WHAT’S NEARBY …
Field Museum
Grant Park
Northerly Island
Shedd Aquarium
Soldier Field
The Adler Planetarium, founded in 1930 by Chicago business leader Max Adler, is a public museum dedicated to the study of astronomy and astrophysics. The Adler Planetarium is located on the northeast tip of Northerly Island at the shore of Lake Michigan in Chicago.
The Adler features three full size theaters, extensive space science exhibitions, and a significant collection of antique scientific instruments and print materials. The Adler Planetarium also boasts the Doane Observatory, one of the only research-active, public urban observatories. This lakeside observatory is the only place in Chicago where the public can see planets, stars, and galaxies up-close and in person.
The Adler Planetarium “The Adler” opened to the public on May 10, 1930, and is America’s first planetarium and part of Chicago’s Museum Campus, which includes the John G. Shedd Aquarium and The Field Museum. The Adler’s mission is to inspire exploration and understanding of the universe.
For the building’s design, architect Ernest A. Grunsfeld, Jr. was awarded the gold medal of the Chicago chapter of the American Institute of Architects in 1931. The Adler was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1987.