Home Countries United States Animal Welfare Shedd Aquarium Society
Shedd Aquarium Society logo

Shedd Aquarium Society

The Shedd Aquarium Society Operates a public aquarium to encourage the connection between animals and guests through exhibits and education programs with the goal of promoting aquatic conservation.

Animal Welfare Chicago, IL EIN: 362167918 (IRS) Sign up to see website
Claim this charity
Ready to give?
100% goes to Shedd Aquarium Society

GiveRadar doesn't take a cut. Donate directly on their site.

Make your donation
77
Integrity Assessment
Strong transparency
77/100 · methodology

About Shedd Aquarium Society

Look nature in the eye and discover the wonder of the aquatic animal world at Shedd Aquarium.

Founded
Headquarters
Chicago, IL
Foundation type
Publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2))
NTEE code
D500
IRS subsection
501(c)(c3)
Ruling date
Size
major

Verified certifications

Confirmed against the issuing authority - not self-reported.

IRS Tax-Deductible since 1932

Mission

The Shedd Aquarium Society Operates a public aquarium to encourage the connection between animals and guests through exhibits and education programs with the goal of promoting aquatic conservation.

Focus areas & reach

· What they work on and where
Cause tags
SDG alignment The 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the global agenda for ending poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring prosperity by 2030. We tag each charity to the goals its work advances.

How it stacks up against peers

· vs. 8 similar animal welfare in United States
Program spending This charity: 77%
Peer average: 85%
CEO comp as % of revenue This charity: 0.82%
Peer average: 0.48%
Integrity Assessment This charity: 77
Peer average: 90

Concerns

· None found
No red flags found
Screened for IRS revocation history, Open investigations, Governance scandals, Related-party deals, Excessive exec comp.

Where every $1 goes

· FY2024 · IRS 990 (FY2024)
$0.77
Program$0.77
77% to programs beats the Charity Navigator "highly efficient" threshold (75%).

GiveRadar Analysis

Original analysis from GiveRadar's dataset of comparable organizations

Based on the records currently verified by GiveRadar, Shedd Aquarium Society has a complete profile, cross-referenced across 4 independent sources including the IRS.

  • Established in 1924, it is among the oldest animal welfare charities in the United States GiveRadar tracks. View this cohort
  • By reported annual revenue, it is larger than 99% of the 16,157 animal welfare charities in the United States with financial records on GiveRadar. See the filings
  • It is one of the better-documented animal welfare charities in the United States GiveRadar currently tracks, because GiveRadar has verified its financial disclosures and its governance. Most of those have little verified data on record yet. View this cohort
GiveRadar has verified
  • government registration
  • financial records (5 filed years)
  • disclosed leadership
  • a website
  • a donation page
  • third-party accreditation
Not yet verified by GiveRadar
  • a contact email
  • an owner-submitted profile claim

Analysis based on GiveRadar's benchmark dataset of 2026-07-03. It describes what GiveRadar has verified, not a judgment of the organization itself.

Common questions

· Auto-generated from filings + methodology

Shedd Aquarium Society is a registered animal welfare nonprofit based in Chicago, IL, United States. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It was founded in 1924 and has been operating for 102 years. Its EIN is 362167918. According to GiveRadar's records, it holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. GiveRadar's Integrity Assessment for the organization is 77/100, which reflects how much public information is available, not whether the charity is legitimate. The organization reports $102M in annual revenue. 269 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. No red flags have been detected.

Shedd Aquarium Society's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 362167918. This is the organization's IRS tax identification number; you can use it to verify tax-exempt status and to look up its Form 990 filings with the IRS.

Shedd Aquarium Society has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 77/100. This score combines five components: Registration (20 pts), Financial Transparency (30 pts), Governance (20 pts), Contact Availability (10 pts), and Data Recency (20 pts), with negative adjustments for any red flags. A score of 77 ('Strong transparency') reflects well-documented governance, recent financials, named leadership, and working contact details. The charity allocates 77% of expenses to programs, which contributes positively to its score. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for animal welfare charities in United States is 90/100.

