![]() “For many of our guests, we are their ocean experience, we are their connection to a broader world. The aquarium is their backyard and we want them to be part of this process,” Coughlin said. This includes a subset that will come from our local ward, our local talent. “We wanted diversity and inclusion to be part of the DNA of this project from day one. According to an aquarium spokesperson, the emphasis will also be on hiring local, with jobs preference given to residents in Chicago’s 4th Ward (home to the aquarium) and the nearby neighborhoods of Douglas, Grand Boulevard, Hyde Park, Kenwood, North Kenwood, Oakland and the South Loop. The entire project is a joint venture of Chicago-based general contractor partners Pepper/BMI Construction LLC, architect Valerio Dewalt Train, exhibit design partner Thinc Design, project manager JLL (Jones Lang LaSalle), accessibility partner Institute for Human Centered Design, and diversity, equity and inclusion partner Trinal Inc. Nearly 1.9 million people have visited the Shedd each year for the past two decades (except for the 2020 pandemic shutdown) and the institution drives nearly $360 million in annual economic impact to the city. More than 25,000 aquatic animals representing more than 1,100 species call the aquarium home. It is the third-largest aquarium in the world, boasting 5 million gallons of water. Shedd aquarium was built in 1929 and opened a year later. You will be able to commune with the animals through your five senses, you will understand their biology and be part of their world.”ĭesigned by the architectural firm of Graham, Anderson, Probst & White, the John G. You can taste what the deep sea hydrothermal vents of Hawaii taste like. ![]() You can experience what it tastes like when the Great Lakes, through the St. “Imagine walking through a gallery and there is a station with tiny water glasses where you can taste the salinity of oceans from around the world. One such experiences under consideration, for example, is a tasting station. Probably the biggest transformation will be made on the north side of the building, where we’ll be transforming that with expansive habitats, more interactive and immersive experiences.”Ĭoughlin said much of the physical transformations are designed to heighten the experiential aspects of a visit. Enhancements to restrooms, quiet rooms, will be made. We will be looking at improving and restoring our north terrace, but no new food areas will be added. “There will be more space for guests to sit and decompress and plan their day, so we’re opening up the main foyer with new seating areas. There will also be more coherent circulation between the buildings, said Meghan Curran, the aquarium’s chief marketing and experience officer. The aquarium’s current 450,000 square-foot footprint will not increase. The last major transformations of the Shedd were the construction of the Oceanarium (added in 1991) and the Wild Reef (opened in 2003). It will include taking a deeper dive into serving Chicago school students with enhanced programming and outreach creating a modern and revitalized aquarium experience through interactive and immersive exhibits, and increasing the Shedd’s commitment to respond to the needs of wildlife crises across the globe via research and science. ![]() The project will transform much of the Shedd’s mission, both onsite and across the Chicago area - on the water, in nature and in field-based research. The aquarium will remain open throughout the project’s duration. The first phase, which covers major interior renovations, begins later this year, with a projected finish date of 2026. The venerable cultural institution on Monday announced its Centennial Commitment, a $500 million transformation of the aquarium culminating in 2030, the Shedd’s 100th anniversary. ![]()
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