Do you have what it takes to train dolphins and beluga whales? Don a wetsuit and rubber boots and jump into Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium, where the premier experiential program will have you spending up-close-and-personal time with amazing marine creatures.
The Shedd is a world-class aquarium, featuring more than 32,600 marine animals, from snails to whales, as well as the Abbott Oceanarium, a 3,000,000-gallon tank that is one of the largest indoor marine mammal facilities in the world. With the Shedd’s Trainer for a Day program, you’ll assist a trainer with the daily routines and lend a hand at several training and feeding sessions at the Ocenarium. This once-in-a-lifetime experience is hands-on and personalized, giving you behind-the-scenes access. It’s guaranteed to bring many laughs and smiles into your life as you interact with not only dolphins and belugas, but sea otters, sea lions and penguins, too.
As part of the program, you’ll watch and participate in meal preparation for five dozen animals in the marine kitchen, step into reserve areas and stand poolside and learn how trainers care for the aquarium’s aquatic inhabitants. The program is open to adults and children ages 12 and older (children ages 12-15 must be accompanied by a paying adult).
In addition to the premier Trainer for a Day program, the Shedd also offers private penguin encounters, beluga encounters and behind-the-scenes tours.