Adler Planetarium is ready for its big reopening

The scientific growth of the 21st century was mainly due to the creation of spaces that would divulge scientific and technological advances for everyone. A case in point is the Adler Planetarium, which has become a recognized leader in science education, aside from being America’s first planetarium.

Located within the Museum Campus on the edge of Lake Michigan, this 100 year old planetarium is not only a national historic monument, but a true astronomy museum.

Adler Planetarium opened to the public on May 12, 1930 and was named in honor of its founder, Chicago businessman, Max Adler. This visionary heard about a device developed in Germany that could reproduce the features of the night sky. In 1928, he traveled there with his friend, architect Ernest Grunsfeld, to witness a demonstration of the captivating machine. He was so impressed by the device that he decided to donate the necessary funds to build the first modern planetarium in the United States, choosing his hometown of Chicago for the project.  

Since then, the Adler Planetarium has been offering cutting-edge programs that make science accessible. However, in March 2020, the coronavirus pandemic changed everything and the museum was forced to close its doors. The executive team decided to increase online events, both in terms of existing digital programs and new initiatives so the public would have more access to collections and content.  Even if the museum was closed, views of heaven were still open for everyone!

Stargazing for everyone

Projects like Adler Zooniverse, which during the pandemic received extraordinary funding and renovation, is the world’s largest platform for citizen science.  The zooniverse connects millions of volunteers to research questions across dozens of fields, from astronomy and cosmology to medicine, history, biology, and more. It helps scientists connect with hundreds of thousands of people. Here, the public can study images of faraway galaxies, historical records and diaries, videos of animals in their natural habitats, and other fascinating collections.

Officially reopening in March 4, 2022, the planetarium will continue to create immersive theater programs, special exhibitions, conferences, and viewing parties  allowing everyone to travel through the universe.

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