First let me say I am a huge fan of the Shedd Aquarium, having worked there on the guest/visitor services staff in 1991-1992. They do unparallelled work in aquatic conservation, education and research to say nothing of the millions each year who walk through their doors and are inspired to learn more about the 32,000 creatures on display. My experience working at the Shedd inspired me to start keeping fish at home which I have been doing for almost 20 years now.
I was back in Chicago this weekend for the first time in almost a decade, so as always the Shedd was on the itinerary. The price has gone way up; I think it was about $33 for a full ticket to everything. The main galleries were excellent, but I was especially excited to see the Oceanarium – the massive exhibit that features beluga whales, sea otters, Pacific white-sided dolphins, penquins, and sea lions. This was brand-new when I worked there in the early 90’s so it was due for an overhaul.
The exhibit itself was great, especially the interative features on the lower level. We happened to catch a feeding/guide of the Beluga tank, which was fun and interesting.
Then, the show. Oh. My. Goodness.
The old show, as we were at pains to say to guests, was “an animal behavior exhibition.” It was an experienced trainer at a microphone teaching the audience about the animials (usually the dolphins but sometimes the belugas) while other trainers in the background ran them through their “tricks”: porpoising, breaching, spy-hopping, etc. The presenter explained how all these behaviors benefited the animials in the wild, and explained about their life in the wild environment. It was fun and educational, and thrilling to see the animals against the magnificent background of Lake Michigan which filled the glass wall behind the exhibit.
This new show is awful. Here’s an accurate review.
A funny thing is, the mainstream Chicago press seemed to love it. The Tribune gave it a glowing review – but it’s hilarious to scan the reader’s comments which unanamously berate the columnist and rail about how awful the show is – which it truly, truly is.
So my advice: if you live in or visit Chicago, go to the Shedd. It’s fabulous. But save yourself a few bucks off the ticket price and skip the show. It’s only an additional $2, but it’s literally not worth the price. The twenty minutes is better spent in the galleries or exhibits. Even the gift shop is more educational, with less cheesy garishness than the assault on the senses that the show is.
