Shedd Aquarium Reviews

Pricey but had a great time there with my girlfriend.

Enjoyed it very much, great for kids of all ages unless they are surely teens. The Beluga whales were my favorite.

Great place for families and friends to spend a day. Unique experience and lots of fun.

Perfect.every detail counts and staff is very patient place is super clean.

Great for kids. Or if your looking to get lots of walking done. Look out for the free days. if you're from chicago you get free days, i think even discounts.

My family and I had a great time! This place is huge so we definitely needed to come back another day to see the rest of it!

Great exhibition of different search creatures. Get your tickets online and avoid the long line of people. Go early and beat the crowd and get great seats at the amphitheater.

Undoublty a wonderful fish, full of wonderful fish, interesting facts, and really friendly staff.

It's so fun to see all the animals in their homes ,staff is always friendly and they have great service .

the amount of sea creatures there is crazy i had an awesome time.

wish I lived closer. Love this place. Can get lost and forget time and just enjoy every moment here.

It was nice but it smelled really nasty the day I went. The show wasnt much of a show so that is a waste of time.

We loved it! Excellent shows and exhibits... Even the food was good. It's a little crowded on the weekends. Try to go during the week if possible.

FYI: The 4D experience is well worth the extra $5.

Wonderful experience to have come to this aquarium. It s a place where you ll see a lot of different species from all continents. It s so beautiful to see how they have every single one of them living in a space that s conditioned as their habitat. Very well maintained. You ll also see friendly workers trying to help you with anything you need, as you walk through the building. I recommend it to everyone!

Great aquarium with fantastic exhibits but so many strollers you can hardly move or see!

You get what you pay for. About $40 for the day but all the exhibits are wonderful and well maintained!

Loved this museum! The dolphin show was very short but cute! My daughter lived the non-stop fish frenzy...

Fantastic place to take the kids. They're different types of animals from all different parts of the world all in one place. If your kids love sharks they have it. The kids love amphibians they have it. it's an excellent place to spend an entire day. Plan on spending a little bit, but it's worth the money.

Lovely place to visit ,if you r on tour of Chicago pls do visit.

I love this place! So many things to see! It is usually pretty packed on the weekends, not sure about weekdays. It is a tourist attraction so keep that in mind-- you will encounter people from all over the world here! My favorite exhibit is the one with the giant, Green Sea Turtle! I was lucky enough to do a Penguin encounter, which was amazing! It's an up close experience of a lifetime! Our guide and trainer were both kind, knowledgeable, and fun! You get to pet a penguin and get your picture taken with it as well. One printed picture comes with the experience and I purchased the photos of the entire encounter on a flash drive for 50$. I'm saving my pennies so I can come back and do the trainer for the day experience, in which you get to interact with multiple animals!

Just so good it is kid-kind and I just love animals and they are nice. It is one of the best things to look at when you go to the city of Chicago

Was a great trip. Some extra costs for movies but unless you're going for multiple days there's plenty to do with just the standard pass. The dolphin and other aquatic life show was great but don't expect to get wet!

Amazing place to visit! Definitely get there early because the places gets crowded with lots of families and lots of strollers. Would also recommend that if you do get there right when they open, head to the Oceanic area first. We went straight there and had the beluga whales and dolphins to ourselves for a while.
The stingray touch exhibit was one of my favorite parts, I could have stayed there all day. Would recommend that you skip the 4D movies. I saw the costal predators one and though the content was interesting, the "4D" was distracting more than anything.

The 4D shark experience was worth it for our kids! It was awesome how when a shark jumped, you got spritzed with water unexpectedly. Our kids thought that was crazy! It's not terribly long and seemed to keep a 7 & 8 year olds attention well.

I took my son for his 21st birthday and we had a BALL!! It's an amazing place.

You can touch stingray, there a multiple shows.. our kids were entertained non stop! Worth it for the price to see so much underwater wildlife!

