Shedd Aquarium

Chicago’s iconic Shedd Aquarium is the third-largest aquarium in the Western Hemisphere, home to an estimated 32,000 animals across 1,500 species. Since opening in 1930, Shedd has updated, revamped and expanded its exhibits, including the recent addition of 35,000 square feet of additional animal care space. Today, Shedd spans 10 acres and draws 2 million visitors annually.

In 2021, Jensen Hughes was selected to assess Shedd Aquarium’s top-to-bottom approach to security. As part of this effort, we examined Shedd’s security program structure and operations, security personnel, policies, technical security, physical security and emergency response. Our assessment included interviews with more than a dozen key personnel, reviews of documents such as policies and procedures and meticulous on-site walkthroughs.

Our assessment, culminating in a comprehensive report and a focused presentation to key stakeholders, provided Shedd with a detailed roadmap to reduce identified risks, discourage intruders, prevent security-related events, enhance emergency preparedness and prepare for rapid and effective response and recovery.