Adler Planetarium

ADLER'S MISSION IS TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO THE UNIVERSE AND EACH OTHER UNDER THE SKY WE ALL SHARE.

WHETHER THE ADLER PLANETARIUM IS INTRODUCING A GUEST TO THE RING NEBULA, A NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL TO A COMMUNITY PARTNER, A RESEARCH TEAM TO A NETWORK OF CITIZEN SCIENTISTS, OR ONE STAFF MEMBER TO ANOTHER, THE MUSEUM'S FOCUS ON MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS DATES BACK NEARLY A CENTURY. THE MUSEUM TYPICALLY HOSTS APPROXIMATELY A HALF A MILLION VISITORS EACH YEAR AND REACHES MILLIONS MORE THROUGH YOUTH STEAM PROGRAMS, NEIGHBORHOOD SKYWATCHING EVENTS, PEOPLE-POWERED RESEARCH, AND OTHER OUTREACH EFFORTS. TODAY, THE ADLER IS ALSO BRINGING OUR UNIQUE APPROACH - SCIENTIFIC EXPLORATION ROOTED IN COMMUNITY AND CONNECTION - TO GUESTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD WHO CAN ENJOY THE DIGITAL ADLER FOR THEIR OWN HOMES, LIBRARIES, SCHOOLS OR OFFICES. WITH ADLER'S SUPPORT, PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, BACKGROUNDS, AND ABILITIES GAIN THE CONFIDENCE TO EXPLORE THEIR UNIVERSE TOGETHER AND RETURN TO THEIR COMMUNITIES READY TO THINK CRITICALLY AND CREATIVELY ABOUT ANY CHALLENGE THAT COMES THEIR WAY. IN 2022, THE PHYSICAL MUSEUM WAS REOPENED TO THE PUBLIC ON MARCH 4, AFTER A 2-YEAR BUILDING CLOSURE DUE TO COVID. THE MUSEUM HAS A NEW ONLINE TICKETING PLATFORM, AND A REINVENTED OPERATING MODEL THAT HAS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED PER CAPITA TICKET REVENUE. THIS INCLUDES A NEW SCHEDULE OF PUBLIC HOURS EVERY WEDNESDAY EVENING FOR OUR EXHIBITIONS, SKY SHOWS, AND TELESCOPE VIEWING. NEW CONTENT OFFERINGS, LIKE THE TEMPORARY DISPLAY OF A FULL-SIZE REPLICA OF THE MARS PERSEVERANCE ROVER, DROVE GOOD ATTENDANCE. NEW, SCHOOL-GROUP-ONLY DAYS ARE PROVIDING MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCES AT THE MUSEUM FOR EDUCATORS AND THEIR STUDENTS. ADLER IS ALSO CONTINUING ITS ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE SPACES, WELCOMING MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD INTO ADLER EXPERIENCES, THROUGH STORYTELLING AND ENGAGING DIRECTLY IN SCIENCE AND DISCOVERY. THROUGH ZOONIVERSE.ORG, AN ONLINE CITIZEN-SCIENCE PLATFORM CO-FOUNDED BY ADLER, OVER 2.6 MILLION VOLUNTEERS AROUND THE WORLD - MANY OF WHOM HAVE NO FORMAL SCIENTIFIC TRAINING - CONTRIBUTE TO REAL SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PROJECTS. TO DATE, ZOONIVERSE VOLUNTEERS HAVE CLASSIFIED MILLIONS OF GALAXIES, INSPECTED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF TUBERCULOSIS BACTERIA TO FIGHT ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE, DISCOVERED NEW EXOPLANETS, AND HELPED RESEARCH TEAMS ACROSS DISCIPLINES TACKLE HUGE DATA SETS. THROUGH A RICH ARRAY OF DIGITAL PROGRAMMING, FROM OUR SKYWATCH WEDNESDAY ONLINE PLANETARIUM SHOW TO OUR SKY OBSERVER'S HANGOUT YOUTUBE LIVESTREAM EVENTS WITH OUR PUBLIC OBSERVING TEAM TO OUR WOW! SIGNAL SCIENCE SKETCH COMEDY AND MUSICALS TO OUR ONLINE GOOGLE ARTS & CULTURAL EXHIBITIONS, THE ADLER HAS CONTINUED TO PROVIDE A RICH ARRAY OF OPPORTUNITIES TO FOSTER CONNECTIONS AND CREATE SPACE FOR THE WONDERS OF OUR UNIVERSE AND CASTING SCIENCE AS THE STORIES OF HUMANITY. ADLER TEENS CONTINUED TO WORK WITH OUR SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS TO CARRY OUT THE FIRST-EVER LIGHT-POLLUTION SURVEY OF CHICAGO. THEY ALSO HELPED CHICAGO'S PALO FOREST PRESERVE SUCCESSFULLY EARN THE DESIGNATION AS THE WORLD'S LARGEST URBAN NIGHT SKY PLACE FROM THE INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY ASSOCIATION AND ORGANIZED TO EDUCATE OTHERS AND ADDRESS LIGHT POLLUTION IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES. WE ALSO CONTINUE TO NURTURE OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS THROUGH OUR VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS PROGRAM TO ENGAGE PEDIATRIC PATIENTS IN THE WONDERS OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM AND CORE CONCEPTS AROUND SIZE SCALE. MAKING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN PEOPLE, IDEAS, AND OUR UNIVERSE DOESN'T JUST FEEL GOOD - IT DRIVES SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS. WHEN PEOPLE FEEL WELCOME IN THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY, THEY DELIVER REAL RESULTS. THROUGH THE WONDER OF SPACE SCIENCE, THE ADLER CONNECTS PEOPLE, COMMUNITIES AND INSTITUTIONS SO WE CAN EXPLORE OUR UNIVERSE TOGETHER AND USE OUR COLLECTIVE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO CREATE A BETTER WORLD FOR EVERYONE.