Located in Chicago's Museum Campus lies Adler Planetarium, a historic landmark, fantastic museum, and a great place to spend the day. However, Adler can be overshadowed by its highly-esteemed neighbors – The Field Museum and Shedd Aquarium. Despite being overlooked by these neighboring giants, Adler is a unique place with a rich history. Founded in 1930, Adler is the oldest planetarium in the country. Built into the cost of general admission, the museum portion of the planetarium is host to an array of displays that inform and engage. A sampling of exhibits includes the Solar System, The Universe: A Walk Through Time, Changing Eclipses, Astronomy in Culture, and Telescopes: Through the Looking Glass. An exhibit called Mission Moon features the Gemini 12 spacecraft manned by Jim Lovell. If you take time to go to Adler, the trip is not complete till you've seen a show in Grainger Sky Theater. Grainger is a domed overhead theater that presents its display via 20 projectors, running off of 45 computers. While leaning back in comfy seats, you're able to take in the view of an overnight sky or distant galaxies. Destination Solar System is a favorite, with a guide who takes you from Earth, slowly out to the distant reaches of our celestial neighborhood. Space tourism may be a thing of the future, but it seems all too real inside Grainger Theater. A variety of other shows are available that delight the senses and spark the imagination. Adler also features a variety of after-hours events. Adler After Dark is a popular monthly event that centers around a theme and appeals to couples looking for a date night experience. October's Adler After Dark event, is entitled “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” and features discussions by representatives from local particle accelerator site Fermilab regarding dark matter. The opportunity to learn something new, while enjoying the breathtaking views of Lake Michigan makes for an unforgettable night. Adler is also home to monthly science fiction-based movie nights, which adds yet another reason to visit this historic site. Within Adler, the Doane Observatory features a 500-pound telescope, considered a classical Cassegrain reflector and can gather 5,000 times more light than an unaided human eye. The telescope is still used for research purposes and is available for viewing during the day, but functionality is highly sensitive to weather. Check with the front desk upon arrival to see if Doane is available. On your next trip to Chicago, don't forget about this overlooked gem, located in the nearby Museum Campus.
