Shedd Aquarium

Shedd Aquarium :

The aquarium is one of the most popular attractions in the city - it welcomes approximately 2 million visitors a year - and if you plan a visit during summer time you can expect some long lines.

 

 Museum pictures from abroad :

 

 

 Shedd Aquarium houses some 20,000 aquatic animals representing 1,500 different species. The aquarium contains several exhibits, the most notable of which are the Caribbean Reef, the Wild Reef and the Oceanarium.

 History of Shedd Aquarium  :

 The history of the aquarium goes back to 1924 when John Graves Shedd, a prominent businessman, donated 2 million dollar for the creation of an aquarium in Chicago - later followed by another one million dollar donation. He formed the Shedd Aquarium Society, which was responsible for the construction and operation of the aquarium.
The society selected a location near the lake for its future aquarium and commissioned the architectural firm of Graham, Anderson, Probst and White with the design of the building.


The Aquarium opened in December 1929 and Chicagoans visited the new attraction in droves even though there were no fish yet. Saltwater arrived in 1930, and was transported by train from Florida. The exhibits, displayed around a central rotunda, opened not much later.
The original reservoirs contains more than 1.5 million gallons (57,000 hectoliter) of water. The Aquarium continued to regularly transport fresh saltwater from Florida until 1970, when it started creating its own saltwater on site.

 

Shedd Aquarium Chicago :

 

 

Fantasea, a new multi-media show featuring whales, dolphins, and penguins, will soon open in the Oceanarium  :

 

 The Aquarium was originally built in 1929 by the architects Graham, Anderson, Probst & White. They designed a neo-classical octagonal building constructed of white marble. The modern 1991 glass extension of the building was designed by Lohan Associates.

Chicago Cultural Center

Chicago Cultural Center :

 The Chicago Cultural Center lures in hundreds of thousands of visitors each year with its numerous free events and its proximity to tourist hot spot Millennium Park. Besides featuring free music, dance and theater performances, the center frequently shows films, conducts lectures, displays art exhibits and offers family events, all with no admission charge.

A wonderful picture of the center from the outside:

 Building tours are available every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 1:15 p.m., and meet in the building's lobby. Come a bit early -- tours are limited to the first 20 people. Private group tours are also offered, contact the Chicago Cultural Center for details.

 Pictures from inside the center :

 

 Originally the first home of the Chicago Public Library, the Chicago Cultural Center was designed by the Boston architectural firm of Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge in 1897. The building’s Preston Bradley Hall contains the world’s largest Louis Comfort Tiffany art glass dome, with approximately 30,000 pieces of glass spanning more than 1,000 square feet. The restoration project was funded in part with City TIF assistance, a HUD Grant, a State of Illinois Museum Grant, and a grant from AMEX/NTHP Partners in Preservation, and private donations. Work included removing the outer concrete dome that had been added during the 1930s and allowing natural light to once again fill the hall as originally intended. The project required repair or replacement of 1,800 cracked or broken pieces of glass. The cast-iron ribs of the dome were restored to the original surface treatment, which investigation revealed to be gold-colored aluminum leaf. In addition to the restoration work, a new accent-lighting system has also been installed. The Chicago Public Library/Cultural Center has been a designated Chicago Landmark since November 15, 1976. (Photo courtesy of Holabird & Root)

 

The Chicago Cultural Center :