Project Name
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Adler Planetarium
Exploring the 2017 Universe
During our trip, several standout exhibits occupied our time, the first being Mission Moon. You get to see the actual Gemini 12 spacecraft, which carried Jim Lovell and Buzz Aldrin into space in 1966. The exhibit focuses on the intense, personal stories of the astronauts and their families during the Space Race. The Grainger Sky Theater, back in 2017, we saw a show called Destination Solar System. The Grainger is a world-class theater that uses ultra-high-definition projections to make you feel like you are literally flying through the rings of Saturn. We were traveling with kids in 2017, and Planet Explorers was one of their favorite spots. It’s a hands-on, three-zone adventure where families can "launch" a rocket, explore a space station, and even search for life on a mysterious alien planet. The Doane Observatory houses the largest telescope available to the public in the Chicago area. Even just seeing the outside of the observatory is a reminder of the serious research happening right there in the city.
What Has Updated Since Our Visit?
Chicago’s Night Sky is a major new permanent exhibit (opened in late 2019) it focuses on local relationship with the stars. It features the Atwood Sphere, Chicago's oldest planetarium (built in 1913) where you can step inside and see the night sky exactly as it appeared over Chicago over a century ago. Niyah and the Multiverse is a brand-new, award-winning sky show that uses "Afrofuturism" to explain complex theories like bubble universes and shadow matter through the eyes of a Chicago pre-teen. Stargazers Hub, a new, multi-sensory space that opened recently (2024/2025) which showcases how tools for observing the sky have changed over time, including interactive displays featuring the mirrors of the James Webb Space Telescope. Mars Exploration: The Our Solar System exhibit has been updated to include life-sized replicas of the Perseverance rover and the Ingenuity helicopter, celebrating our most recent successful landings on the Red Planet. Even as the exhibits update, that walk around the outside of the building remains the best spot in Chicago to snap a family photo with the entire skyline and Lake Michigan as your backdrop.
