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No Little Plans Chicago s Shedd Aquarium
hedd Aquarium, along with In the early 1920’s Chicago,
the Field Museum and the Illinois was one of the few major
Art Institute of Chicago, metropolises in the world that
is one of the crown Jewels of could not boast its own major
Grant Park. aquarium, so the former president
of Marshall Fields & Company,
The legendary Gilded Age Chicago John G. Shedd decided to do
architect Daniel Burnham is something about it. He formed the
quoted as saying to his fellows Shedd Aquarium Society in 1924
“Make no little plans” when they with $3 million of his own money
were designing the fabled White and the help of several prominent
City at the Colombian Exposition Chicago businessmen and civic
of 1893, and that sentiment has leaders. Sadly, John Shedd died
carried on into many of the before work on the aquarium had
countless architectural even begun.
achievements of the Windy City.
In 1925 the architectural firm
The sentiment was, and is, Graham, Anderson, Probst & White
certainly found of the was commissioned to design the
magnificent Shedd Aquarium, Aquarium. Chief architect Ernst
which, along with the Field Graham had worked for Daniel
Museum and the Art Institute of Burnham himself, and was one of
Chicago, is one of the crown the pioneers of the famous Beaux
Jewels of Grant Park. In a city Arts Style, which incorporated
famed for it’s stunning classical Greek and Roman styles
architecture and world-class with intricate ornamentation. The
amenities, that the Shedd is such Shedd Aquarium would be one of
a standout structure is no mean the last and best examples of the
feat. Beaux Art Style of this period.
The Groundbreaking ceremony of Dodge & Davis Architects designed
the Shedd Aquarium took place in the subterranean south wing to
November of 1927, and only 2 house the Wild Reef, a recreation
years later the public was of a Philippine coastal reef
treated to a special preview of located 25 feet below
the 1st exhibit, a massive street-level. Both additions were
fresh-water ecology display. carefully designed and built to
update the Shedd Aquarium in a
The salt-water exhibits would way complimentary to its classic
have to wait another 6 months roots.
while 20 railroad tank-cars made
8 round-trips between Chicago and Just as no trip to Illinois is
Key West to deliver the million complete without a trip to
gallons of water they required. Chi-town, no trip to Chicago is
On May 30th of 1930 the Shedd had complete without visiting this
its Grand Opening, taking its magnificent structure. “Make no
place on the world stage as one little plans,” said Daniel
of the biggest aquariums on Burnham, “they have no magic to
earth. move men’s souls”. Well the Shedd
has magic, allright, and had had
The Shedd Aquarium has been Daniel Burnham and John G. Shedd
updated twice. In 1991 noted lived to see it, it surely would
architect Dirk Lohan designed the have moved their souls in a great
Oceanarium, an enormous wing that way.
doubled the Shedd’s size and gave
a home to dozens of marine
mammals like whales, dolphins and background-color: #F5F7FB; margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: border-left: #BAC9FF 1px solid; 10px;" valign="top" border-right: #BAC9FF 1px solid; align="center">
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