Kathe Paulius

The Adler Planetarium

What may be in the stars and planets above our heads? The Adler Planetarium may give

you that answer. I want to give you a better understanding of the planetariums history,

description, and its mission. Chicagoans have been experiencing the Adler Planetarium for over

70 years. The planetariums website states their mission is, to inspire exploration and

understanding of our Universe..

Getting off of Lake Shore Drive, there is a loop going towards Adler Planetarium. The

building is located by Lake Michigan. You can hear helicopters and cars driving by. People are

standing in the grass closer to the lake and walking with their families. When looking at the

planetarium you first notice the dome-shaped top. It is built with a red and brown marbled brick.

There are two sets of stairs that lead up to the front, glass doors. Walking up the steps, you can

notice two art sculptures on either side of the stairs. Then walking into Adler Planetarium there is

a quiet atmosphere.

The Adler Planetarium has four floors. Technically three because one floor is strictly

used for bathrooms. Entering the planetarium, you are on the fourth floor. First you see the

lobby. The doors are mostly glass, so when the sun shines through you can see a beautiful

rainbow on all walls of the lobby. In the lobby is where you buy your tickets that range from

$90-$300 depending on which pass you get. The whole building is like a big circle. After

walking down, a blue and purple lit hallway, which has projectors talking about the planetarium,

there is the first exhibit. The exhibit is about the planets. It contains a scale model of all the

planets and either a video or an activity for the particular planet. The planet exhibit is squished

between the cafeteria and an activity for kids. As you keep walking down the hallway passed the
kid area, there is the store. In very middle of the fourth floor there is a theater. The walls of the

theater are the same red, brown material. But on the walls of the theater, there are carves of most

zodiac signs. On either end of the fourth floor there are a set of stairs that lead you to the third

floor and second floor.

As I said earlier, the third floor is used for the restrooms and maintenance closets. One

floor down though has more exhibits. Going in a circle, the first exhibit is telescopes. It colder

down on the second floor than the third or fourth. Its darker in this exhibit due to that one light

is on every twenty feet. First walking into the exhibit there are two ways you can go. The rest of

the area is like a maze, taking you every which way. One way there is a little show that you can

watch to learn about telescopes. Another way there is an activity that you can look through a

telescope and read about a particular telescope. Coming out of the telescope exhibit, the next one

is about the universe. On the wall of the hallway, there is a picture of the Milky Way. There is an

activity with the Milky Way that involves a particular color pair of glasses and looking at it. On

the other side of the Milky Way hallway, there is a theater. As you keep walking this cold and

dark floor, there is an exhibit about the Atwood Sphere. Then at the end of the floor there is

another entrance for the telescope exhibit. Though many years ago the Adler Planetarium did not

look like this.

The planetarium was built in May 12, 1930 by Max Adler (A Brief History). Max

Adler was a Chicago business leader who funded the museums construction, projector, and

astronomical instruments. On the Adler Planetarium website, Max Adler wanted it to be a

classroom under the heavens. During World War II the attendance dropped under 200,000. But

that changed after the war and stabilized at 250,000. After Sputnik, the attendance grew a

100,000. Fast forward to 1975, C.F. Murphy funded an underground addition to planetarium
resulting in more square footage that you see today (J. Zukowsky, M. Thorne, 198). Since then

the Adler Planetarium has opened many new exhibits and attractions. Also, there has been many

donations to the planetarium from companies to refurbish it. Now today with all of the new

additions and donations, the planetarium is holding strong at 8 acres.

Adler wanted it to, and I quote, a classroom under the heavens. On the Adler

Planetarium website, they state their missions and values. Adler wanted to inspire exploring and

understanding the universe. Their values were to have an engaging, use-friendly museum serving

diverse audiences, excitement and curiosity about space science and exploration, programs based

on credible science and educational research, and many more (Adler Mission & Values). By

my experience and walking around the museum, I would say it meets these values. The exhibits

ae very detailed and coordinated great so people can see what a scientist may see on these topics.

On the fourth floor, they have a plaque explaining and encouraging their visitors to follow these

values.

In conclusion, the planetarium is a piece of history that has changed for the better over

the years. Adler wanted the museum to encourage more people to be curious about the stars and

what could be out in space. He did this by building four floors that involved many exhibits about

different ways to look at the stars and what is out there. So, near Lake Michigan, there is the

Adler Planetarium. It wants you to question what is out there.

 Works Cited

"Adler Planetarium Mission and Values." Adler Planetarium. N.p., 16 Oct. 2017. Web.

Zykowsky, John, Martha Thorne, and Stanley Tigerman. "Adler Planetarium and Astronomical
Museum Expansion." Masterpieces of Chicago Architecture. N.p.: Rizzoli, 2004. 198. Print.