Shedd strives to engage and inspire, entertain and inform people. They are very passionate about our animals, their habitats and the planet in which we all share. They will astonish you will the 32,500 animals they have on site. Come be amazed and inspired with aquatic nature around you. From the  Springhill suites start out going north on N Frontage rd toward Veterans Blvd,  turn right onto Veterans Blvd,  take the 1^st right onto S County Line Rd, merge onto I-55 N toward Chicago, merge onto US-41 N/ S lake Shore Dr via the exit on the left, turn right onto E McFetridge Dr.

The history of Shedd Aquarium is part vision and part ingenuity. Our founder, John G. Shedd, retired president of Marshall Field & Company, was a marketing genius and just as bold and ambitious as his city. He was determined to transform Chicago into a world-class metropolis.  By the early 1920′s, every truly cosmopolitan city here and abroad had a fine aquarium. While Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo did have an impressive freshwater fish collection, what Shedd had in mind was a stand-alone aquarium. In the spirit of “build it, and they will come,” he made a $2 million gift to get things going. He would add another $1 million to make sure his aquarium would be just as grand as the two museums already in Grant Park: the Art Institute of Chicago and the Field Museum.   No doubt about it. John G. Shedd would be proud of his aquarium — just as proud as we are three-quarters of a century later. We’ve restored and updated his building, now a national historic landmark. With the additions of the Oceanarium and Wild Reef, we’ve doubled in size.

Website: http://www.sheddaquarium.org/

Address: 1200 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL

Phone Number: (312) 939-2438

Hours of operation:  July 1 through Sept. 5  8:30 a.m.– 6 p.m.

Sept. 6 through Dec. 24  9 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday through Friday

     9 a.m.–6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday