Shedd Aquarium, one of the oldest public aquariums in the world, is located in the Grant Park Museum Complex at Lake Shore Drive, Chicago. The aquarium houses over 25,000 fish from more than 700 species all over the world. The Shedd Aquarium promotes the enjoyment, appreciation, and effective conservation of aquatic life and its environment through education, research and public display.

Opened in 1929 as the first inland aquarium with a permanent saltwater fish collection, Shedd Aquarium used to ship saltwater by railcar from Florida. Today the Shedd Aquarium boasts a collection of 8,000. The aquarium also has added several permanent exhibits to the main aquarium, effectively doubling its size and is now one of the premier aquariums in the country.

Shedd Aquarium provides numerous programs for the whole family to enjoy, including Sharks: Fact or Fiction, which offers close-up view and information about these mysterious ocean dwellers; Sailing the Seven Seas is a venue for kids to learn about animals living in the sea, snow and sand; Freshwater Fun teaches children anything and everything about pond life. Also among of the aquariums highlights is the Ocenarium which re-creates a Pacific Northwest marine environment, with dolphins, harbor seals, sea otters, penguins, and beluga whales visible through underwater viewing windows. Shedd's Caribbean Coral Reef tank exhibits just about every species you'd expect to find in tropical waters including a rainbow-colored fish which shares the space with several sharks and sea turtles. The Wild Reef habitat with its floor-to-ceiling aquarium windows give guests a diver's-eye view of a Philippine coral reef filled with more than 500 species of reef fishes of all shapes, colors, and sizes. The Amazon Rising exhibits anacondas, piranhas, and spiders the size of dinner platters, bringing the diverse Amazon basin to life. Visitors can also enjoy the new Fantasea aquatic show at the Shedd aquarium which presents acrobatic and comedic feats performed by some of the aquarium?s most beloved residents.