View of the entrance of the Shedd Aquarium in July 2018 | Courtesy: Chris6d/Wikipedia

CHICAGO (AP) — The Shedd Aquarium says it will voluntarily close to the public through the new year as part of a commitment to the health and safety of the Chicago community during the pandemic.

The aquarium is closing at 5 p.m. Tuesday and targeting a reopening date of Saturday, Jan. 2.

The Shedd Aquarium is home to 32,000 aquatic animals representing 1,500 species of fishes, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, birds and mammals from waters around the globe.