A Look At The Shedd's Renovated Oceanarium

By Anthony Todd in Miscellaneous on Feb 27, 2009 5:00PM

The Grainger Beluga Encounter Habitat under construction.

The Grainger Beluga Encounter, as it will look when finished.

The underwater \"Icy North\" exhibit.

The Sea Lion Habitat, under construction.

The Sea Lion Habitat, as it will look when finished.

The Secluded Bay, under construction.

The Marine Mammal Amphitheater, under construction.

The Marine Mammal Amphitheater, as it will look when finished.

The underwater viewing areas.

Since 1991, the Oceanarium at the Shedd aquarium has been entertaining us with it's unique blend of an indoor-outdoor environment, cute sea mammals and a gorgeous view of the lake. Since September, visitors to the Shedd have found the Oceanarium closed and undergoing a massive renovation. The Oceanarium is schedule to re-open in May, and we got a sneak peak inside. Some of these photos are current construction photos, while others are renderings of what the interior will look like when work is finished. Some of new features will include:

• A Renovated "Secluded Bay" exhibit, which recreates the coastline of the Pacific Northwest.
• A collection of Pacific Northwest fishes, viewable from above and below the water.
• An expanded Sea Lion habitat
• Our favorite, the Grainger Beluga Encounter Habitat, where guests will be able to put on waders and interact with the whales.

The countdown to May 22 has begun!