Click here for a complete list of current attractions included with the Chicago Explorer Pass
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this just a discount card? Will I still need to buy tickets?
No. Passes include admission to each attraction; no need to pay anything at the gate. Some attractions may offer upgrades or special exhibits for an additional fee.
Do I need to choose my attractions in advance?
Nope, choose as you go. The pass is good for any combination of the number of attractions you purchased.
My child is under 3 years old. Can I get them a Chicago Explorer Pass?
Child Passes are recommended for children ages 3-12. Many attractions offer free admission for younger children. Please consult the attraction websites for more details.
How will I get my pass?
Delivered via E-mail: Printable and Smartphone Versions
How do I activate my pass?
Easy: simply visit your first attraction!
Is the pass valid all day?
You bet! Feel free to visit the attractions any time of the day as long as they are open or operating.
What is your refund policy?
Our Risk Free Guarantee gives you one year from your purchase date to return any non-activated passes for a full refund.
How much will I save?
Compare the price of the pass to the gate prices of the attractions you want to visit to see how much you can save. Many customers save 40%. We give you the flexibility to create your own itinerary and choose the attractions you want to visit depending on your interests.
Can I visit an attraction more than once?
No. Your pass includes only one visit per attraction.
Does a Chicago Explorer Pass expire?
Yes. You have one year from the date of purchase to begin using your pass. After one year, it will expire. After activated, you’ll have 30 days to use your pass.
Do I need to make reservations to visit the attractions?
Attractions that require a reservation will display a symbol on the guidebook page. Some attractions require a credit card to hold a reservation. In these cases, your credit card will not be charged unless you do not show up for your reservation.
What’s the catch?
There’s no catch. Chicago Explorer Pass has a partnership with all of the participating attractions to make your visit to Chicago as memorable as possible and to help you save time and money.
Can I share my pass with a friend or sell it?
No. The Chicago Explorer Pass is non-transferrable and may not be re-sold.
What happens if an attraction is closed or a tour is cancelled due to weather or other problem?
While we do our best to ensure that all attractions are available, events happen that are out of our control. The great thing about a Chicago Explorer Pass is that there are so many attractions to choose from. If an attraction is closed, or cannot be visited for some reason, we know you'll find a fun alternative in your guidebook!
SHEDD AQUARIUM EXHIBITS
AMPHIBIANS!
Get ready for a toadally ribbiting experience! Shedd’s new special exhibit, Amphibians, included with admission.
In Amphibians, you’ll meet 40 species of frogs, salamanders and rarely seen caecilians. Learn how amphibians’ lives are full of change, from their life cycles to their adaptations to live in nearly every environment on Earth. Find out how too much change can spell trouble for amphibians — and how you can help them cope with big changes in our world today!
Waters of the World
Travel the world in 80 habitats.
Dive into Oceans, from coastal kelp forests to the seafloor. Explore the self-contained ecosystems of Islands and Lakes. Visit Rivers—big and small—and learn more about our local waters in the new At Home on the Great Lakes exhibit. Meet hundreds of amazing animals, from tiny mantella frogsto a a giant octopus, from a Grand Cayman blue iguana to Nile knifefish, and from moon jellies to sea stars. We even have map turtles, in case you get lost.
Caribbean Reef
Take a 360-degree tour of an underwater reef community.
Follow a green sea turtle. Peek at a moray eel in a rocky crevice. Watch regal rays glide by. Get eye-to-eye with parrot fish and sharks. Visit Caribbean Reef, Shedd’s award-winning 90,000-gallon circular habitat in the grand rotunda.
Amazon Rising
Take an exotic journey in the Amazon, home to one-third of all living things.
Watch out for anacondas and piranhas, spiders, rays and a camouflaged caiman. In churning river channels, still lakes and even flooded treetops look for tetras, turtles and fruit-eating fish called tambaqui. See how the region’s animals, plants and people adapt to the water’s dramatic annual rise and fall.
Abbott Oceanarium
The Abbott Oceanarium immerses you in the vibrant coastal ecosystem of beluga whales, Pacific white-sided dolphins, sea otters and sea lions. You’ll also find a host of fishes and invertebrates that make their homes where freshwater flows into the ocean or where tides turn seascapes to landscapes and back again each day. Use our self-guided map to discover how animals are linked to each other, their homes and you.
Polar Play Zone
Kids have a place at Shedd that they can call their own—Polar Play Zone. It’s cool as ice and twice as nice! The penguins think so, too.
Play! Splash! Pretend! What would you like to be? A sleek sliding penguin? A deep-sea explorer? How about both? In Polar Play Zone, you can slip into a penguin suit and try being a bird in the Icy South play area. From there, head to the Icy North to explore the belugas’ Arctic waters in a kid-sized submarine. Don’t forget to shake hands—or is it arms?—with colorful sea stars in the touch pools. In Polar Play Zone, you’ll learn about polar opposites—big and small, fast and slow, shallow and deep, even north and south—while you play.
The Oceanarium Aquatic Presentation is included however based on available seating and remaining show times at the time of guest arrival. (2018 Aquatic Presentation Schedule)
Stingray Touch (seasonal experience) is included. Open late May through October.
4D Experience is not included however the 4D experience tickets may be purchased at the theatre for $3.00 per -person
Pets are not allowed in the aquarium
