Shedd Aquarium
| Shedd Aquarium | |
|---|---|
The Aquarium in 2022 | |
| Date opened | May 30, 1930 |
| Location | 1200 South Lake Shore Drive Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| No. of animals | 32,000 |
| No. of species | 1,500 |
| Total volume of tanks | 5 million US gallons (19,000 m3) |
| Annual visitors | 2.02 million |
| Memberships | AZA, WAZA |
| Major exhibits | Amazon Rising, Caribbean Reef, Abbott Oceanarium, Polar Play Zone, Waters of the World, Wild Reef |
| Public transit access | Metra ME South Shore Line at Museum Campus/11th Street Roosevelt Red Orange Green |
| Website | www |
Shedd Aquarium | |
| Built | 1929 |
| Architect | Graham, Anderson, Probst & White |
| NRHP reference No. | 87000820 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | February 27, 1987 |
| Designated NHL | February 27, 1987 |
Shedd Aquarium (formally the John G. Shedd Aquarium) is an indoor public aquarium in Chicago. Opened on May 30, 1930, the 5 million US gal (19,000,000 L; 4,200,000 imp gal) aquarium holds about 32,000 animals. It is the third largest aquarium in the Western Hemisphere (after the Georgia Aquarium and The Seas at Epcot) and the 11th-largest aquarium in the world.
The Shedd Aquarium is a highly-ranked world aquarium and at one time was the largest indoor facility in the world. It is the first inland aquarium with a permanent saltwater fish collection. The aquarium is located along Lake Michigan in the city's Museum Campus, which also includes other highly-ranked institutions such as Adler Planetarium and the Field Museum of Natural History.
In 2015, the Shedd Aquarium had 2.02 million visitors. It was the most visited aquarium in the Western Hemisphere in 2005, and in 2007, became the most visited cultural institution in Chicago. The aquarium contains 1,500 species, including fish, marine mammals, birds, snakes, amphibians, and insects. The aquarium received awards for "best exhibit" from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) for Seahorse Symphony in 1999, Amazon Rising in 2001, and Wild Reef in 2004. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987.