A Glass Tunnel, the New Star Attraction at Shedd Aquarium After a $500 Million Renovation
Shedd Aquarium unveiled January 11th a new strategic vision meant to ensure a transformational investment in Chicago communities and aquatic ecosystems, a Centennial Commitment that will require half a billion dollars and eight years to complete.
Transformational support for the Centennial Commitment has been provided by The Harvey L. Miller Family Foundation, the Mansueto Foundation and Builders Initiative in addition to lead corporate contributions from Bank of America, GATX Corporation and Illinois Tool Works Inc.
A transformation for the next 100 years
The new strategic vision leading to Shedd’s 100th anniversary in 2030 will make it ready for the next 100 years by transforming the aquarium’s historic galleries, accelerating aquatic science and research, and equitably expanding access to nature for all.
The Shedd Aquarium will get some significant upgrades over the next eight years, including a 40-foot glass tunnel that, according to a report from Crain’s, will connect the main Shedd building to the Abbott Oceanarium, allowing visitors to almost get immersed in the aquatic life swimming all around them.
Chicagoans have indeed become very interested in immersive experiences lately; in February 2022, the very popular yearlong run art exhibit “Immersive Van Gogh” at the Germania Club Building in Old Town will be replaced by a new visual spectacle, Frida:Immersive Dream, announced last November. After these works on Shedd are done, the immersive experience into the underwater animal life will become a very real one, one that recently was only a dream. In 2021, Chicago was ranked the second most beautiful city in the world (and the first in North America) by 27,000 Time Out Index survey voters from all over the world. When the transformation of the aquarium will be completed, we have every reason to hope we will rank first.
“Five years ago, we began to imagine a visionary future in response to the needs facing the aquatic animal world, our city, and our society in order to advance solutions to the biodiversity, climate, and equitable access to nature crises that exist around us,” said dr. Bridget C. Coughlin, President and CEO of Shedd Aquarium.
“The Centennial Commitment is our pledge to do the work that is necessary now, to ensure the next 100 years includes a world thriving with aquatic life that is sustained by people who love, understand and protect it.”
What can we expect to see and experience when the works will be done
Ambitions within Shedd Aquarium’s Centennial Commitment center around three primary pillars — “For People, For Communities, For Aquatic Life” — and include:
- Deeper community investments and partnerships that bring the aquarium further into Chicago neighborhoods.
- A modernized aquarium experience through the transformation and restoration of the historic galleries and dynamic new exhibits that provide greater and more accessible entry points to see and connect with aquatic life.
- New educational and experiential programs created with equity and inclusion at the center that deepen science learning, increase environmental literacy and empower the younger generations.
- Compelling digital engagements that bring animals and conservation action programs from the aquarium into more hands and homes everywhere.
- Advancements in exemplary animal care and welfare for the thousands of animals in Shedd’s care and an increased capacity to respond to more wildlife in crisis.
- Accelerated aquatic research and science to address the largest threats to biodiversity and species extinction.
How much it will cost to modernize the aquarium
The aquarium is one of the state’s most precious landmarks, one that is connected to its rich history, to the present generation, but, more importantly, a promise for the future generation.
“The Shedd is one of Illinois’ great gems, and this new vision for the next 100 years reflects Illinois’ leadership and their partnership in protecting the environment, educating the next generation and serving as an unmatched cultural asset,” said Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker.
Such a big endeavor could not be achieved without the proper funding.
More than half of the $500 million investment will go into the programs and partnerships needed to achieve Shedd’s Centennial Commitment’s aspirations. Keep in mind, these programs will also expand outside of the aquarium, into communities, on the water and in nature, they will consist of virtual experiences, informal learning engagements, new and expanded onsite and field research and science portfolios focused on restoration, rewilding, and rescue.
The remaining investment will focus on needed works to the historic Beaux-Arts-style building. The aquarium galleries and experiences will be updated, they will be more accessible, animal habitats will be enhanced and architectural features such as the opening of original windows restored to provide breathtaking views of the city skyline and Lake Michigan. A more welcoming and unobstructed public access to the building’s original exterior promenade and garden spaces is also to be expected.
Aquarium Transformation and Restoration – the main expectations
The aquarium’s new Experience Master Plan plans to keep the historical integrity of the building’s unmistakable architecture, but widen spaces to accommodate the needs of guests and the over 25,000 animals Shedd now homes. The multi-year, four-phase construction project will begin in late 2022 and is expected to conclude in 2026 with new galleries, programs and experiences opening each year on a rolling basis.
