Shedd Aquarium Receives Smithsonian Affiliation

Shedd Aquarium is now formally affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., making possible new opportunities for collaborative exhibits, artifact loans, research and educational programs.

Smithsonian Affiliations is a national outreach program with a network of more than 200 organizations in 46 states, Puerto Rico and Panama, that work together to preserve the nation’s heritage, share resources, and inspire learning. Affiliates include a wide array of science centers, museums, schools, historical societies, archives, libraries, zoos and aquaria.

“Shedd Aquarium’s hundreds of staff, volunteers, supporters and educators work collectively to connect millions of people to the aquatic animal world each year to advance humanity’s compassion, curiosity and conservation of it,” said Shedd Aquarium President and CEO Bridget Coughlin. “We are honored to be affiliated with the Smithsonian in our shared goals of increasing discovery and inspiring lifelong learning. This partnership is an incredible collaborative resource that will help us deliver more mission moments to more people with greater impact, both onsite and in our communities.”

Shedd Aquarium joins the Adler Planetarium and the DuSable Museum of African American History as the only organizations in Chicago to hold the affiliate distinction, with a total of eight in Illinois.

“We are delighted to announce the Smithsonian’s new Affiliation with Shedd Aquarium,” noted Harold A. Closter, Smithsonian Affiliations Director. “Both of our organizations share a deep interest in science, research, and connecting people to the natural world around them. We look forward to bringing our research and educational strategies together in ways that will inspire innovative and creative thinking, and foster a deeper appreciation for animal and environmental conservation and offer the greater hope for our future.”

Affiliate organizations exchange ideas, professional research, and information about programming and exhibitions through a variety of activities including lecture, traveling exhibitions, and innovative educational and outreach collaborations, including curriculum development in schools, lectures, and workshops.