Need a water Pokemon? On Saturday, you can head to Shedd

In celebration of the search for aquatic animals, both real and Pokemon, the Shedd Aquarium is having a Pokemon Go event for players this Saturday.

For players trying to “catch ’em all,” as the Pokemon motto suggests, the aquarium reportedly has an abundance of aquatic Pokemon types.

Magikarp, Starmie, Goldeen, and Tentacool are the most common, said Pokemon Go player and coordinator for the aquarium’s communications department, Mick Swasko.

The Shedd was inspired to create an event around the viral game after seeing a posting online proposing a player meet-up outside the Shedd, Swasko said.

The original event was organized by Chicago Pokemon Go, the same group that organized the meet-ups at the Bean and at Lincoln Park Zoo.

The group plans to meet at the museum campus on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m to have player battles, said Vaughn Bullock, a coordinator for the event.

Because of the excitement surrounding the game, Swasko said the Shedd wanted to reach out to Pokemon Go enthusiasts. “We decided to provide some perks for the group planning on gathering here Saturday.”

Between noon and 2 p.m. in the Shedd’s Welcome Gardens (which are open to the public), the first 20 players to check in with the aquarium’s event coordinators will receive a free all-access pass to the Shedd, Swasko said.

The gardens contain three Pokestops within feet of each other, he said, and on Saturday, there will be a charging station for phones.

Players who go into the aquarium can visit the Pokemon Gym in the Oceanarium, Swasko said. “It’s great to see people engaging in that area,” he said. “And hopefully, they see our own trainers interacting with our animals, too.”

The aquarium has placed fully charged lure modules inside and outside to attract more Pokemon to the area. “We just wanted to make the experience even cooler for players,” he said.

The Shedd has also created a guide to Pokemon Go at the aquarium.

Turnout this Saturday could be high. Chicago Pokemon Go’s last few events drew thousands, Bullock said.

The aquarium expects a good turnout as well. “It’s a great way to get new audiences to come to us,” Swasko said.