Shedd Aquarium Why does the Shedd Aquarium cost so much?

[junglejim]

Ok so why does it cost so much for someone out of town for general admission to the Chicago's Shedd Aquarium? If you are an Illinois citizen it cost $8.00 for general admission. Online they are showing general admission for out of town visitors $30.00. COME ON! This isn't the San Diego Zoo here ( ya I know it's an aquarium ). Also specially when aquarium are down sizing from keeping whales and dolphins, one think admission pricing would be a total cash cow. That if any theme at all of milking public conservation theme one would make it reasonable cost to explore and not brake the bank just to get in.

 

[Hyak_II]

Well first off, Shedd is one of the oldest and most highly ranked aquariums in North America. Secondly, it is a reasonable sized facility, especially considering virtually all of its exhibitry is indoors. In addition, its cetacean program is going as strong as ever and there are absolutely no plans to phase it out or down size it. They are currently the only facility in NA breeding whited sided dolphins (3 calves since 2012), and have a very genetically strong beluga group with multiple proven breeders.

And of course admission needs to be less for local residents. Many facilities offer this as a method to encourage residents to visit multiple times a year, especially if it is a location that does not necessarily offer new exhibits on frequent basis.

30 dollars is very reasonable, especially when you consider everything the aquarium has on display. Or alternately, you can look at it like this. That's the same price as three baconator combo meals at Wendy's, or if you really want to compare, at the current time of this post (April 7th) the Shedds admission is 22 dollars cheaper than San Diego (30 dollars vs 52). Now of course, I'm going to have to assume your under 12 years old, as 30 dollars is the children's admission price of shedd, so retrospectively 30 dollars probably is a lot for you. In that case, save all your allowance and tell you mom to give you money for a shedd visit instead of getting you a snack from a fast food place.

 

[snowleopard]

Shedd Aquarium has a total experience ticket that is $40 per adult, plus of course local parking which can be at exorbitant prices and likely no less than $20. Georgia Aquarium is $40 for an adult ticket (including tax) and parking is at least $20. Monterey Bay Aquarium is $50 for an adult ticket, plus a minimum of $20 for parking in local lots, to be the most expensive aquarium facility in the USA. However, those are the top 3 aquariums in the nation (out of almost 150) and so the prices reflect the quality of a visit. You get what you pay for!

 

[Moebelle]

I think the cost is completely worthy of what they offer. I didn't know a thing about the place on my first visit and I actually expected the price to be higher than what we paid, which was $80 for 2 total experience packages.

 

[Chlidonias]

Aquariums are just expensive to run. There's no real way around the cost of running them because usually every animal there is on a life-support system of some kind, plus all the lighting etc because they are entirely- or mostly-indoors facilities. The entry price generally reflects the cost of running them.

And as Hyak said earlier, a lower pricing for local residents is quite common because it keeps them coming back which means more income overall.

 

[Shellheart]

Even the Aquarium of the Pacific is 30 dollars per adult,plus 5 dollars for parking,and it's almost certainly not of the same quality as the Shedd. As others have said,aquariums in general are expensive. My recommendation for such things is always look for bundles or discounts. City Passes,Explorer Passes, or Go Cards can be a cost effective way to see everything a city has to offer.

 

[CuseZoofan]

I would have to say of the aquariums I have visited, the South Carolina Aquarium to me is very overpriced for what you get. Its almost $25 per person plus another $5 to $10 for public parking depending on where you park. The Aquarium is nice but really isn't big enough to warrant that type of price per adult.

Mystic Aquarium isn't as big on the inside and is just as expensive without the extras however I feel they are somewhat worth the price for the nice outdoor exhibits and the Marine Show despite having less inside to see.

 

[alhenton]

Another thing in comparison to zoos is that you can squeeze 5,000 people into a zoo and not feel crowded at all. Squeeze 5,000 into an aquarium and it can feel quite tight. Zoos can have cheaper admission because they can accommodate more people.
Also, last time I went to Shedd I used my teacher discount and I got two full experience tickets for $18. Probably doesnt help much for most, but there are ways to get a better deal.

 

[SwampDonkey]

At least they offer resident tickets for cheaper. Most palces do not do that. For example, the Florida Aquarium in Tampa is $24.95 for an adult, no local discount plus $6 to park.

 

[NigeW]

Aquariums are just expensive to run. There's no real way around the cost of running them because usually every animal there is on a life-support system of some kind, plus all the lighting etc because they are entirely- or mostly-indoors facilities. The entry price generally reflects the cost of running them.

And as Hyak said earlier, a lower pricing for local residents is quite common because it keeps them coming back which means more income overall.

This.

The overheads of running aquaria are massive. Each and every one I've ever visited has left me thinking that it was an expensive attraction, per hour spent there. But if we didn't pay it, they wouldn't be there at all.

I haven't been to any of the American big three yet though, and I can't imagine the value for money is an issue there, for the prices quoted above.

 

[Arizona Docent]

I fully agree with others that aquariums are just expensive to build, operate and maintain. Price seems in line.

However I will disagree with others that it is fair to offer a cheaper ticket for local residents. I have heard of it, but never this huge of a difference ($30 vs $8). You are penalizing tourists for visiting your facility and as a tourist I find it obscene. I would rather make it say $25 for everyone. If locals want to visit more than once a year they should buy a membership.

 

[Coelacanth18]

If you are an Illinois citizen it cost $8.00 for general admission. Online they are showing general admission for out of town visitors $30.00.

As someone who has made use of this discount before, I want to clarify something. The $8 Illinois resident ticket only grants access to three exhibits: Waters of the World, Amazon Rising, and the Caribbean Reef tank at the entrance. All other parts of the aquarium, including Wild Reef and the Oceanarium (the parts that include sharks, penguins, otters, sea lions, dolphins, and belugas), are only included in the tickets costing $30 and up. This is stated on their website.

 

[JVM]

Fascinating to reread this thread. The aquarium now uses a dynamic pricing system for most guests. When purchased in advance, admission to the aquarium costs typically $35-$45 now for any non-Chicago residents, but visiting the day of they can creep up to $50/per person. Illinois residents only get discounts on select days now, but Chicago residents pay $20 for a ticket every day.