Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium along Lake Michigan and next to the Field Museum offers a slew of aquatic experiences and notable meeting spaces. The building is constructed in a beaux arts design with a neoclassical temple of white marble and terra cotta as an homage to the aquatic life it houses, from the marine fossils in its limestone to Neptune’s trident atop the glass dome.
“Shedd Aquarium partners with people on the Great Lakes and around the globe to help build a world thriving with aquatic life, sustained by people who love, understand, and protect it,” explains Stefanie Rowe, director of venue marketing for Sodexo Live, a Shedd Aquarium restaurant and catering partner. “From caring for animals in need to reducing single-use plastics, Shedd shares knowledge to empower conservation, sets a sustainable example, and commits to protecting the blue planet.”
Shedd features diverse meeting spaces. Its Aquarium Galleries display classical Greek architecture with space for 450 reception-style or 360 seated. The Abbott Oceanarium and Rice Foundation Amphitheater offer attendees access to view white-sided dolphins, beluga whales, sea otters, California sea lions, and more—with room for 680 seated. Seasonal outdoor spaces include the Skyline Experience and the City View Experience.
