Ann McDermott, DO

The Shedd Aquarium is a magnificent destination for those interested in exploring marine life without diving into the water. The exhibits and attractions have won numerous awards. The aquarium has five permanent exhibits: Amazon Rising, Caribbean Reef, Waters of the World, Oceanarium, and Wild Reef. It houses a diverse collection of animals and marine life, including over 1,500 fish species, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and insects. The Shedd Aquarium houses around 25,000 fish and animals, including various fascinating creatures such as sea otters, beluga whales, sea turtles, penguins, sharks, octopi, and jellyfish. Additionally, you can also find Pacific white-sided dolphins, Australian lungfish, Grand Cayman blue iguanas, sea lions, cow-nose rays, dragon moray eels, moon jellies, red-bellied piranhas, sea cucumbers, zebra sharks, and sea stars at the aquarium.

The Wells Street Art Festival is an annual event on the second weekend of June. It is located in Old Town's popular Wells Street corridor and attracts around 50,000 visitors yearly. The festival showcases talented artists from across the continent specializing in traditional painting, sculpture, artisan woodworking, metalsmithing, jewel crafts, digital arts, and more. Additionally, there is a dedicated performance stage where local musicians, performance artists, and cover/tribute bands entertain the crowd throughout the weekend. Moreover, at the corner of Wells Street and Evergreen Street is a children's play area where kids can participate in arts and crafts, watch a performance, or have fun. The festival also has over 20 food and drink vendors who sell a variety of tasty treats. Visitors can try something from all the excellent Old Town restaurants participating.

The Museum of Science and Industry is a fascinating place to visit if you want to learn more about the Earth, the human body, technology, and science. With over 2,000 exhibits spread across 75 halls that cover about 14 acres, the museum opened in 1933 and is now the biggest science museum in the Western Hemisphere. In 2009, the museum had a record attendance of over 1.6 million guests, making it the third-largest cultural attraction in Chicago. The museum has a range of permanent exhibits, including a working coal mine, a 3,500-square-foot model railroad, a German Submarine captured in World War II, and a NASA spacecraft used for the Apollo 8 mission in 1968. Additionally, visitors can experience flight simulators, military crafts, an assembly line replica, a 40-foot water vapor tornado, a 13-foot interactive heart, and much more.