John G. Shedd Aquarium - Chicago, IL
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S5280ft
N 41° 52.055 W 087° 36.903
16T E 448957 N 4635257
Located in Chicago's waterfront at 1200 South Lake Shore Drive, within Chicago’s Museum Campus. Parking is available at Soldier Field parking or at the Adler Planetarium.
Waymark Code: WM24RC
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 09/03/2007
Views: 41
John G. Shedd, retired president of Marshall Field & Company, donated more than $3 million in the mid-1920s to construct the largest aquarium in the world. On December 19, 1929, less than two months after the stock market crash, a preview of the new aquarium's only display, a freshwater pool, provided a much needed morale boost to Chicagoans.
Over the next year, more than a million gallons of seawater were shipped by rail from Florida to fill new galleries. It was an unprecedented undertaking: Shedd would be the first inland aquarium with a permanent saltwater collection.
When the aquarium officially opened on May 30, 1930, it housed the greatest variety of sea life under one roof. Sadly, John G. Shedd only lived long enough to see the architect’s first drawings for his aquarium. It was his widow, Mary R. Shedd, who cut the ribbon at the official opening ceremony.
Today the Shedd Aquarium provides the midwest a local view of both the salt-water and fresh water worlds, with sharks in a wild reef, a Caribbean reef, a walk through Amazon forest flood, a magnificent oceanarium overlooking Lake Michigan and, in total, over 90 aquatic habitats.
Membership starts at $80 ($140 for family). If you want to visit more of Chicago's museums, check out a Chicago Citypass (http://www.citypass.com/city/chicago.html?id=KsIypwrD)
Information taken from the Shedd Aquarium website at (http://www.sheddaquarium.org/)
Street address:
1200 South Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL U.S.A.
60605
County / Borough / Parish: Cook County
Year listed: 1987
Historic (Areas of) Significance: Event
Periods of significance: 1925-1949
Historic function: Recreation And Culture
Current function: Recreation And Culture
Privately owned?: no
Season start / Season finish: From: 08/23/2015 To: 08/23/2015
Hours of operation: From: 12:00 AM To: 12:00 AM
Primary Web Site: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 1: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 2: Not listed
National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
Please give the date and brief account of your visit. Include any additional observations or information that you may have, particularly about the current condition of the site. Additional photos are highly encouraged, but not mandatory.