Not worth the ticket price. I visited many aquariums in many cities ana countries and usually ticket price corresponded with offering.

We were in and out of the place in less than two hours, $40 per adult and $30 per kid under 12 is way too much!

Weekend crowds as expected..bring a little love and patience for your fellow man and stop by this amazing Chicago feature. Lakefront views of skyline and Navy pier out front. Beluga whales and dolphins were worth the trip. Otters were a no-show, but the giant was putting on a show for everyone.
Recommend buying ticket online and skipping the line. And we used SpotHero app to grab a cheap parking spot in 8th St garage. The 3/4 mile walk through the park was wonderful and an added bonus. [All of our group was able bodied]. Since Lou Malnati's famous Deep Dish pizza was located right next to the garage..we added that to our DONE list.

Awesome place! The show that is included in admission is very entertaining.

Always a good time at shedd aquarium and a place you can easily spend several hours exploring and learning. I just wish it wasn't so expensive. An adult is 39.95 but if you are a Chicago resident, bring your ID in and it's only 19.95.

We went early and it was like we had the place to ourselves! Loved the beluga whales and dolphins!

Attending a house party ,I had a lot of fun. Beautiful place.

Amazing aquarium with so many fun exhibits. The food was also good, and not over priced.

The staff has a lot to learn about children with disabilities. Totally rude with how the lady handled my son petting the fish in the open petting pond. Waste of my money. Wasn't even there an hour because we just left after this happened. They need new staff.. Management asked me to email them about what happened. I Did!! Never got back to me. Like I said they need new staff!! Worst place and never going back there! thumbs down!!!

Wonderful experience! The staff are friendly and informative. The food is crazy expensive though so pack a lunch!

Always an incredible time. This place never disappoints!

I don't think the penguin experience was worth the money. The aquarium is very spacious and has good flow. The staff is very kind and knowledgeable.

I loved it but parking is ridiculous. I suggest parking elsewhere & taking a Uber ect...
We had a great time

My only disappointment is that there were no live shows... but I do understand as to why.

Shedd Aquarium is great, second only to the Baltimore Aquarium in my experience. You can see a wide range of aquatic creatures and all the displays are put together really nicely. The facilities are well maintained and the food is pretty good. You can sit downstairs and observe the whales and penguins while you eat a bagged lunch, which is what a lot of school groups do. The gift shop is big as well.

Get there at about 8:30am (doors open at 9am) if you want to beat the crowds, but DON'T do that if the weather is unpleasant because you will be stuck standing in line outside for a half an hour, buffeted by the wind off Lake Michigan.

Fantastic aquarium! Very safe, cool and comfortable while walking around with your mask on.

Loved the land and water show.
Aquarium is nice too. Worth the price and time.

You would be pleasently surprised by the number of fish and marine species this place has. This facility has the best view of the Chicago skyline.their cafeteria is the best location in Chicago to have lunch looking over the amazing skyline
Challenge:
Being next to soldier Field stadium,it is a bit of inconvenience to get here when there is a game.parking is also limited

Our family really enjoys the educational aspects of the Shedd Aquarium. Often when we visited in the past the display tanks were a bit difficult to view through the algae film on the glass.
I have to say that I either caught them on a clean day or they have changed their practices. In any case it made for a very enjoyable weekend destination.

My thanks to the staff and curators of the Shedd!

Also, don't forget that your memberships to the Shedd are tax deductible

A really good aquarium with lots of informative freshwater and saltwater exhibits.

Tons of people here even on a Wednesday. We waited in line for 30 minutes just to get in and we had pre purchased tickets. Other than that though pretty cool visit.

I like fish, big snakes and snapping turtles. Bit pricey though, but j get that the upkeeep costs must be ridiculous.

Very cool and relaxed. You can see movies, shows, and tons of cool animals! It is a lot of walking though, so wear comfy clothes.

We walked the entire museum (no children in strollers) in about 2 hours. Movies take extra time. Always a good time!

