Shedd Aquarium - 5 New Things at the Oceanarium

The Shedd Aquarium unveiled a major renovation in May 2009. Discover five of the most visible changes to the Oceanarium in this photo tour.

When the management team unveiled this new window shade that falls across the entire Oceanarium window (pictured above with Shedd logo on it), I have to admit that my heart sank a bit.

After all, this view is arguably the most gorgeous one of the lake from any building in the city. Add to it the continuous water line from the oceanarium's waters to Lake Michigan's, and it offers up a striking and memorable Chicago scene.

To me, the big window shade not only hatchets the vista, but it also distances the animals even more from any real sense of nature. But, perhaps that's just asking too much from an ocean exhibit in the heart of the Midwest. It is, of course, already an distinctly fabricated environment, so maybe I'm just off-base here.

Senior Director of Planning and Development, Bryan Schuetze, said the Shedd added the curtain for three reasons: to improve acoustics, to improve the ability to see and photograph the animals, and to add projection capabilities to the revised animal show. Planners were also quick to add that the curtain will only be lowered during the 22-minute animal shows. Otherwise, the view will remain as it was.

Related: Shedd Aquarium - Fast Facts | Top 10 Chicago Museums