come back. There was places to get snacks and drinks but you might want to try and bring your own. They snack and drink place the employees moved at a snail's pace, we didn't have time to sit and wait to get charged 7$ for a bag of popcorn.

Excellent updated yet classic style Aquarium complete with dolphin show.

Significantly smaller than i was expecting. 4D Experience was great for my nieces & nephew.

Far too many fish. The staff was preoccupied with nothing.

Great selection of fish, amphibians, and reptiles. It cost us $40 per adult. It's half price if you are a Chicago resident. We have an oak Park address and that didn't count so we had to pay full price.

Always love the Shedd! They have many precautions in place to safeguard against COVID - limited visitors, unidirectional traffic, enforcing mask wearing, and hand sanitizer everywhere. Plus plenty of staff on hand to answer questions about the animals and exhibits. If you really want to see everything thoroughly, give yourself 5+ hours. But easy to get in and out and see only the highlights on 1-2 hours!

Pretty cool place...most of the displays were active. Enjoyed the all of the fish. The layout was educational. Restrooms were clean. The dolphin show was nice.

I love the species collected by the aquarium, even they have anaconda too. You will get Beluga whales, sea otters, Green sea turtle and Jellies, which are rare species and not seen in any other aquarium.

Shedd Aquarium is always a family favorite with my grandkids and family. We love seeing all the different types of fish. They have done a good job at having hand sanitizer at different locations throughout the building. Employees are kind, respectful and helpful. Highly recommend for a field trip or homeschooling outing. Great for school age kids from kindergarten to twelve grade. Make sure to wear your good walking shoes.

A great place to spend 3 or 4 hours. The dolphin show and the beluga whales are the highlight. Walking distance to the Field museum and Adler Planetarium.

Awesome place. I wish they had a faster way to let people in. We purchased tickets ahead, and still we're on line for at least 20 minutes. Sure the people that have to be on line to purchase tickets wait at least 30-40 minutes just to get them..

It's worth a visit but I'm not sure why Shedd gets all the hype. The Sunday animal show was disappointing; they missed a lot of great education opportunities. (The trainer I spoke with mentioned that weekday shows were more focus on education and not entertainment.) The otter animal talk was great; the gentleman was patient with the kids and informative. The Behind The Scenes tour was a waste. I think the guide I had was new, he was awkward, seemed uncomfortable and wasn't able to answer any of my questions.

ALWAYS a joy and a treat. Middle aged now, so it's true that you just don't appreciate things more until they're gone or you're older and wiser.... And
, in my case... Seeing things again, through the eyes of my grand children. God is Great. God is Love. God is God.

Feels pricey, but honestly you get a pretty big bang for your buck. Loved seeing Dante, the giant snapping turtle. Kids had a lot of fun in the Polar play area, and with the sturgeon peering area.

One of Chicago's best attractions. I've seen better aquariums though for the price.

VERY OVER CROWDED!!!! VERY helpful staff. Gift shop employee was kind enough to tell us STARBUCKS was the coffee shop on the lower level 1.

I went for one of Chicago's free museum days, so the place was pretty packed. That being said, I still had a great time. The reef exhibits were my favorite, as they showcased the largest tanks in the aquarium, and some of the most exotic fish. I was also lucky enough to see the jellies exhibit, which was different than I expected but nonetheless very cool. If you have no qualms with large crowds, check this place out on one of the free days (there will be a long line to get in), or just pony up the $20 or so dollars and enjoy with less distraction.

I went here for a Shedd After Hours event. So much fun! Great drinks, amazing staff, lots to do and see. This aquarium does great conservation work as well.

We were there to watch them feeding the belugas before the show, and seeing the way the whales interacted with their trainers was really cute. It was very apparent how much the belugas loved their trainers by how happy they were practicing their tricks, speaks volumes to how they're treated. I can't wait to go back.

Probably my favorite museum in the campus. The Shedd is very informational, exciting, and the different marine and land animals and insects on display are unbelievably captivating. The Goliath Spider is probably the most fascinating animal in the building.

We love the Shedd! Great exhibits, good food and lots to see.

Loved the museum, but a little overpriced. Very crowded as well. Fun place to spend the day though if you're willing to spend the money and deal with the crowd.