Shedd Aquarium Society is located in Chicago, IL, United States. The organization was established in 1924 and has been active for 102 years.

Based on official tax filings, Shedd Aquarium Society has $102M in annual revenue. It allocates 77% of expenses to programs and services. This is below the average of 85% for animal welfare charities in United States. Its revenue is significantly above the peer average of $1M. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.

Shedd Aquarium Society is classified as an Animal Welfare organization, registered in United States. It operates as a Publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)). By size, it is categorized as a major organization. It has $102M in annual revenue. The organization has 269 disclosed officers and directors.

No red flags have been detected for Shedd Aquarium Society. GiveRadar automatically screens charities for concerning patterns including high executive compensation, low program spending, and missing financial filings. Based on available official data, no issues have been identified.

According to GiveRadar's records, Shedd Aquarium Society holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It reports that 77% of expenses go to programs (the peer average is 85%). You can donate directly through their official donation page linked on their GiveRadar profile. GiveRadar provides data for research and does not endorse any organization. A GiveRadar Integrity Assessment reflects how much public data is available, not whether an organization is safe to donate to, so it is always smart to do your own research before giving.

Look nature in the eye and discover the wonder of the aquatic animal world at Shedd Aquarium. Shedd Aquarium Society is classified as an animal welfare organization registered in United States. The organization was founded in 1924.

Among animal welfare charities registered in United States: It allocates 77% of expenses to programs, below the peer average of 85%. Its annual revenue of $102M is well above the peer average of $1M.

Yes, donations to Shedd Aquarium Society are generally tax-deductible in the United States. Its EIN is 362167918, which you can use for tax filing purposes. Donors can typically deduct contributions on their federal income tax return if they itemize deductions. Consult a tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Annual revenue
$100M-$1B
77% to programs
Source: IRS 990 (FY2024) why this matters
Unlock exact figures

Filing history

5 years on file from IRS 990 (FY2024): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.

Years on record: FY2024, FY2023, FY2022, FY2021, FY2020.
Financial details are free - with a GiveRadar account

See 5 years of revenue, expense breakdowns, and balance sheet.

Sign up to view
Already have an account? Log in
No credit card · Takes 20 seconds

Taxes

Tax-deductibility for donors

Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United States under local rules. Confirm with the charity directly.

Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.

Staff & volunteers

From filings and published profiles

Employees
659

Leadership

From FY2024 filing

GA
Gary G•••••
Chief Financial & Admin Officer

Officers & trustees (25)

Source: Public filings

See full names, roles, and stories

25 officers and trustees on file - free with a GiveRadar account.

Already have an account? Log in
Sign up to view

Latest news

From global news sources

10 articles found

From news sources and the organization. Shown for transparency; news never affects the integrity score.

Activity timeline

Filings and press mentions, merged

Reimagined Immersion Theater by SimEx-Iwerks opens at Shedd Aquarium - InPark Magazine
May 2026
www.inparkmagazine.com
Shedd Aquarium and SimEx-Iwerks Open New 4D Immersion Theater in Chicago - interpark.co.uk
May 2026
interpark.co.uk
New Immersion Theater at Shedd Aquarium Chicago - News - EuroAmusement Professional - EuroAmusement Professional
May 2026
www.eap-magazin.de
SimEx-Iwerks | and Shedd Aquarium launch advanced 4D theatre - Blooloop
May 2026
blooloop.com
Shedd Aquarium opens first-of-its-kind 4D theater - Audacy
May 2026
www.audacy.com
Shedd aquarium launches new immersive 4D film experience - Secret Chicago
May 2026
secretchicago.com
'Remarkably Bright Creatures' heads to the big screen with Shedd Aquarium tie-in - FOX 32 Chicago
May 2026
www.fox32chicago.com
Editorial: Shedd Aquarium is up there with the Cubs when it comes to visitors - Chicago Tribune
Apr 2026
www.chicagotribune.com
Pea-sized wonder: Shedd Aquarium becomes first known aquarium to raise warty frogfish baby - EurekAlert!
Mar 2026
www.eurekalert.org
Tiny Warty Frogfish Was Surprise Birth at Shedd, Is First-Ever Raised in Aquarium - WTTW
Mar 2026
news.wttw.com
Form filed
$102.0M revenue
FY2024
IRS 990
Form filed
$93.0M revenue
FY2023
IRS 990
Form filed
$94.9M revenue
FY2022
IRS 990
Form filed
$182.6M revenue
FY2021
IRS 990
Form filed
$48.3M revenue
FY2020
IRS 990

