Tickets/​Cost - Shedd Aquarium

I strongly recommend purchasing tickets online in advance. With variable pricing, ticket prices will go up as tickets run low, and on busy days they often sell out (even members should reserve tickets in advance).

Costs

Shedd has variable pricing, where ticket prices start lower and go up as they run low. Adults usually range from $37 to $42 and kids are roughly $10 cheaper. Admission includes full access to the aquarium, the animal spotlights, and stingray touch (when it’s open from late May to October).

For a normal visit, the only additional costs are for the 4-D movies ($4.95, or $2.95 for members) or feeding the stingrays ($5, $4 for members). (There are also "Extraordinary Expriences" like standing in the water and meeting a beluga whale for significant additional cost, and which must be scheduled well in advance.)

Discounts

Chicago residents get discounted (and fixed) prices: $19.95 for adults, $14.95 for kids. In addition, there are 52 free days each year for all Illinois residents (which are often, but not always, scheduled during slower weekdays).

There are additional discounts for a variety of people based on employment (educators, police and firefighters, for example), as well as passes available to be checked out from libraries, and discounts for members of other zoos. See the Discounts page for more information.