Shark Feeding Tour
Join the sharks and rays for brunch on this 60 minute front and behind-the-scenes feeding tour. Start with an in-depth look at Wild Reef, which transports you 8,000 miles to an exuberant Indo-Pacific reef.
Then enter the animal-care area to witness mealtime with the ocean's most dynamic, and misunderstood, predators. You can even have a hand in feeding some of the other fishes.
Dates
Saturdays and Sundays through August 2025
Ages
6 years old and up; participants 6 to 17 years old must be accompanied by a paying adult participant.
For the safety of the animals, no one under the age of 6 may attend the tour.
Price
Adults: $99.95
Child (6-11): $89.95
Member: $80.95
Admission to the aquarium is included with the purchase of a Shark Feeding Tour.
Time
Shark Feeding Tours begin promptly at 10 a.m. Please arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled time.
Highlights
- Uncover reef residents from corals and sea stars to sharks and rays with your guide
- Go behind the scenes above the 400,000-gallon shark habitat and delve into sharks’ role in their ecosystem
- Learn how we prepare diets of restaurant-grade seafood for each species.
- See how the sharks have been trained to respond to each one's version of a dinner bell.
Schedule
10:00 a.m. start time. Guests should plan to arrive 15 minutes early.
Safety Precautions
Due to the up-close nature of the encounter, please contact us to reschedule if you are sick or experiencing any symptoms for the health and safety of the animals and the caretakers.
Requirements
Guests ages 6-17 must be accompanied by a participating adult, age 18 or older.
Please wear comfortable clothing that you don’t mind getting dirty or wet. Be sure to wear rubber-soled shoes; sneakers are recommended. For your safety, please do not wear heels or flip-flops on this tour.
Guests will need to understand information and instructions given in English or arrange for a paying translator to participate.
A waiver must be signed by all participants, including a parent or guardian for any participant 17 years or younger.
We recommend guests with shellfish and seafood allergies do not participate in this tour.
Accessibility
We believe there should be no boundaries to your Shedd Aquarium experience. If you have an accommodation request related to a disability, please contact us at [email protected] or 312-692-3355.
Program includes
- Use of stairs; elevators are available
- Walking/standing for 60 minutes
- Wet and potentially slippery floors
- Very light and very dark spaces
- Loud noises
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Parking is available on the Museum Campus in several lots. See more information about parking at Shedd here. Metered parking may also be available on Solidarity Drive up to 10 hours, but only after 8 a.m. Shedd is not responsible for cars ticketed or towed by the City of Chicago. Parking is not permitted on the aquarium's service entrance. Vehicles parked at the service entrance or the bus turnaround may be subject to towing. To learn more about parking on the Museum Campus, visit soldierfieldparking.com.
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Check in at the Information Desk in the Atrium, up to 15 minutes before your scheduled encounter. Should you find a line outside the entrance to Shedd, please show your encounter confirmation email to a Shedd representative. They can help expedite your entry. Late arrivals may not be able to join the encounter, in which case the experience is forfeited.
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All participants must be at least 6 years old, and children 6-17 must be accompanied by a paying participating guardian. For the safety of the animals, no one under the age of 6 may attend the encounter.
Guests not participating in the encounter, including guests under 6 years old, may not attend any portion of the encounter.
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During this encounter, you may come in contact with shellfish and seafood. For safety, we recommend that guests with shellfish and seafood allergies do not participate.
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Please wear comfortable clothing and something you don’t mind getting dirty or wet. Be sure to wear rubber sole shoes- sneakers are recommended. For your safety, please do not wear heels or flip-flops on this tour.
Gift certificates
Shark Feeding Tours are an extraordinary gift idea! Purchase a gift certificate online, redeemable for Extraordinary Experiences, general admission, or membership. Or call us at 312-692-3355. Certain restrictions apply.
Pricing
Adults: $99.95
Children (10-11): $89.95
Members: $80.95
Entry
Check in at the Information Desk in the Atrium up to 15 minutes before your scheduled encounter. Late arrivals may not be able to join the encounter, in which case the experience is forfeited.
Questions?
Email us or call 312-692-3355 with questions. We are unable to take reservations by email.
Accessibility Needs
If you have any accessibility needs, please contact us in advance of your reservation.
Photography
Photography and video recording are not allowed during this experience.
Refund Policy
No refunds. Participants who need to reschedule may do so up to 10 days before their scheduled experience. Otherwise, date and time exchanges cannot be accommodated. For additional details, see our refund and cancellation policy.