Shedd Aquarium Society
1200 S Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL · IRS data through FY2024
Revenue, expenses and net assets
Revenue Expenses Net assets
| Tax year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2024 | $101,974,802 | $72,794,544 | $685,877,224 |
| FY2023 | $92,974,657 | $66,994,472 | $610,978,661 |
| FY2022 | $94,920,299 | $57,622,512 | $539,954,932 |
| FY2021 | $182,584,994 | $55,798,825 | $554,588,947 |
| FY2020 | $48,331,820 | $54,444,622 | $445,924,504 |
| FY2019 | $73,772,254 | $61,229,407 | $433,930,106 |
| FY2018 | $65,337,740 | $62,910,753 | $382,132,963 |
| FY2017 | $60,970,519 | $59,336,621 | $390,862,293 |
| FY2016 | $55,148,030 | $58,005,261 | $358,718,612 |
| FY2015 | $61,250,762 | $57,110,560 | $349,046,478 |
| FY2014 | $82,931,011 | $56,627,711 | $351,123,031 |
| FY2013 | $63,545,279 | $55,589,397 | $348,841,767 |
| FY2012 | $65,833,199 | $53,510,492 | $327,972,606 |
| FY2011 | $73,825,035 | $53,816,488 | $306,161,537 |
Form 990 filings
The returns filed by Shedd Aquarium Society (EIN 36-2167918), including Form 990 PDFs and e-file data by year, are available in ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer. The figures on this page come from IRS data files built from those returns.
Where the revenue came from
| Source | Amount | % of revenue |
|---|---|---|
| Contributions & grants | $30,332,596 | 30% |
| Program service revenue | $47,568,921 | 47% |
| Other revenue | $24,073,285 | 24% |
Where the money was spent
| Category | Amount | % of expenses |
|---|---|---|
| Program services | $55,836,040 | 77% |
| Management & general | $12,521,032 | 17% |
| Fundraising | $4,437,472 | 6% |
What the numbers show
- Program service revenue made up 47% of total revenue in FY2024.
- Program services accounted for 77% of functional expenses, management & general 17%, and fundraising 6%.
- 77% of functional expenses went to program services in FY2024. That is higher than 26.1% of 241 Animal-Related organizations nationwide (too few in IL for a state comparison).
- Net assets covered about 113.1 months of expenses at the end of the reporting year. That puts it in the 95th percentile among 382 Animal-Related organizations in IL.
- Total revenue was the highest among 387 Animal-Related organizations in IL.
- Total revenue rose from $73,825,035 in FY2011 to $101,974,802 in FY2024. Revenue increased in 6 and decreased in 7 of 13 year-over-year comparisons.
- Expenses exceeded revenue in 2 of 14 reported years (FY2016, FY2020).
- The highest revenue on record here is $182,584,994 in FY2021.
- Net assets grew from $306,161,537 to $685,877,224 between FY2011 and FY2024.
- Listed in the IRS Publication 78 data as eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions (public charity).
Figures compared against other organizations of the same NTEE program area in the same state. See the methodology page for how these are calculated and the guide to reading nonprofit financials for their limits.
About this organization
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.
IRS status
| Ruling year | 1932 |
| Subsection | 501(c)(3) |
| Classification | Public charity |
| Program area (NTEE) | D500 — Animal-Related |
| Donations | Listed in the IRS Publication 78 data as eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions (public charity). |
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Source: Internal Revenue Service — Exempt Organizations Business Master File (downloaded November 4, 2026), Statistics of Income extracts, Form 990 e-file data, Publication 78 and the Automatic Revocation list. Figures are as reported by the organization; IRS processing may adjust them. This is not a charity rating and not tax advice. Confirm deductibility in IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search.
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