The Shedd Aquarium was built in 1925. The building was designed to resemble a temple. Aquatic elements are featured throughout the building: the light fixtures are octopuses, there are aquatic fossils in the floor tiles and the doors are decorated with gold sea creatures.
The gold frame around the door
Turtles!
Poison Dart Frog
Seahorse
Jellyfish!
The penguins were definitely the highlight of the day
Beluga Whales. I watches these whales swim and make noise for a good 15 minutes
Fish from all over the world!
The very spotted Australian Lung Fish is named Granddad. He was a gift to the aquarium over 80 years ago! He exhibited signs of an adult fish. Today, he does not show signs of an older fish. There is not a lot of information on the lung fish. Granddad is helping researchers to learn more.
Another picture of Granddad
The Beluga whales like to show off
The sea lions like to show off too
My ticket included a backstage pass tour. Unfortunately, I was not allowed to take pictures. The tour guide took the group to the water lab. Most of the animals in the exhibits require very specific water. Lake Michigan water is altered to replicate water from all over the world. Also, to ensure the animals are living in a healthy environment, the tank water is tested every day. I also walked through the veterinary clinic and the blood sample lab. Seeing how an aquarium operates is very interesting. I would love to plan another trip to the aquarium if time allows me to.