Well kept aquariums, large variety of species from around the world. Overall beautiful exhibits and building.

Visit was a great thing to do with the family. Took a 3 yr old and one year old! They were not fond of the 4d movie since they would not wear 3d glasses maybe not waste your money; do when kids are older and can sit through movies. The auditorium show about the California coast dolphons, whales, seals was completely loved by everyone! Great job to those animals trainers! Much to enjoy walking areas of the world discovering animals in the different aquariums and a few touch the fish or star fish is awesome! To eat cheaply pack some sandwiches and snacks plenty of time to chill and grab bites to eat! We had room to push stroller astound the whole place so definately a nice thing to have when the little legs get tired!
Enjoy the day in one place!

Last time I was at the Shedd was 20 years ago . Things have sure changed , for the better I think . The exhibits were great , the staff was great , the only thing would be to possibly limit the number of tickets sold . There just gets to be too many people and with that comes pushing and stepping on toes to get a look at exhibits . Not a good thing , especially if you have elderly , small children or handicapped visitors . I thought the value was good , considering what it takes just to keep it in operation . The only reason I did not give 5 stars was for crowding . There were a handful of exhibits we did not get to see cause we simply could not get to them through the crowd . A bit of advice , buy your tickets online before you go , it sure beats standing in a long line out in the cold windy Chicago weather . We pretty much walked in , got our tickets scanned and we were on our way . Thank you Shedd for being conservative and environmentally friendly !!

Sunday morning is a great time to go! Not too busy, and the dolphin show was a must-see.

Fun for kids, the feeding of the fish was fun to watch. I was hoping the turtle has a place to get out of the water sometimes. I think its name was nickel. Interesting types of fish, frogs and a couple of snakes. Liked the spitting fish. Watched the aquatic show. They had a baby with mom u can go watch after the show. Area for touching fish and one to touch other creatures.

Absolutely gorgeous aquarium. Definitely a must to go here if you're not from Chicago like I am. Wonderfully educational too! Very glad I made it a point to come here on my short visit to this great city.

Beautiful aquarium to visit , be prepared to pay alot of park unless you take public transportation or walk

Loved the special exhibit, lots of jellyfish! We could only see the dolphins from below, which was neat. But the upper area was closed so we couldn't see them jump. Great that there are free days for Illinois residents!!

Very nicely set up. Even though there were a lot of people it never felt overwhelming.
They have place divided by different types of environments. Amazon, coral, river etc. This makes it easy to move around.
The show was very nice and kids really enjoyed watching dolphins jump.
The employees were friendly and were willing to answer questions and give information.

The Shedd Aquarium is a good experience for the kids. I enjoyed the Oceanarium and Wild Reef portions and you get to see some really cool animals. We saw Beluga Whales, Dolphins, Penguins, Rays, some small to mid sized sharks, lots of different turtles and fish from around the world. I gave it 3 stars for two reasons. The crowds are huge and make it difficult to enjoy. We did go the day after the fourth of July, so other times might not be so bad. Secondly, the location is difficult to get to by car if you aren't used to heavy Chicago traffic

It was amazing experience and awesome show with close look at sea animals.. everyone should plan to spend 4 to 5 hours since it's huge. :)

Great place! Awesome displays! Enjoyed seeing and learning about the different eco systems! Awesome staff! Very knowledgeable! Very family friendly!

One of North America s most treasured Aquariums. I m a North Carolinian and I travel to Chicago for business. My wife and I have made a practice of bringing our children over the years. The Shedd is a must see.

Nice and warm place. Recommended for a Sunday afternoon!!!

This was actually one of the best visits we have had at the Shedd. They have done great job making the visit easy, and with the reduced crowds you really get to spend some time at each exhibit.

Ok. Nice variety of things. Extremely overpriced food court with very low quality options. Expected better. Very friendly staff. Dolphin show was disapointing in general but my biggest problem was the speaker comparing humans to animals as if thats where we came from. The speaker made several references to evolution & i was disgusted. If it werent for that i couldve overlooked the other 2 disappointments & given potentially 5 stars but there is NO WAY after stunts like that. Cant do it. Im sorry Shedd. You shouldve been more factual.

