Shedd Aquarium Shedd Aquarium

Details on Shedd's exhibit gallery renovations have been released and will totally transform the Aquarium experience. From removing the Caribbean Reef exhibit to the previously mentioned tunnel, Shedd is going through some massive changes. Excited to see all these leading up to 2030. Construction begins this summer on phase 1 which includes the new ticketing center, entrance, and Rotunda transformation.

Shedd announces 40-foot Caribbean tunnel, learning studio

Shedd Aquarium's video announcement:

Shedd Aquarium's Experience Evolution that has all the exhibit details and changes: https://www.sheddaquarium.org/about-shedd/centennial-commitment
 
Last edited:
Hmm...

I have thoughts, just not sure what they are yet.

The tunnel tank feels unnecessary but I fine addition I suppose.

The kelp forest looks cool.

I'll miss the galleries.

They'd better not ruin Amazon Rising with their renovations.

Illinois Streams sounds like it might still have an Amazon Rising type charm. :)

I'm certainly intrigued by the Whalefall concept? Is that some Into the Deep inspiration? I'm on board.

But - I'm not seeing any exhibit that keeps those animals from the removed freshwater galleries, which was my #1 hope in these renovations.

I think my thoughts are - some of this sounds great, BUT, if it aint broke, don't fix it.

I could easily be swayed to a more positive (or negative) opinion with more information.
 
birdsandbats said:
Hmm...

I have thoughts, just not sure what they are yet.

The tunnel tank feels unnecessary but I fine addition I suppose.

The kelp forest looks cool.

I'll miss the galleries.

They'd better not ruin Amazon Rising with their renovations.

Illinois Streams sounds like it might still have an Amazon Rising type charm. :)

I'm certainly intrigued by the Whalefall concept? Is that some Into the Deep inspiration? I'm on board.

But - I'm not seeing any exhibit that keeps those animals from the removed freshwater galleries, which was my #1 hope in these renovations.

I think my thoughts are - some of this sounds great, BUT, if it aint broke, don't fix it.

I could easily be swayed to a more positive (or negative) opinion with more information.
Click to expand...

I just added a few more details including a very nice video announcement. The freshwater galleries will stay but will remove the postage stamp feel.
 
I'm not too fond of them taking out the classic looking Caribbean Reef habitat in the rotunda. Seems to me that if you are modernizing absolutely everything everywhere else, why not keep some sort of classic/historical looking piece of your history that greatly separates you from every other aquarium in the country?

But that's just me.
 
MGolka said:
I'm not too fond of them taking out the classic looking Caribbean Reef habitat in the rotunda. Seems to me that if you are modernizing absolutely everything everywhere else, why not keep some sort of classic/historical looking piece of your history that greatly separates you from every other aquarium in the country?

But that's just me.
Click to expand...

I mean, Caribbean Reef was only built in 1971 and replaced the Tropical Pool. Shedd still has plenty of history to show throughout the main building I think.

181281_10151459371507843_1134432066_n.jpg



Ys6UqKyTBhF56CrK9
 
NAIB Volunteer said:
I just added a few more details including a very nice video announcement. The freshwater galleries will stay but will remove the postage stamp feel.
Click to expand...
There will be freshwater galleries, but they seem to pretty much just be native species and Rift Valley Lakes stuff? I mean both of those are groups of freshwater species I want the aquarium to continue keeping, but the aquarium seems to be losing its extensive collection of freshwater southeast Asian species.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CMP
birdsandbats said:
There will be freshwater galleries, but they seem to pretty much just be native species and Rift Valley Lakes stuff? I mean both of those are groups of freshwater species I want the aquarium to continue keeping, but the aquarium seems to be losing its extensive collection of freshwater southeast Asian species.
Click to expand...

I'm sure they'll keep as much as they can and animal collections will change once the gallery is built and ready. Too early to tell whether or not they'll be removed or not I suppose.
 
birdsandbats said:
But - I'm not seeing any exhibit that keeps those animals from the removed freshwater galleries, which was my #1 hope in these renovations.
Click to expand...
NAIB Volunteer said:
The freshwater galleries will stay but will remove the postage stamp feel.
Click to expand...
birdsandbats said:
There will be freshwater galleries, but they seem to pretty much just be native species and Rift Valley Lakes stuff? I mean both of those are groups of freshwater species I want the aquarium to continue keeping, but the aquarium seems to be losing its extensive collection of freshwater southeast Asian species.
Click to expand...

To add context to this: Waters of the World has 4 wings currently, 3 freshwater and 1 saltwater. It sounds like they are replacing the saltwater and the Local Waters freshwater wing with the new ocean development, and making renovations to the other 2 freshwater wings. Losing 1 of 3 freshwater galleries - and IIRC the one that is mostly smaller local fish - doesn't seem nearly as dire as some earlier speculation made it sound. As @NAIB Volunteer said, I don't see how we could know at this point how many species will be lost or changed in this process.

birdsandbats said:
They'd better not ruin Amazon Rising with their renovations.
Click to expand...

All they mentioned was expanding/adding a larger arapaima tank, so I'm guessing most of that gallery will remain unchanged.

