Plan a Visit
Extraordinary Experiences
Are you looking for a Shedd experience that’s a little more special, more personal, more in-depth? Whether it’s a guided tour behind the scenes or a fabulous sustainable seafood dinner, we’ve got experiences you’ll never forget.
Beluga Encounter
Meet the belugas where they live, in Shedd’s newest extraordinary experience! Your beluga encounter begins as Shedd’s animal experts lead you through an informative orientation about training and animal care, the beluga you’ll meet and the best way to have a safe and fun experience. Then you’ll pull on waders to enter the fully accessible Grainger Beluga Encounter Habitat. Standing side by side with a trainer on an underwater ledge, you’ll be face to face with a whale! You’ll touch the beluga’s skin, try a few training techniques and enjoy some surprises. At the conclusion, you’ll receive a framed photo to remember this experience – as if you could ever forget it!
$250 ($225 members) a person
Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays
Morning and afternoon sessions are available.
Participants must be at least 10 years old and 60 inches tall. Children ages 10-15 must be accompanied by a participating paid adult. No photography or video recording.
Check out photos and videos of the experience. Send your family and friends a beluga encounter e-card.
Begin your reservation online or call 312-692-2730.
Trainer for a Day
Pull on a pair of our tall rubber boots and go behind the scenes to experience what it’s like to be a marine mammal trainer. You’ll assist a trainer with daily routines and experience several training and feeding sessions. From the Oceanarium kitchen, where meals for five dozen animals are prepared every day, to reserve areas, to poolside in a habitat, you’ll see what it takes to care for the belugas, dolphins, sea otters, sea lions and penguins. This behind-the-scenes opportunity is a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
Ages 12 and older. Children ages 12-15 must accompanied by a paying adult
Price: $350 ($325 members) a person for 4 hrs
Fridays and Saturdays
8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. or 1:30–5:30 p.m.
No photography or video recording. Inquire online or call 312-692-3224.
Behind-the-Scenes Tours
Your guide will show you Shedd from the perspective of our animal care staff. You’ll tour the animal healthcare center, where preventive care keeps the collection healthy. Then you’ll go behind the galleries to view the animals from a new angle, learn about breeding programs, see nutritious meals prepared for a wide range of tastes and witness the aquarium at work. Must be 55 inches or taller.
The week of Dec. 27 - Jan. 2, tours will be offered every day at 11 a.m.,
1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
General Behind-the-Scenes Tour Only
Price: $12 a person
Premium Behind-the-Scenes Tour and Admission Package
Includes Total Experience pass with a choice of a 4-D Experience, and 50-minute tour
Prices: $40.95 for adults, $33.95 for children
No photography or video recording. Inquire online or call 312-692-2723.
Fantasea VIP Package
Want to do it all, and have lunch, too? A new VIP experience lets you enjoy all that Shedd has to offer. The day starts with a beluga encounter. You’ll get in the water with a beluga, learn training techniques and practice them with a marine mammal trainer by your side. Then take a behind-the-scenes gallery tour and continue with a private guided Wild Reef tour. Finish the day by taking in our shows. You’ll get VIP seating for Fantasea and a ticket to a 4-D movie. This package also includes all-access admission to the aquarium, lunch in Soundings Café and valet parking. It’s the ultimate day at Shedd!
Price: $525 a person
Inquire or reserve by calling 312-692-3355.
Participants must be at least 10 years old and 60 inches tall. Children ages 10 to15 must be accompanied by a participating paid adult. Photography or video recording are not permitted.
Right Bite Dinner Series
Indulge in a sustainable seafood dinner while enjoying news and views of Shedd and lively discussions about the natural world. Each restaurant will feature an environmentally friendly menu of appetizers, entrées, wine and desserts created exclusively for this event.
Dinner begins at 6 p.m. Seating is limited, and advance registration is required.
Price: $75 a person per dinner ($65 for members)
Registration is closed. Join our e-mail list for news about upcoming programs.
Overnights
Grab your sleeping bag and pillow and join us for an overnight adventure at Shedd. Before snuggling into your sleeping bag, immerse yourself in the many aquatic environments through special programs, games and hands-on activities. In the morning, enjoy a continental breakfast and visit with the animals once more before your journey comes to an end. These programs are geared for children in kindergarten to 6th grade.
Price: $55 per person (adult or child)
Join our e-mail list to be the first to hear about upcoming dates.