It's been a couple of years, but from what I remember, I liked it. Nice variety of marine wildlife to view.

Love this aquarium. Beautiful architecture. Lots of variety of animals.

Paid 40$ per person to get in just to look at nothing it was crowded people were rude didn't say excuse me at all it was my husbands 1st time and I wanted to show him around and it was an awful experience and I won't be back....and the person who checked us in was very rude to a lady prior to taking US we stood outside in the RAIN for 30+ minutes in line just to get inside and waited 30+ more minutes once inside to purchase tickets not to mention it was a line to go to the bathroom as well....Only thing good about this experience was me and my husband met a wonderful couple who was getting rained on and I gave them my umbrella while me and my husband shared and we had a nice conversation

One of the coolest aquariums I've been to. The show with the whales is a must-see! All the staff were friendly and knowledgeable. Good place to be a tourist!

Out of state residents pay an expensive ticket to see a variety of water life. Cramped museum, and small, constantly used elevators make it difficult for families with small kids and strollers.

Worth going to, but keep expectations tempered.

Aquarium is great. Kids and parents all love the experience. Although had a bad experience with two staff members in cafeteria noon today. Hope management team fix this if similar complains were raised by other visitors.

Huge selection of species to view and learn about. Saw a feeding in the main tank, beluga whales, and the dolphin show. Exhibits are well signed and there are plenty of knowledgeable staff around to answer questions.

Fun and historic, but not the best aquarium I have ever been to.

Highlight of the visit is that my daughter learned about caviar.

Absolutely Amazing. Fun, so many things to see, different and intriguing, clean, professional, beautiful athmosphere and decor. Jelly fish exhibit is so magical. Would have given 5 stars but I have to say it seems to be a little over priced.

It was on Memorial day a little crowded but was a nice putting staff is very knowledgeable an attentive.

Everyone needs to try this out at least once in their life!

Over priced, not impressed,. I've seen better aquarium and they cost less. Don't waste your money and time.

A little pricey for non-residents, not enough seating for senior citizens and disabled patrons. Saw some major maintence issues on Publis stairways.

It was a lot of fun just so happened to go on a bad day where tons of schools had field trips :(

This place is an aquarium a good place to bring your young kids and family. I enjoyed the 3D movie and seeing some of the sea creatures in real life was nice experience. The staff were friendly and helpful.

This is a fun place for kids and adults. There are small and large fish and different sorts of educational exhibitions. The location is near other museums so make a day of it a day go to both.

Good aquarium with occasionally exceptional exhibit design and educational materials. The aquatic presentation (dolphin) show was great. We did get in for free with friends that have membership, so that may influence my opinion. But it was enjoyable overall despite the crowds

After traveling 260 miles to visit Shedd Aquarium, we were turned away. A very rude woman told us that they were closed for an event. I asked another woman told me they closed early for an event. It turned out that the event was a ''Gala'. That means fundraiser. We could not go to the Shedd Aquarium because it closed early for a stinking fundraiser.
I had planned this trip for four months.
My granddaughters were very disappointed!

Great time, friendly staff, clean. There are plenty of sitting areas/benches for anyone who may need to rest while others in your group look around, and still be with them.

One of the best aquariums I hav ever seen with a wide variety of exhibits. Caribbean reef and the dolphin show are my favorites.

One of the best and well maintained aquariums. They have a great exhibit and it's a great experience to watch and touch few species. Kids enjoy thoroughly watching the Penguins, dolphins, beluga whales and sharks. Sawfish was so unique and the staff are very efficient, informative and friendly. Dolphin show is very good, not an ellaborate one as in the seaworld but good and seeing the Penguins walk was so much enjoyable.The view of the lake and the city from the aquarium is awesome. Shedd aquarium visit is definitely one of the best days I spent with my kids.

Planned a visit for earlier today but was unaware of the Bears game since we don't follow the NFL. Couldn't believe the $50 charge in the parking garage! However... Thank God for the game. I've been to the aquarium when it's been packed and it's so uncomfortable. Today it was dead in there and felt like we just about had the place to ourselves.

