With expectations of knowledge imparted and exhibits experienced, museums can be too much to handle with kids. But compared to the truly cavernous and overwhelming Field Museum or Museum of Science and Industry, the Shedd is doable in a short trip. Exhibits readily scale based on your kids’ attention spans: toddlers can run through admiring the huge tanks and colorful fish; grade schoolers can read basic overviews of sea creatures; and curious high schoolers can engage wandering employees and volunteers in lengthy discussions on marine life. The dolphin show, though—that’s for everyone. (Zach Freeman)
