I'll write this update post first, before I read and react to the recent news.
I just made my yearly visit to the aquarium, for the 3rd time since 2021, this past Saturday, July 29th, 2023, from 10am-12pm. Despite being very crowded, I managed to view the entire aquarium in about two hours. This short time was mainly due to traveling with some friends up from Champaign via Amtrak. Having been for a longer amount of time twice prior in the past two years, I became very used to the layout and I could quickly discern changes and new or interesting species I wanted to find, and I could remember which of the rest I'd seen already and could quickly glance, take a few photos for identification, and pass by.
The absence of a special exhibit also sped things up, and I didn't feel its loss too much. Without having read about the new developments, I speculate that a new permanent gallery will go in the special exhibit space, as I think the aquarium will need it.
Another thing that actually really helped speed up things was the Shedd Go app. I was somewhat skeptical of it first, but it actually works a lot better than the screens, although I still prefer the card signage around the historic galleries, even if the app is faster. The habitat ID system was annoying at first, until I got the hang of it and figured out the ID number system. It took a bit of time to make sure I had all the numbers right, but not nearly as much as taking photos of all of the slides, however. There is also the added bonus of being able to read about species more in-depth at home, without (Literally) 1000+ photos. I will try to write up an updated species list with all of the ID numbers at some point soon.
There has also been some changes and major reshuffling of species and exhibits around some of the galleries. This is typical of an Aquarium, and especially Shedd, but I noticed more since March of last year (2022) than I did between that visit and July 2021. Once I compile a full list, I can make note of most of these, like the Burbot that are now on exhibit, for example, but for now I'll just comment about some more major changes that I haven't seen noted on here.
This round, and very pleasant looking, Upside-down jelly exhibit is new since March of last year in the Philippine lagoon area of Wild Reef.
The four small cylindrical exhibits in the center of the At Home on the Great Lakes Gallery, that were new last March, have been redesigned. I like them better now, and they hold a few more species that are more visible. Previously they all held native amphibians, which were hard to see. Species list (including those lost) hopefully coming soon.
I just made my yearly visit to the aquarium, for the 3rd time since 2021, this past Saturday, July 29th, 2023, from 10am-12pm. Despite being very crowded, I managed to view the entire aquarium in about two hours. This short time was mainly due to traveling with some friends up from Champaign via Amtrak. Having been for a longer amount of time twice prior in the past two years, I became very used to the layout and I could quickly discern changes and new or interesting species I wanted to find, and I could remember which of the rest I'd seen already and could quickly glance, take a few photos for identification, and pass by.
The absence of a special exhibit also sped things up, and I didn't feel its loss too much. Without having read about the new developments, I speculate that a new permanent gallery will go in the special exhibit space, as I think the aquarium will need it.
Another thing that actually really helped speed up things was the Shedd Go app. I was somewhat skeptical of it first, but it actually works a lot better than the screens, although I still prefer the card signage around the historic galleries, even if the app is faster. The habitat ID system was annoying at first, until I got the hang of it and figured out the ID number system. It took a bit of time to make sure I had all the numbers right, but not nearly as much as taking photos of all of the slides, however. There is also the added bonus of being able to read about species more in-depth at home, without (Literally) 1000+ photos. I will try to write up an updated species list with all of the ID numbers at some point soon.
There has also been some changes and major reshuffling of species and exhibits around some of the galleries. This is typical of an Aquarium, and especially Shedd, but I noticed more since March of last year (2022) than I did between that visit and July 2021. Once I compile a full list, I can make note of most of these, like the Burbot that are now on exhibit, for example, but for now I'll just comment about some more major changes that I haven't seen noted on here.
This round, and very pleasant looking, Upside-down jelly exhibit is new since March of last year in the Philippine lagoon area of Wild Reef.
The four small cylindrical exhibits in the center of the At Home on the Great Lakes Gallery, that were new last March, have been redesigned. I like them better now, and they hold a few more species that are more visible. Previously they all held native amphibians, which were hard to see. Species list (including those lost) hopefully coming soon.
I was surprised by this too! I really liked the old small seahorse and pipefish tanks on one of the walls between the galleries, but this was an interesting, but less diverse, replacement. Many of the inhabitants of the old mini-gallery have been dispersed to various tanks around the aquarium, but I'll try to take a more in-depth look at that later. This may be a slightly worrying trend of the new developments, however. There were 25-35 species in the old mini-gallery, and there are only four now. If it was less crowded and I was less pressed for time, I would've tried to get a picture of the full display. I have to say it does look very nice, and has some more colorful tanks for algea, zooplankton, and phytoplankton they grow for feed, along with comprehensive signage.
