When Nickel arrived at the Shedd Aquarium in 2003, the green sea turtle had survived a crack in her shell from colliding with a boat. She also had a coin lodged in her esophagus — hence her name.
But while Nickel might not have been able to float as well as she used to, she’s helped teach millions of visitors about plastic overconsumption and the complexities of her species from her home in the aquarium’s Caribbean Reef habitat. Her home is about to get a lot bigger, though.
The Shedd Aquarium released plans on Tuesday for upgrading many of its exhibits, gardens and learning spaces by 2027. Bridget Coughlin, president and CEO, said instead of the current geographical-based setup at the aquarium, they will shift toward highlighting animal biology and behavior. She hopes it will encourage visitors to take action on sustainability and climate change.
“It’s about creating moments of deeper connection to the animal kingdom, really erasing this human nature divide,” Coughlin said.
The renovations are being split into four phases across four years. While some upgrades are already finished, a large portion is set to open next summer. Another round is scheduled to open in summer 2026, and the next in winter 2026. They are a part of the aquarium’s $500 million Centennial Commitment ahead of its 100th anniversary in 2030. The Shedd will remain open during construction, with new exhibits and programs introduced on a rolling basis.
[ Shedd announces $500 million project to re-imagine aquarium and expand reach ]
The Shedd plans to transform its North Gallery into a 40-foot tunnel, where Nickel will live in a warm saltwater environment alongside blacktip reef sharks, goliath grouper fish and a new addition to the aquarium — spotted eagle rays, according to Coughlin. The International Union for Conservation of Nature considers spotted eagle rays a near-threatened species, meaning their population is declining.
The tunnel is twice as large as Nickel’s current Caribbean Reef home and will likely open in summer 2026.
Visitors will see some changes as early as next summer. The aquarium will turn the four-acre gardens surrounding Shedd’s lakefront building into a “living classroom,” according to their announcement. Shedd wants to host free educational programs in the gardens, including lessons on producing honey and planting onions. Coughlin said migrating birds and insects will also live in the green space.
“Chicago is in a large aviary flight path and migration from birds to bees to Chicago’s namesake plants, we’re bringing our gardens to a more accessible place,” she said.
There are also planned renovations to the Amazon Rising gallery, which will help visitors get up close to the animals. Andrew Pulver, the vice president of animal care, said the aquarium will provide more than twice the volume of water for the arapaima, a freshwater fish that can grow up to 10 feet long.
“We’re providing this greater habitat space, but at the same time, designing it in a way that we’re going to be able to bring those giant fish right up to the guest while feeding them and they can see these huge fish just gulping their food at the surface,” Pulver said.
Pulver said there are other interesting additions to the aquarium that are scheduled to open in summer 2026. For example, a new Whalefall exhibit will display the environment that forms at the bottom of the seafloor when a whale dies.
Whales have a unique connection to climate change that the exhibit will highlight, Pulver added. He said when whales die, crabs and other animals eat the whale carcass, showing that “nature leaves no waste.” Whales also accumulate carbon in their bodies during their lives. This means that whales naturally undergo carbon sequestration, or the process of removing carbon dioxide.
“We’ll have this rib cage of a whale with food that we are providing for really cool big, giant crabs, and to be able to up close see how that process would happen in nature and connect the guests to the fact that this is a natural process,” Pulver said.
Another addition by summer 2026 will be the Lakeside Learning Studio. Coughlin anticipates moving its education spaces up from the basement will help it engage with 50,000 more students every year. She said the “bright, sunny space” will be able to accommodate more classes and field trips, and help kids learn about topics from microplastics to hagfish slime to sea kelp.
“Imagine coming in and seeing microplastics from the Great Lakes under a high-powered microscope and then doing a design challenge of how we could prevent the plastic from going in and harvest the plastic that’s already there,” Coughlin said. “While you’re tasting sea kelp, you’re learning about how it’s one of the biggest carbon sequestration biologicals on the planet.”
The aquarium has a host of other improvements as well. From a renovated gallery showcasing the biology of an Illinois stream to new security features, Pulver said the focus was always on “animals first.”
“For the animals, these changes are going to be fantastic,” Pulver said. “It really also helps the animal care team so they have the greater space to access and work with the animals, and then that allows us for greater flexibility in developing new care techniques.”
The aquarium unveiled its eight-year vision, called the Centennial Commitment, in 2022, one of the largest expansions in Chicago museum history. Renovating and re-imagining the galleries and educational spaces will cost about half the $500 million budget, with the rest going toward expanding educational programs and supporting research. Funding came from endowments as well as corporate and community gifts.
They already opened “Plankton Revealed” earlier this summer. It’s the aquarium’s first bilingual exhibit with text in English and Spanish, helping guests learn about the important role the tiny organisms play in aquatic ecosystems. They also began construction this year on an aquatic science lab for conservation research and animal clinical care.
[ Shedd Aquarium spotlights plankton’s impact on aquatic ecosystems with vibrant, bubbly exhibit ]
Aquarium officials hope the on-site transformation will create more than 2,000 jobs. Shedd also put in place goals to award part of its contracts to minority-owned and women-owned businesses. They also want Chicago residents to perform at least half the on-site labor, according to a news release.
“Shedd Aquarium’s Centennial Commitment is a transformational investment for CPS students and youth across the city that will provide unprecedented opportunities to connect with nature and the environment, which are essential to our ongoing pursuit of environmental justice,” said Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.
Coughlin said the renovations involved input from the aquarium’s animal care and education teams, as well as outside groups such as Landmarks Illinois, Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, Chicago Park District and Chicago Public Schools.
She said the renovations will honor the historical elements of the aquarium’s nearly 100-year-old building. Architectural firm Graham, Anderson, Probst & White originally designed a temple of white marble and terra cotta to celebrate aquatic life.
Coughlin said they plan to restore masonry and unblock seven 30-foot windows, giving guests a better view of the lake. They also want to make the aquarium more accessible for people with strollers or mobility devices with new pathways and fewer stairs.
“We have three different areas that you have to take stairs and ramps, so instead of having people need to take stairs, you can now start with the top of the ocean floor at the kelp forest and walk down the water column seeing animals along the way,” she said.
