Shedd Aquarium

John G. Shedd Aquarium

Beluga whales swimming against a backdrop of Lake Michigan

⚠ Dynamic pricing; book

Hours

Varies by date; check sheddaquarium.org

Tickets

General admission about $40 per non-resident adult (varies by date, third-party guides); Chicago residents $19.95. Book a date online

Address

1200 S DuSable Lake Shore Dr, on the Museum Campus east of the Field Museum

Inside the 1930 Beaux-Arts building, a round tank at the centre (Caribbean Reef) has sea turtles and rays circling. The showstopper is the Oceanarium at the back: the glass wall frames Lake Michigan so it reads like open ocean, and in front of it white belugas and dolphins swim. Downstairs, sharks glide overhead in Wild Reef and there's an Amazon river gallery. Families with kids rave about it.