While there is a recent thread about species once held in the Shedd's temporary exhibition hall, there isn't a thread for the aquarium overall, I noticed. This is by no means an exhaustive list and I welcome more information.
Current Exhibits
Wild Reef
Green sawfish and White-spotted guitarfish were both held here from opening until 2024. Queensland Grouper were also formerly held in the shark habitat before later being moved to an adjacent tank.
Amazon Rising
Goeldi's monkey was previously held here. I once heard aracari were kept here but now believe the source may have been confused with ambassador animals.
Abbott Oceanarium
The Abbott Oceanarium once held Harbor Seal in the exhibit that now holds California Sea lion.
Special Exhibits
See this thread.
Recently Closed Exhibits
Check species lists such as this one for more information. I did not want to plagiarize and focused on species phased out prior to closing dates.
Caribbean Reef
When I visited as a child, Nurse sharks were present in the reef habitat as was Hawkeye the hawksbill sea turtle. I still have a very vague recollection of the nurse sharks as they were signed for some years but often hard to see. One individual was reported as living over 25 years. Small-toothed sawfish were also kept here at some point until they became too large, according to Aquatic Life at the John G. Shedd Aquarium.
Seahorse and Pipefish
Located between Amazon Rising and At Home on the Great Lakes, now replaced by an educational exhibit on Plankton.
Islands and Lakes
Currently being converted into the new Oceans gallery, to be succeeded by Living Lakes, One of the highlights of this gallery was once a large exhibit for iguanas, which for a while was Grand Cayman Blue Iguana before being replaced with Exuma Rock Iguana. This was later converted into an exhibit for juvenile American alligators.
Reptiles
Formerly located between the Islands and Lakes and Rivers and Streams freshwater galleries.
Rivers and Streams
Currently being converted into the new Oceans gallery, to be succeeded by River Wonders,
Former Exhibits
Animals of the Indo-Pacific
This exhibit gallery became part of Amazon Rising and was originally "Gallery #2", containing an additional smaller exhibit called "Marine Jewels", with species that might "otherwise be overlooked". The species list is unknown, but it was constructed as part of the same master plan as Wild Reef, which also focuses on Indo-Pacific coral reefs, so it is assumed many of the species moved there.
Animals of the Caribbean
This exhibit gallery became part of Amazon Rising and was originally "Gallery #1" and themed around tropical salterwater fish.
John Woodsworth Leslie Sea Anemone Exhibit
Located in Gallery #3, currently the "Oceans" gallery, this exhibit included an "assortment" of anemones, their relatives and "symbiotic associates" such as clownfish, according to Aquatic Life at the John G. Shedd Aquarium.
Penguins and Cetaceans
It is unknown exactly which galleries these animals were held in. There are references to the aquarium holding Humboldt penguins in the 1960s to the 1980s. According to Aquatic Life at the John G. Shedd Aquarium Galapagos Penguins were also held at the aquarium much earlier. The aquarium first experimented with cetacean keeping in the late 1960s, acquiring Chico the Amazon river dolphin and Collie the bottlenose dolphin. Chico lived until 1982.
Tributaries
Located between the Gift Shop and the historic galleries. Firebelly toads, red spotted newts and native salamanders were among the species seen here. It is described in Aquatic Life at the John G. Shedd Aquarium as:
Swamp Scene
Located in the main rotunda where Wonder of Water is now located, this exhibit was a round, sunken pool that held tropical plants, frogs, turtles, and freshwater fish. Some anecdotal reports suggest it may have housed a crocodilian at some point but I did not locate this in any official sources. It was succeeded by the Caribbean Reef.
Current Exhibits
Wild Reef
Green sawfish and White-spotted guitarfish were both held here from opening until 2024. Queensland Grouper were also formerly held in the shark habitat before later being moved to an adjacent tank.
Amazon Rising
Goeldi's monkey was previously held here. I once heard aracari were kept here but now believe the source may have been confused with ambassador animals.
Abbott Oceanarium
The Abbott Oceanarium once held Harbor Seal in the exhibit that now holds California Sea lion.
Special Exhibits
See this thread.
Recently Closed Exhibits
Check species lists such as this one for more information. I did not want to plagiarize and focused on species phased out prior to closing dates.
Caribbean Reef
When I visited as a child, Nurse sharks were present in the reef habitat as was Hawkeye the hawksbill sea turtle. I still have a very vague recollection of the nurse sharks as they were signed for some years but often hard to see. One individual was reported as living over 25 years. Small-toothed sawfish were also kept here at some point until they became too large, according to Aquatic Life at the John G. Shedd Aquarium.
Seahorse and Pipefish
Located between Amazon Rising and At Home on the Great Lakes, now replaced by an educational exhibit on Plankton.
Islands and Lakes
Currently being converted into the new Oceans gallery, to be succeeded by Living Lakes, One of the highlights of this gallery was once a large exhibit for iguanas, which for a while was Grand Cayman Blue Iguana before being replaced with Exuma Rock Iguana. This was later converted into an exhibit for juvenile American alligators.
Reptiles
Formerly located between the Islands and Lakes and Rivers and Streams freshwater galleries.
Rivers and Streams
Currently being converted into the new Oceans gallery, to be succeeded by River Wonders,
Former Exhibits
Animals of the Indo-Pacific
This exhibit gallery became part of Amazon Rising and was originally "Gallery #2", containing an additional smaller exhibit called "Marine Jewels", with species that might "otherwise be overlooked". The species list is unknown, but it was constructed as part of the same master plan as Wild Reef, which also focuses on Indo-Pacific coral reefs, so it is assumed many of the species moved there.
Animals of the Caribbean
This exhibit gallery became part of Amazon Rising and was originally "Gallery #1" and themed around tropical salterwater fish.
John Woodsworth Leslie Sea Anemone Exhibit
Located in Gallery #3, currently the "Oceans" gallery, this exhibit included an "assortment" of anemones, their relatives and "symbiotic associates" such as clownfish, according to Aquatic Life at the John G. Shedd Aquarium.
Penguins and Cetaceans
It is unknown exactly which galleries these animals were held in. There are references to the aquarium holding Humboldt penguins in the 1960s to the 1980s. According to Aquatic Life at the John G. Shedd Aquarium Galapagos Penguins were also held at the aquarium much earlier. The aquarium first experimented with cetacean keeping in the late 1960s, acquiring Chico the Amazon river dolphin and Collie the bottlenose dolphin. Chico lived until 1982.
Tributaries
Located between the Gift Shop and the historic galleries. Firebelly toads, red spotted newts and native salamanders were among the species seen here. It is described in Aquatic Life at the John G. Shedd Aquarium as:
Small streams feeding larger, tropical rivers are the natural habitats of animals in this separate exhibit hall. Many of these freshwater displays feature popular home aquarium species. The elegant oriental motif symbolizes the origins of the art of fishkeeping in China more than 2,000 years ago.
Swamp Scene
Located in the main rotunda where Wonder of Water is now located, this exhibit was a round, sunken pool that held tropical plants, frogs, turtles, and freshwater fish. Some anecdotal reports suggest it may have housed a crocodilian at some point but I did not locate this in any official sources. It was succeeded by the Caribbean Reef.