Great place to go with the kids. The dolphin show is always a hit and a few touching exhibits are pretty cool. The dolphin show even includes a red tail hawk and a sea lion which surprised my family. The only downside is that the price will leave you feeling like you took a wrong turn down a dark alley and lost your wallet. I paid an eye-watering $180 for my family and it only took 4 hours to see everything.

My husband and I recently visited the Shedd Aquarium as a date for our anniversary. I hadn't been since I was a kid. It was amazing! I was very impressed by the huge variety of fish and other animals, and the dolphin show was fantastic. We were there for hours, and could have stayed much longer and not have gotten bored.
We will be taking the kids there soon, but it makes a great date outing too!

Very nice exhibit showing a wide variety of water ecosystems from around the world

Amazing place, a lot to see, we couldn't touch the stingrays but did the rest of it. The pinguins are adorable and the belugas breathtaking. Definitely come back when my daughter is older.

Kids had a GREAT time... Just wish they would have told me about the dolphin show

The aquarium was amazing the logistics and set up when traveling in a party where one member has a mobility issue not so great.

Great as always, be sure to get your passes for the Dolphin show as soon as possible.

Amazing place that positively surprised us. There's a huge Anaconda there, try to see it! They offer some shows with dolphins and other animals, plan your visit well and you ll be able to watch more than one show in the same day.

Nice place to visit. Gives a great view of the city skyline as well. Night time view is gorgeous!

It was really busy the day we visited but we got through the lines quickly. Exhibits are all great and educational. I would definitely return here again.

Amazing place! Beautiful rooms filled with all kind of sea life. Is a MUST! in Chicago visit.

Great exhibits!!! Fish look lively and genuinely happy

By far the best aquarium I've taken my son to. The exhibits were wonderful and diverse, the live show was phenomenal, and there was so much to see! The only downside is that it wasn't particularly stroller friendly going from level to level. There weren't ramp options, so you could only use the elevators, which are not located in convenient spots and quite slow. That being said, I wouldn't hesitate to go back again and again.

Not really worth the money. Lots of variety of species but poorly displayed. Needs more educational elements. If you have never been to an aquarium it may impress otherwise may not be worth the hefty admission price.

I love this aquarium. It has a lot different fish from around the world for you to explore. They also have a very cool dolphin show that educates about the dolphins and also shows off what the dolphins can do. I would 100% recommend this aquarium on your trip to downtown Chicago.

World Class Aquarium! Tip: To avoid a queue to get in, but your tickets online ahead of time, print them out, and you can skip that line.

My favorite aquarium. They are worth supporting, for sure. We did the Penguin encounter and it was worth the extra money. So fun!!

The Shedd Aquarium is a welcoming seascape in the Museum Campus by Lake Michigan in Chicago Illinois.

One of the perks of living in Chicago was that on select days throughout the year, Illinois residents with a valid ID receive free admission. It may be insanely busy these days, though. The management did pretty good work as the visitors could buy the tickets online, printed them out, and pass through the designated entrance for online customers to avoid the long waiting line. Everything inside was incredible and extraordinary. There were dolphin and Beluga whale shows, which were not included in the ticket. Best places for families with kids to have fun and learn about the world.

Great for all ages. Also have hand on actives. Food is very expensive so i recommend you bring you own food

Approach to the facility is best by cab as bus drop off is not convenient, nor is the parking convenient.
Access into the Aquarium is convenient and complies fully with ADA.
The displays are spectacular, diverse, and numerous. There are hands-on displays for children that are engaging and well received. With the summer crowds, navigating is challenging but doable. With the sheer number of exhibits you will surely find a choice pick.
A down side, deciphering the provided maps of exhibits, and correlation to posted signage. For those with accessibility needs, the elevators are conveniently located, but may not provide access to the desired floor.
The staff is pleasant, and courteous, but not always accurate or clear with directions.
All-in-all, a worthwhile destination and adventure for yourself, friends, and families.