Had a good time. I really like the sharks and stingrays.

Many amazing animals, the handlers are amazing and are happy to answer any questions. Great shows. I will definitely be back.

Great place fair amount to see worth the trip on one of the free days ample parking in the area around 25 to park gets very crowded

I am honestly confused by the one- and two-star reviews. Even before getting a membership (which we now ask our families to give us for Christmas instead of a lot of presents we don't need or want), we would visit on a regular basis. When it was Winter and early spring, we would either buy the tickets online (which we figured out before we really knew how long the lines could get) or just not go (if the weather was terrible). At what major city do you visit one of the most popular attractions and not wait in a line?

The arguments about the cost are also without merit. Most museums are running on a very limited budget. Much like a movie theater, the money needed to run comes not from ticket sales but concessions, gifts, and shows. The aquarium is not only displaying the animals but doing research and trying to contribute to our understanding of the water that covers 70% of our planet and the creatures and plants that live in and around it. Even if they were not, I would be amazed if anyone ever said, "The food served by that restaurant inside that museum/amusement park/other attraction was both reasonably priced and delicious!" I sometimes wonder if tourists have ever been anywhere other than a shopping mall. Save yourself some money and go outdoors to the hot dog stand, get yourself a couple of Chicago-style dogs, and enjoy them while sitting on the steps, benches, or the huge lawn that overlooks the lake. Or you could do like my mom used to do and bring your own food, which you are allowed to bring AND eat inside the Aquarium.

Then there are the complaints about parking. First, and foremost, Chicago has a decent public transportation system that can get you there efficiently when the weather is bad. Barring that, there are plenty of cabs to be had. If one absolutely MUST drive then, yes, parking is pricey. Again, I would be amazed if someone found a lot near a popular venue or attraction and it wasn't expensive to park there. Second, none of the museums own the parking lots. They are separate entities and the cost is set by the owners. The only exception to this is the Museum of Science and Industry, where the parking is just as pricey (unless you have a membership and then it is free). I suggest you save yourself the time and complaining and walk there when the weather is nice. The walk has beautiful views of the city and lake.

At least one person complained about rude staff. Unless the staff are at the ticket booth (which I have not used in quite some time) then I have no idea what the person was talking about as the rest of the staff are as friendly as I need them to be.

Of all the complaints stated here, the most reasonable is that the Aquarium could definitely employ more people at the ticket booth, at least at busier times. Sometimes that line stretches all the way across the Field Museum and that is just ridiculous.

Do some research and plan your trip and you'll enjoy it more.

Great aquarium, friendly and social staff. Enjoyed the land and sea dolphin show. Lots to look at and learn about. Food was meh, but it isn't a restaurant.
Overall a great way to spend an afternoon

I absolutely love the Shedd. The people working there seem to love the animals and have a passion for studying there. A lot of fun opportunities to learn and explore.

We went on a free day. It was my first time going. I love how they have nursing rooms for breastfeeding mothers. They are very family oriented. Only complaint I have is that they wouldn't let me take my stroller to the dolphin show. When there was plenty of room on handicap. And I had to wake my 2 month old up.

Stunning art deco design makes this aquarium one of my favorites in the nation. The attention to detail is superb throughout. My only complaint is little crowd management so exhibit halls can quickly become flooded with humanity once the aquatic shows end.

I truly loved this place. The animal exhibits were cool, the fish and Dolphins were cute, the staff had helped you wherever you needed help. This place is better for little kids because there is designated areas for the kids to play in. The reason I give this place a 4 star is because the food is not that good and the dolphin show is not as interesting as it used to be. Instead of playing with the Dolphins, we watch a film and they teach us how to train the Dolphins. Not worth it in this case. But other than that, this place is a fun aquarium to visit and I recommend coming here!

Shedd is always an adventure. Love the Belugas with a passion and finally got to see them being fed this time.