Some of the project highlights include:
- A Modernized Experience: More accessible, interactive, highly immersive, and science-rich galleries will bring guests closer to the animals. Shedd intends to grow attendance to serve up to 2.3 million guests annually. The number of schoolchildren who receive a personalized learning experience at Shedd Aquarium will exponentially grow. Specialized water systems for the care and needs of over 1,100 species will be re-envisioned.
- A New Learning Commons: An expansive new experiential hub and curiosity incubator, the Learning Commons – situated at the historic core of the aquarium – will unlock important new ways to encourage and facilitate learning. The technologically advanced, flexible space will increase the total number of students engaged at Shedd from 170,000 to 230,000 annually.
- A Centralized Science Hub: Five existing scientific laboratories will merge into one central, state-of-the-art Science Hub spanning microbial ecology, conservation science, water quality and chemistry, genome studies, and pathology. The integration will allow for greater proximity of work to create cutting-edge conservation science in the wild and within the aquarium.
- Greater Physical Accessibility: New circulation pathways will significantly reduce the number of transitions between areas of the aquarium, allowing guests to have multiple options on where to start their journey. Guests with strollers, wheelchairs, and other mobility needs will be able to move around more easily.
- Activated Outdoor Spaces: The four acres of green space around the building — equivalent to 40 Chicago backyards — offer a myriad of possibilities to serve as a living classroom while extending the aquarium’s conservation efforts.
More than 2,000 new jobs and a huge economic impact
Shedd’s onsite transformation is expected to have a huge economic impact statewide, creating more than 2,000 jobs in Illinois and leading to more than $340 million in economic activity through its construction phases. After the completion of this massive undertaking, the aquarium’s estimated total economic impact will exceed $410 million a year.
“Since the first day it opened its doors to the public, the Shedd Aquarium has attracted visitors from near and far—helping to spark interests and spread knowledge about aquatic life,” said Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot. “Through this incredible Centennial Commitment, the Shedd Aquarium will be able to build on this reputation as well as give back to the surrounding community, modernize their facility and deepen their ongoing environmental research. We look forward to continuing to partner with our world-class aquarium to advance their ambitions, which will undoubtedly strengthen our city’s economy and tourism scene.”
The aquarium’s onsite project will create economic opportunities for diverse contractors in Chicago. Shedd has mandated self-imposed goals to award subcontracting packages to diverse targets of at least 26% and 6% MBE/WBE vendors, 50% of total onsite labor work hours to Chicago residents, and 25% of all onsite labor work hours to minority and female workers. Shedd has also committed to see that hundreds of thousands of dollars go directly into the pockets of Chicagoans from the communities closest to Museum Campus.
“We are proud that Shedd has committed to making sure that diversity and equity are central to this project,” said city Alderperson Sophia King. “This includes preference given to residents in Chicago’s 4th Ward and the surrounding neighborhoods of Douglas, Grand Boulevard, Hyde Park, Kenwood, North Kenwood, Oakland, and the South Loop. Through this work, we will spread the economic benefit to areas that have been overlooked for too long.”
One of the world’s leading animal care, conservation, and education organizations
The interior renovations are scheduled to begin later in 2022 and are scheduled to be completed by 2026. According to Shedd leadership, the aquarium will remain open to the public throughout the renovation.
In order to provide local teens the opportunity to acquire real-world skill-building and explore career paths, contractors are strongly encouraged to commit to participating in one or more Chicago Public School (CPS) “Work-Based Learning” programs such as the Job Shadow Week, CPS’ Guest Speaker Series, Site Visit Week, Soft Skills Month and Career and/or the Technical Education Training (CTE) Summer Internship Program.
Shedd opened its doors to the public in 1930 and has grown to become one of the world’s leading animal care, conservation, and education organizations, serving more than 200 million guests over the last nine decades. It draws the largest paid attendance of any Museums in the Park organization — 2 million people every year for nearly two decades, one-third of whom visit for free through Shedd’s commitment to admission access.
The modernization of the historic galleries will serve as the largest capital project for the organization in recent history, preceded by the expansion of the Abbott Oceanarium in 1991 (and its reimagination in 2008), Amazon Rising exhibit in 2001, and Wild Reef exhibit in 2003.