The best place !!! It s magic . I loved everything and each detail

Alot of the exhibits were closed. Couldnt see the Shark exhibit, the glass fish tunnel or the dolphin show. I get the play areas had to be closed because probly couldn't clean them enough to be safe. Alot more people were there than I expected & Shedd's wasn't well maintained like I thought it would be, bathrooms & cafe were unkempt. I was so excited had never been & always wanted to go. Went with my son & 4 & 3 yr old grandsons but it was very disappointing wasn't what I thought or the pictures made it out to be. The Dolphins, Beluga Whale, the Otters & Penguins & Jelly Fish were fun to watch swimming around tho. Especially to hear the Dolphins talk to each other. Also touching the Stingray was really awesome. All of us got to touch one! Everyone working at Shedd's was very polite, including the Chicago parking police. The lots were full & we had to park at Soilder's Field & it was neat to see the famous Chicago Landmarks in person. Lake Michigan & the boats were so pretty. I guess I thought there would be more crowd control & exhibits would be open just limited to how many people could be in the space at the same time. Plus my son had to pay full price, he bought a membership. So I am hoping he & boys can go again & more things will be open. I wanted to see sharks at a safe distance, an octopus or lot of other things they apparently have but the exhibits were closed to the public. Only a Shark movie was playing. If I had wanted to see a movie I would have stayed home & watched Nat Geo, instead of driving an hr & half & not getting to see 1/2 of the aquarium exhibits. They should have told my son that when he called & made a reservation.

Great attraction, just bite the bullet and buy the premium ticket to skip the crazy line. With a vanilla ticket you only see like 1/3 of the place anyway. Staff is pretty unhelpful, so grab a map when you get there. The 4D show is cool, but too short at about 10 minutes. The dolphin show seemed like an advertisement for why dolphin training is safe. I don't care About Blackfish-I want to see tricks.

Loved it.has air conditioning throughout and a wide v of sea creatures.

This is a world-class aquarium. It is clean, the food is good, and most-importantly, the animals seem to be well-kept and cared for. There is so much to see and do.

Thought it was great well worth the money. Show is well done but not long. Go first thing around 11 it starts to get busy and we went during the off season

The aquarium has an amazing atmosphere for both children and adults. They have shows that showcase the animals and help you learn about them. They also have movies about different animals for all ages. I would recommend getting there early to have a better variety in time choices.

Never a bad time at the Shedd. It's a splendid experience.

Huge aquarium with a lot to see!! Initially, my friends and I thought we had seen the entire Aquarium. On second look at the map, we quickly realized that we had only seen a half! I recommend getting your ticket for the show as soon as you arrive, because tickets quickly become hard to get. However, the show was amazing as well and totally worth the wait.

Amazing variety of organisms! Beluga whales, dolphins, in a show, giant turtles, fish of all colors and sizes, an Awesome Display of God's Glory!

I recommend buying the Chicago City Pass for $108 which gives 9 days to go to the Skydeck Chicago which gives you a 360-degree view of up to four states from the top of the world-renowned Willis tower, formerly the Sears tower, (the Midwest's tallest building,) the Shedd aquarium, The Field museum, the Adler planetarium or the Artt institute of Chicago and finally the museum of science and industry or the 360 Chicago observation deck.

This is a great value and the museums are all located close to each other.

Great place for families, overwhelming for small children but still a wonderful experience.

Very busy but a decent experience overall. Highly recommended.

By far the best aquarium I've been to across the USA. Beluga whales, dolphins, sea lions, otters, penguins... And that's just one wing.

Excellent staff with a wealth of knowledge regarding the animals they work with.

Wonderful below-the-water viewing area, complete with interactive features for kids and adults alike.

The back side of the aquarium is a glass wall overlooking lake Michigan. Fantastic views!!

Very impressive aquarium and really enjoyed the dolphin show.

Shedd Aquarium is one of the best museums in Chicago! I have been a member over 20 years. The most comfortable places for me..
It also really knows how to show it members their appreciation!!!!!

My new husband and I loved returning to the Shedd Aquarium. The dolphins, whales, and penguins were major favorites!

The view from the outside is the best for seeing the entire waterfront of Chicago. However unless you're going when you know for sure there will not be many children then I suggest passing on the aquarium itself. I honestly felt sorry for the fish because off the noise and constant banging of the glass. Also I'm not really cool with the whole live dolphin show thing, did nobody watch blackfish?

My toddler had a great time at the play polar fun place with the slides and the 15min show 4-D! Would recommend coming here with the hot dogs at the mini store !

Great exhibits and great staff. A bit pricey but still very enjoyable. Be sure to visit the stingrays and sturgeons!