Adler Planetarium

Adler Planetarium

Explore space with us! Roll up your sleeves and let curiosity be your guide. At the Adler Planetarium, you’ll find hands-on, minds-on activities and explore mind-blowing facts about the Universe. With two domed theaters, a selection of self-directed and staff-facilitated activities, 60,000 square feet of exhibitions and the Doane Observatory’s research-quality telescope, the Adler casts visitors in the role of scientist, engineer, astronaut, and creative problem solver.

Visit: Adler Planetarium, 1300 S Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60605-2489

Exhibitions and Experiences:

Experience 60,000 square feet of exhibitions featuring historic collection items about space exploration, science, and technology. Adler staff members are always nearby to answer questions, facilitate hands-on, minds-on activities, and enhance your visit!

MISSION MOON Experience America’s first steps into space and the story of Captain James A Lovell, Jr.

OUR SOLAR SYSTEM Explore the many worlds—planets, moons, dwarf planets, comets, and asteroids—that orbit the Sun.

PLANET EXPLORERS An out-of-this-world playground for the Adler’s littlest explorers (ages 2-8). Climb, crawl, and hunt for objects on the surface of the mysterious Planet X!

TELESCOPES Uncover the extraordinary beauty and technology of some of the world’s most important telescopes.

THE UNIVERSE Visit distant corners of the cosmos and witness how the Universe has evolved.

WHAT IS A PLANET? How do you define a planet? Discover how new approaches and perspectives in science can change how we define worlds near and far. *Temporary exhibition open through Sunday, August 18, 2019.

COMMUNITY DESIGN LAB A place to design, build, test, and explore! Think (and act) like a scientist as you tackle one of our design challenges.

HISTORIC ATWOOD SPHERE Experience the night sky as it appeared in 1913 in Chicago’s oldest planetarium.

SPACE VISUALIZATION LAB The SVL is a working laboratory in the museum’s exhibition space where scientists, technicians, artists, and educators come together to create intuitive ways for visitors to interact with scientific data.

DOANE OBSERVATORY The Doane Observatory houses the largest publicly accessible telescope in the Chicago area. Use it to take a closer look at the planets you know or spot a galaxy trillions of miles away.

Now Playing

Search for a new ninth planet, take a fast-paced tour of the Solar System, find out how we discovered the incomprehensible vastness of the Universe, get to know the sky above Chicago, and so much more in our immersive sky shows now playing in our state-of-the-art theaters.

PLANET NINE

AGES 9 & UP Follow “Pluto-Killer” Mike Brown and his team of scientists at CalTech as they hunt for a planet that may be hiding in plain sight.

DESTINATION SOLAR SYSTEM

AGES 6 & UP Join rookie Space Express tour guide, Jesse, on an unforgettable trip around your cosmic backyard.

ONE WORLD, ONE SKY: BIG BIRD’S ADVENTURE AGES 2–5 Explore the night sky with your favorite friends from Sesame Street!

SKYWATCH LIVE! AGES 12 & UP Explore the spectacular sights of tonight’s sky in this live show.