Book in advance. Tickets are limited. There will be traffic impacts, limited parking due to a Soldier Field event. Learn more.
Open 9 am - 6 pm

Milkweed is a native plant, and attracts monarch butterflies, whose caterpillars need the plant for food.

Calling all teens! Want to do your part to help our blue planet?

Take action for animals and the environment by participating in our Teen Nature Days! You’ll get to explore local beaches, waterways and forest preserves, while helping to restore and protect them. Join us to connect with nature, engage in conservation and meet new friends!

Volunteer hours are offered for participating in these programs — just ask us!

Ages

14-18; Teens currently enrolled in high school or home-school equivalent

Cost

Free; your Teen Nature Day ticket will grant you access to all of Shedd Aquarium after the program.

Transportation

Participants will meet at Shedd Aquarium with bus transit to and from the event location. Bus is provided at no cost.

Additional notes

Teen Nature Days are weather dependent.

Teen Nature Days Registration

To make sure you are registered and ready to attend your Teen Nature Day experiences, please make sure you follow these steps:

  1. Complete the participation agreement linked in your confirmation email from Shedd Aquarium.
  2. Complete the partner waiver attached to an email from [email protected]. This can be emailed back to us or brought with you the day of your program.
  3. Check the email with the subject line, "Important information for your Teen Nature Day" for key instructions to make sure you are well prepared.

Questions? Contact us at [email protected] or 312-939-2438.

Shedd Aquarium Teen Nature Days Options


Accessibility

At Shedd Aquarium, we believe there should be no boundaries to your experience. If you have an accommodation request related to a disability, please contact us at [email protected] or call 312-939-2438. We look forward to assisting you.

What to Bring and Wear to Teen Nature Days?

  • Signed participation agreement and other waivers, if you have not submitted them electronically
  • Wear weather appropriate outdoor clothing and shoes that you don’t mind getting dirty —check the weather!
  • You must wear closed-toe shoes
  • Backpack or drawstring bag (this will be subject to a bag check upon entry)
  • Water bottle
  • Sunscreen
  • Bug spray
  • Personal hand sanitizer

Teen Nature Days FAQ


  • Three teens helping at a beach cleanup hold buckets and hand each other items to throw away.
  • A butterfly rests on a round cluster of pink allium, sipping nectar from the fragrant flowers.
  • The Chicago skyline, viewed through a field of native plants.
  • Four teens in windbreakers and hoodies stand on a great lakes beach in the bright afternoon sun, the blue lake visible behind them as they hold up large blue plastic bags of trash collected from the beach.
  • Staff and volunteers plant greenery on a section of a floating island

Ages

14-18; Teens currently enrolled in high school or equivalent

Cost

Free

Transportation

Teens will meet at Shedd Aquarium. Bussing from Shedd to (and from) the event location will be provided at no cost.

Additional Notes

Teen Nature Days are weather dependent.