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience.

Have you donated or volunteered here?

Share your experience - it takes 30 seconds. Verified reviews help other donors decide.

Sign up to write a review

Cause areas in United States

How many charities work in each area, with this charity's area highlighted.

Human Services 322,679
Education 195,586
Arts & Culture 133,128
Advocacy & Civil Rights 128,026
Religion 114,636
Health 98,862
Community Development 56,086
Youth Development 53,450
Animal Welfare this charity 40,468
See all cause areas in United States

Most common causes in United States

Causes charities work on most, with this charity's causes ticked.

Community Development 235,146
Education 159,016
Religion 103,741
Arts & Culture 101,203
Human Rights 76,926
Health 65,250
Youth Development 47,775
Animal Welfare 32,425

Sources and verification

Registration and legal identity
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search
Financial filings
IRS Form 990 filings - Fiscal year 2024 most recent on file.
Officers and trustees
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search - 269 disclosed in the public registry.
News and media coverage
GDELT Project + Google News
Supplementary verification
Charity Navigator

Data freshness

Last updated
Jun 12, 2026
Registry checked
Jun 6, 2026
Profile completeness
100%

What we know and don't know

Exactly which public data we hold on this charity. Our score reflects transparency, not impact.

On record · 10
  • Financial data · FY2024 on record
  • Named leadership · 269 officers on file
  • Executive pay · Disclosed
  • Government registration · Registered with an official registry
  • Mission statement · Published
  • Official website · On record
  • Headquarters address · On file
  • Direct contact · Email or phone published
  • Tax-deductibility · Verified
  • Founding date · 1924
Not available · 1
  • Programs & activities
    No named programs listed by the charity

Methodology

GiveRadar builds each profile primarily from official government charity registries, supplemented where available by third-party nonprofit databases and news archives, and combines it into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. The exact sources for this charity are listed above. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.

Read full methodology

Are you the owner or a board member?

If you represent this organization and want to correct or update its data, you can claim this listing to edit details yourself, or email [email protected] with the correct information. We review every request and respond within 30 days.

Quick facts about Shedd Aquarium Society

What is Shedd Aquarium Society?
Shedd Aquarium Society is a animal welfare publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)) based in Chicago, United States. Look nature in the eye and discover the wonder of the aquatic animal world at Shedd Aquarium.
When was Shedd Aquarium Society founded?
Shedd Aquarium Society was founded in 1924.
Who leads Shedd Aquarium Society?
Gary Gordon serves as Chief Financial & Admin Officer.
Where is Shedd Aquarium Society located?
Headquartered in Chicago, IL, United States.
What is Shedd Aquarium Society's annual budget?
Annual revenue for fiscal year 2024 is approximately $100M-$1B. 77% of expenses go to program services.
Is Shedd Aquarium Society trustworthy?
Shedd Aquarium Society has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 77 out of 100 (Strong transparency). The score reflects public-data transparency: registration, financial disclosure, governance, contact details, and how recently data was refreshed. It does not measure program impact.
What is Shedd Aquarium Society's registration number?
IRS EIN: 362167918.
What is Shedd Aquarium Society's website?
http://www.sheddaquarium.org