Adler Planetarium

The Adler Planetarium is a public planetarium and museum on Chicago’s Museum Campus at the shore of Lake Michigan, opened in 1930 and noted as the first planetarium in the United States.

Several domed theaters and hands-on galleries present astronomy and space science; the institution operates public sky shows, exhibitions about the solar system and occasional telescope viewing nights. The campus setting also provides direct views of the Chicago skyline along the lakefront.

Funded and founded by philanthropist Max Adler, the original building was designed by architect Ernest A. Grunsfeld Jr. and the institution has long combined public education with historic astronomical instruments. Over time the museum has expanded its exhibition space and updated its theaters and public programs.

Sited on the Museum Campus in downtown Chicago, it sits adjacent to the Shedd Aquarium and the Field Museum on the lakefront, within the Near South Side neighborhood of the city.

• Opening year: Opened on May 12, 1930; it was the first planetarium established in the United States.
• Best viewing spots: Located on Chicago's Museum Campus beside the lakefront, offering clear skyline views at sunrise and sunset from the grounds.

What to See #

• Sky theaters: Houses multiple domed theaters for planetarium shows, with one full-dome theater used for immersive astronomy presentations and digital sky simulations.
• Doane Observatory: On-site public observatory with telescope viewing on scheduled nights and special events.
• Exhibition halls: Permanent and temporary exhibition galleries covering the solar system, planetary science, telescopes and space exploration.