NAIB Volunteer said:
I mean, Caribbean Reef was only built in 1971 and replaced the Tropical Pool. Shedd still has plenty of history to show throughout the main building I think.
Click to expand...
MGolka said:
I understand this, but considering this exhibit has been around for more than half of the aquarium's life, and longer than the tropical pool was around, it is still pretty iconic.
Click to expand...

I was about to mention the same thing about the Caribbean Reef tank being from 1971. Technically the rotunda itself is the historic part, as well as the concept of there being an exhibit in the center, not the reef tank itself - and neither of those things are being changed.

Although I too have some skepticism about all of this and wonder how much of its original charm Shedd's galleries will have after these changes, I think there is a good case for optimism. Wild Reef and Amazon Rising are both new/modernized galleries completed in the recent past, and both are considered top-tier for many of us. It was not realistic to expect those old-school small gallery tanks to stay unchanged forever, and Shedd's other projects make me hopeful that the end result will be broadly positive.
 
I think that we all need to have some faith that Shedd Aquarium has a positive, exciting future. Ever since it first opened, way back in 1930, it has been a world-class facility and in that first year the aquarium had 4 million visitors and it was smaller than its current size. Imagine those lineups! These days, both Shedd and Monterey Bay average around 2 million annual visitors, with Georgia ahead and that place had 2.9 million in 2019. (Georgia has the best attendance, but also the best hours as it is open until 9:00 pm all summer)

A major issue with Shedd has been the entrance and gaining access to the aquarium, so to have a new ticketing system, and an aesthetically pleasing plaza and entrance area, is going to be fantastic. It will make people happy right off the bat, instead of the crazy, claustrophobic current setup. The community programs and public promotion of aquatic life will be crucial as they are a much needed positive in a city battling its highest homicide rate in a quarter-century. The aquarium can reach out to even more school classrooms, build its new Lakeside Learning Studio and engage with locals and that's all terrific. The new studio will be able to add 50,000 more students each year on top of the existing limit.

As for the exhibits, with the 8-minute video no one can accuse the facility of not being transparent. Shedd is being extremely detailed and open about what will be changing at the establishment and I trust that things will be as great as ever by the time the centenary year of 2030 rolls around. Most of the work will be done years before then. Just look at the last two big exhibit complexes (Amazon Rising and Wild Reef), as they are both stunning. If those are the role models, then let's hope the new exhibits are just as impressive: the future 40-foot underwater Caribbean Reef tunnel, Arapaima tank expansion, updated Electric Eel exhibit, 'Whalefall' exhibit, the Changing Ocean gallery, the California Kelp Forest habitat, River Wonders gallery, Living Lakes gallery, etc. By modernizing the old galleries, Shedd will be better than ever. Perhaps there will be a minor loss of species, which is always a blow for zoo nerds, but from a larger perspective I really do think that Shedd will continue to evolve as a world-class institution. I've toured 115 different aquariums in my lifetime and I've never seen anywhere that tops Shedd. It's also important to note that during Shedd's construction, $340 million in economic activity will be generated, along with 2,000 jobs. It will be worth every last penny.

The cost of Shedd's renovation project is $500 million, and with Lincoln Park Zoo's recent developments and Brookfield Zoo's $66 million Tropic World overhaul, the city of Chicago will once again become a preeminent destination for one and all.
 
I'm glad to see that a shorebird aviary is among the many upcoming additions, but the other features of Changing Oceans aren't as intriguing to me. I'm expecting, perhaps foolishly (as only time will tell), that the kelp forest tank will have the same flaws as all other attempts to mock the biome besides the Monterey Bay Aquarium's acclaimed one. It looks as if the new underwater-tunnel Caribbean Reef tank is a part of this exhibit.

Perhaps some of the species that would otherwise be lost in the overhaul will move to the freshwater of the two new central tanks.

The other thing that really excites me is the "Bus Fund." Large aquariums and museums really need to endorse this on a larger scale, which the Shedd Aquarium is seemingly now doing.

I'm really dissatisfied about the plan not including a better home for the sea lions. I could see them fitting well with the kelp forest display. Another of the geographical innacuracy issues was fixed by moving the cuttlefish so I believe that penguins should be moved, too.

These next few years will be very exciting in terms of the aquarium. I'm going to have to rework my hopeful vacation schedule in order to see the aquarium again before most changes occur next year.
 
birdsandbats said:
There will be freshwater galleries, but they seem to pretty much just be native species and Rift Valley Lakes stuff? I mean both of those are groups of freshwater species I want the aquarium to continue keeping, but the aquarium seems to be losing its extensive collection of freshwater southeast Asian species.
Click to expand...

I came across this description from Shedd regarding it's Rivers Gallery. But like others are saying, speculation only goes so far so you'll just have wait and see what goes were species wise.

River Wonders

Find out what lives beneath continually moving water systems in Myanmar, Madagascar, India and right here in Shedd’s backyard. Our Illinois streams are alive with a wealth of aquatic animals that support the health of life on land. Guests will be surrounded by the sights, sounds, and sensations of rushing water while learning how Shedd and our partners restore the health of local rivers and the species that rely on them, like Blanding turtles, mudpuppies and wood frogs.
 
DavidBrown said:
That's an interesting exhibit. Do you have any idea what animals were kept in there?
Click to expand...

Nothing exciting by today's standards, but certainly beautiful in its Victorian inspired design. It was a 40 foot diameter rock garden filled with native fishes, frogs, and turtles.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top