Plan a Visit
Welcome to Shedd Aquarium! We can hardly wait for you to meet beluga whales and bluegills, rockhopper penguins and rockfish and so much more as you explore the world’s oceans, lakes, rivers and reefs — all in the heart of Chicago!
Admission
Members: Free General Admission every day
Chicago residents: $19.95 Adult General Admission every day
General Admission: $39.95 Non-Chicago resident adult
Planning your visit ahead allows Shedd to provide value pricing on days with less attendance and surge pricing on days closer to attendance capacity. All prices above and below General Admission are based on real-time ticket data. Learn more.
Tips for a Great Visit
- Advance tickets required: Get to the aquatic world faster by booking your ticket in advance. Find the dates you are looking for with ease, knowing first-hand when dates are sold out.
- Meet the animals: Stingray Touch and Stingray Feeding are open for the summer. Feeding is subject to availability until 2 p.m. Sea Star Touch and Sturgeon Touch are open all day every day.
- Exhibit experiences: We've adjusted our fish IDs to automatically scroll in order to convey information.
- Download the Shedd Go! App: Let the Shedd Go app guide you on your aquarium journey, right from your own mobile device. Available for Android and iOS.
- Accessibility offerings: Wheelchairs, assistive listening devices, and noise-cancelling headphones will be available on a first come, first-served basis and will be sanitized between each use. Details on Shedd’s accessibility offerings.
- Restaurants: Bubble Net food court and Soundings Café will be open from 10:30 a.m. until 2 hours before the aquarium closes that day. Any food or drink you bring with you or purchase from machines must be consumed in designated areas.
- Re-entry: Unfortunately, we won't be able to let people back into Shedd once they exit the building.
Enhance your visit
Shopping and Dining
Make your day at Shedd even more memorable—take home the perfect souvenir! The aquarium has a range of gift shops to meet your needs.
FAQs
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Parking information for guests
All Museum Campus parking is owned by the Chicago Park District and managed by Standard Parking. Parking rates typically are higher during special events, and access may be restricted to special event ticketholders.
Street parking
Please note, until further notice, there will only be garage parking on the Museum Campus, no street parking on Solidarity Drive. If you choose to visit Shedd Aquarium, we strongly recommend arriving via public transportation.Lot parking
The Museum Campus also has several lots where you can park. Current rates, which can change without notice are:Soldier Field north garage
Up to 4 hours, $25
4 to 12 hours, $30
12 to 24 hours, $50
Special event, pay on the way in, $30East museum lot
$30Adler lot
Early bird, before 9:30 a.m., $12
Daily, $25
Night rate, after 4:30 p.m., $15For more information, visit soldierfieldparking.com.
Valet parking
Available most weekends for aquarium guests for $35 a vehicle, subject to limited availability. Take advantage of this service at the guest drop-off area on the south side of the aquarium, off Solidarity Drive. Please note that we cannot offer valet parking on certain Bears home-game days.Reserve a space with SpotHero
We recommend booking parking in advance through SpotHero. You can visit the Shedd Aquarium SpotHero parking page and book a spot with rates up to 50% off drive-up. New to SpotHero? Download the SpotHero app and enter code SHEDDCHI for 5% off your first spot! -
Our building is evolving! We are constructing a refreshed accessible entrance to more quickly and seamlessly connect guests with the aquatic animal world. During this transformation, guests will enter the aquarium along the half-circle driveway and proceed up the ramp behind the temporary ticketing booth. Learn more about this transformation as part Shedd’s Experience Evolution.
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We will continue to offer timed tickets. Please arrive during the time frame you select during your ticket purchase. If you need to change your arrival time after your purchase, please call 312-939-2438 and we’ll make every effort to accommodate.
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Our hours can change based on the day of week. For the most up-to-date schedule please visit our calendar page.
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Members: Free admission. Please book tickets in advance, online reservations are required.
- General Admission:Prices vary - Guests can save on Shedd Admission by booking in advance. Learn more.
- Chicago Residents: $19.95 adults / $14.95 children
- Discounts: Please visit our Discounts and Free Days page to see if you qualify.
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Members: Free admission. Please book tickets in advance, online reservations are required.
Plan-ahead Pricing FAQs
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This tool will launch on Shedd Aquarium’s website on Thursday, October 20 for visit dates beginning Thursday, November 1.
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Chicago residents will continue to enjoy their daily low price on general admission to Shedd Aquarium, with a set price of $19.95/adult. Chicago resident prices will not be impacted at all by this new plan-ahead pricing tool.
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Shedd Members will continue to reserve their tickets in advance, but the price of a membership and the associated benefits will not be impacted by this new plan-ahead pricing tool.
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At this time, the plan-ahead pricing tool will only impact general admission costs and select aquarium events such as Jazzin’ and After Hours for non-Chicago resident guests. Costs for Extraordinary Experiences and other Shedd programs will not be impacted.
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You will still have the freedom to change the date or time of their visit after purchasing tickets. Should you select a new date or time with a higher admission cost, you will simply need to pay the difference to confirm the change. No refunds will be issued if you exchange to a less-expensive visit date and time.
Directions
Shedd Aquarium
1200 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60605
Between public transportation and parking nearby, you’ll be on your way to Shedd in no time. Let us help you choose the best way to get here.
Our building is evolving! We are constructing a refreshed accessible entrance to more quickly and seamlessly connect guests with the aquatic animal world. During this transformation, guests will enter the aquarium along the half-circle driveway and proceed up the ramp behind the temporary ticketing booth. Learn more about this transformation as part Shedd’s Experience Evolution.
Traffic Alerts
Chicago’s Museum Campus can host a variety of special events that affect traffic and parking. Check our traffic alerts to plan your best day at Shedd!