It had been about 30 years since I had last visited the John G. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, so I was almost as excited to see it as the children were!

The exterior of the aquarium, which is located right on Lake Michigan, is beautiful:

The interior of the building itself is also stunning:

Even the floor is a sight to behold!

After admiring the setting and architecture, you remember why you’re really there…to see the fish and sea mammals (Moose would have been happy to watch the dolphins and beluga whales all day, after a quick visit to the sharks)! We also even got to touch a few creature, including a sturgeon (way too squishy!) and a starfish. I discovered how challenging it is to photograph fish, especially ones that are swimming rapidly in low light. I did get some pictures, though:

My only disappointment was that the electric eel, the only thing I really remember from my last visit to the aquarium when I was in second grade, was not on display, as the habitat is being re-done. It was fun to see everything else, though, especially the Oceanarium and the Wild Reef which didn’t even exist the last time I visited!