The scene

Whale of a project Seventeen years’ worth of accumulated slime, shoddy paint and grubby fingerprints will soon disappear from the Shedd Oceanarium. Last week, Shedd began a full-scale cleanup—the first phase of a $50 million Oceanarium renovation to repaint pools, expand eating areas and open new exhibits by June 2009. To prep for the face-lift, Shedd staff shipped seven whales and four dolphins via a FedEx plane to Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, Connecticut. Aside from moving Naluark, a 2,000-pound beluga, the biggest challenge was keeping the process a secret, says Ken Ramirez, Shedd’s vice president of animal collections and training. “We didn’t talk about it in advance, since there’s a tendency for crowds to want to watch,” he says. Until the whales and dolphins return, admission to the Shedd (1200 S Lake Shore Dr, 312-939-2438) will be reduced $10 to $17.95.

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