Santa Breakfast, 4D 'Rudolph' Part Of Shedd Aquarium Holiday Fun

From the Shedd Aquarium: There's no place like Shedd Aquarium for the holidays! The aquarium is spreading the cheer with festive events, breakfasts with Santa, special screenings of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 4-D® and holiday crafts.

Holiday Breakfast at Shedd

It's the most wonderful time of the year... Shedd's holiday breakfast! Join us for breakfast and hot chocolate, a screening of THE POLAR EXPRESS™ 4-D Experience and a meet-and-greet with Santa. Afterward, you can explore Shedd's children's exhibit, Polar Play Zone and finish your special day with reserved seats to an aquatic presentation.

• Saturday, Dec. 9; Sunday, Dec. 10; Saturday, Dec. 16; Sunday, Dec. 17; Saturday, Dec. 23; doors open at 7:45 a.m.
• $49.95 for adults; $39.95 for children (ages 3-10)
• Shedd Members: $44.95 for adults; $34.95 for children (ages 3-10)
• Children under the age of 3 are free
• Ticket price includes admission to the aquarium

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 4-D Experience®

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer shines in an all-new, magical 4-D Experience®. When young Rudolph is teased for his red nose and runs away, he sets off on a series of adventures, meets new friends Hermey the Elf and Yukon Cornelius along the way and escapes the clutches of the Abominable Snow Monster. When an epic snowstorm threatens the holiday, can he rescue his family and friends and help Santa save the day?

• Running from Friday, Nov. 24, 2017 through Sunday, Jan. 7, 2018
• $4.95 per person upgrade

Wreaths to Save the Sea

Schoolchildren in northwest Indiana and the Chicagoland area helped Shedd Aquarium deck its halls this holiday season through the annual Wreath-Cycled Classroom Challenge. Students from Pre-K to high school were challenged to create holiday “Wreaths to Save the Sea” using only “art materials” from their recycling bins. Through the holiday season, more than 100 wreaths will hang around the Caribbean Reef exhibit. This year, the wreaths accent giant aquatic sculptures also made from plastic, recyclable materials that are part of the traveling exhibit, Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea. Guests have an opportunity to vote for their favorite wreath at the aquarium or on Facebookstarting Wednesday, Nov. 22. Wreath-Cycled students will gather at Shedd on Sunday, Dec. 17 to see who will be awarded the top prizes.

Hoppy Holidays, Las Hopportunity for Amphibians

Be sure to check out Shedd’s Amphibians special exhibit for your last chance to see more than 40 species of frogs, toads, salamanders and caecilians are swimming, hopping, climbing and hiding. Look deep for the masters of disguise, from slender salamanders to great big bullfrogs that hide in plain sight against bark, leaves and light-dappled shadows. For these amphibians, hide-and-seek is a game of survival. Learn what biologists, citizen scientists and schoolchildren are doing to keep amphibians from disappearing forever.

• Jan. 1, 2018 is the last day to visit Amphibians
• Included in general admission

Holiday Gift Giving

It’s that time of year when you want to find the perfect gift for the holidays – the same goes at Shedd Aquarium!

• If you’re looking to make a splash this holiday with the perfect gift for friends and family, Shedd has a sleigh full of holiday shopping ideas - whether it’s otter-ly adorable plushes or swag from Shedd’s store, by purchasing an annual membership to enjoy Shedd year round, or even a family trip with Shedd Adventures!
• Gift them a day they’ll never forget! Extraordinary Experiences provide a once-in-a-lifetime memory of coming face-to-face with the animals that call Shedd home. See Shedd from the perspective of our animal care staff during a Behind-the-Scenes Tours; experience what it’s like to be a marine mammal trainer during Trainer for a Day; or dive deeper into Wild Reef and experience mealtime with the sharks during the new Shark Feed Tour.
• We’re thrilled to be partnering with online retailer Threadless, who will open a special Shedd shop on Nov. 28, featuring exclusive aquatic designs for apparel, housewares and more. More than half of every purchase through the end of the year will be donated to Shedd. Visit sheddaquarium.threadless.com to shop—it’s a great way to support Shedd and get a great gift for yourself or your family!
• Make the seasons bright with a symbolic animal adoption to support Shedd’s mission and top-quality animal care. This holiday gift includes a photo or plush of the adopted animal, a certificate of your support and quarterly updates. Support our work caring for the 32,000 animals who call Shedd home by bringing home your very own penguin, dolphin, beluga, otter or shark!
• Planning to buy gifts on Amazon? Consider enrolling in the AmazonSmile program and select “Shedd,” so Amazon will donate 0.5% of your total purchase price back to support the aquarium. Use this link to designate Shedd Aquarium as your charity of choice. Once a quarter Shedd will receive a check with Amazon’s generous donation just because you shopped!
• Send some holiday cheer to the animals at Shedd with a curated gift wish list to stock the cabinets, fridges and pantries with everyday items through the Amazon Wish List. Experts and caretakers from every department have identified potential gifts for all that call Shedd home. Tis the season for giving!

Plan a Visit During Holiday Hours

Shedd Aquarium is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and weekends from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, please call 312-939-2438 or visit here. As a Museums for All partner, Shedd offers daily free admission to eligible low-income families (up to four passes per family.) Please note the following special hours:

• Wednesday, Dec. 13 – 3 p.m. close

• Sunday, Dec. 24 – 3 p.m. close
• Monday, Dec.25 – Closed
• Monday, Jan. 1 – 11 a.m. open and 6 p.m. close

Photo by Brenna Hernandez | Shedd Aquarium