We stopped by mostly for the views outside and live star show. The staff was nice and efficient. The options for shows was the best part but I'd stop by for the views. You don't need a ticket for outside and you can only spend so much time inside since it's small inside. There's other attractions I'd prefer to visit again. read more

Came here during our trip to Chicago and had a good time. They have a lot of neat attractions we got to do most of the things in about 3 hours tops. The planetarium part was kind of neat, but we thought it would a bit different. The host was talking the whole time and it was sort of like a guided thing. We had been to other planitariums and they did it differently. We had another ticket to see another attraction, but we handed it off to someone in line. It was a good experience to see one time. read more

Adler - Museums Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We enjoyed our time at the planetarium and the Planet Nine show. If you enjoy learning the science of space exploration and the history of NASA, this is the right place for you as an adult. Otherwise, this place is more for school kids, in my opinion. I have been here countless times, from elementary school to the present. We spent about 2 hours to include a show, which is enough to see everything. To make your parking worthwhile, you need to do both the Shedd Aquarium and Adler Planetarium since the parking fee is $25 ($12 for an early bird), and both places are across from each other or a few minutes walk. Another bonus is that outside the planetarium's main entrance is the best place to take an excellent panoramic photo of the Chicago skyline. read more

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Born and raised in Chi-city, I've never been to the Adler. Disclaimer for you peeps, I'm not a big museum-type person, so the Adler itself isn't something I ever really had any interest in going. But from I heard, Adler after Dark is an "adult fun flavor" of the Adler itself, so I decided to give it a try. This particular review, which is listed under "Adler After Dark" vs just "Adler Planetarium", I'll focus more on the event itself, vs the planetarium. Through work, I got discounted tickets that included extra drinks, so figured it would be fun. There was a crowd waiting before the 6PM opening, I would estimate around 50. The staff checking bags, purses, etc were amateurs. This is how it went: Security dude (SD): "Please open your bag so we can check em" Me: *Opening bag* SD: *Checks. Looks at the crowd elsewhere* "Please open your bag so we can check. This is quite a crowd" Me: *Closes bag and waits for crowd to move forward* SD: *Looks at me* "Can I please check your bag?" Me: "Uh, you just did" SD: "I did? When?" Me: "Maybe 30-seconds ago?" SD: "Did I? I don't believe you. Let me check" Me: *Opens bag again* This happened to two other people in front of me.... hilarious, more than anything. Upon entering, there were designated staff that were there to answer any questions, which was great. The event hosted that night was "Adler After Dark: Game On!" which showcased various board games and video games. I played a game call Compounded, which was interesting. The people hosting the board games were informative and patient with teaching new peeps how to play. There was a live "DJ" (person using a Macbook) and there were plenty of booths serving wine, beer, and cocktails. Food was cafeteria-like, which included pizza, sammiches, etc, which personally I did not partake on. Besides the games, you were free to roam around the place and check out the displays and exhibits. Adler itself, seems cool. They have a lot of displays of planets and their theaters were massive, showing various shows. The telescope around the back of the planetarium was pretty cool. The staff there explained what we were looking at (Sirius) and how far away it was (over ~8 light-years away). Knowing that, I thought it was pretty cool that we could see it. For me though, I wish it was more hands-on and interactive. The place itself isn't too big, so I don't see visiting this place to be an all-day thing. Pro-tip: They have lockers in the lower-level for a buck. You need to go to the box office to get a specialized coin, to use the lockers. Totally worth it. BATHROOM REVIEW: Located in the lower-level near the lockers (not sure why there were none on the main floor) the bathrooms consisted of 3 urinals and a few stalls. I didn't venture into the stalls to give it a review, but the urinals were decent. I know this place is a planetarium, so no shelf or counter to put your drink. Funny to hear urinal-mates complaining about the lack of em. No paper towels, just hand-dryers, for you green people. Overall, decent bathroom... not super clean, nor dirty. Keep in mind, this was after a days-worth of visitors, so I guess they regularly clean their bathroom on the daily. Sit or squat? Squat. read more

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The woman that I first encountered when opening the door today at noon basically yelled at me to go outside and don't come in until I had purchased the tickets. I opened the door again bc I had a question on the timing and she looked down and me and with no patience responded. Very rude individual tbh, I'm sorry she hates her job but it's not the visitors problem. The woman in the front desk receiving the tickets was not very nice either when asked for directions she only pointed to a QR code without further explanation. The woman at the planetarium show entrance wasn't any more friendly than the two before her. She was lying on the desk and looked contemptuously when it took me more than 2 seconds to find the ticket for the show for her to scan. The planetarium is just fine, very good shows, I wish the people they hire for customer service matched the level of the display. read more

Ok I came here as an attempt to get my kids off the video games for a few hours. I already knew it wasn't all that from seeing it 10+ years ago. I was hoping to see something new and amazing. First off - $12 for parking (Friday) no attendant. Swing and a miss Adler. They had the same displays as before near the cafe. If you hit a button and want to hear about a planet, you get a person reading a prompter about the planet. You can find better videos on YouTube. They were either too cheap to produce a better video or the science folks wanted some FaceTime. It was not interesting. We walked around and viewed everything within 30 minutes. Saw nothing amazing. It was quite underwhelming. The sky show was quite good. The Discover the Solar System was also good but my kids thought it was too young for them ( Ages 10 and 12). My son had a hard time with the dome theater but my daughter did not. We stopped by the lakefront and my daughter did not want to leave that area. For us it was not worth it coming from Racine,wi Museum is lackluster - then museum needs to provide more interactive experiences but the shows are good depending on your age and interests. read more

The lady at the ticket booth was VERY RUDE. Once you get there they tell you outside in the hot summer weather that you need to buy the tickets online before getting into the building, but once you have them and are inside they actually have an option of you paying them right there inside the air conditioned area too. After you walk that much to get there you will enter anyway. The exhibits are ok. To see main attraction are the planetariums how's, which are not included. You need to pay extra for those. Not to big of an exhibit. read more

Winter break family, with kids, destination for education. We had a very good time!! First I'd advise that you purchase your tickets online and then also review and pick/purchase your show tickets as well! As they sell out quickly... and you don't want to spend a lot of your time waiting in line to purchase (as we saw they were quite long at times). And you'd rather spend your time between shows seeing the museum with your children! And you want to see at least one show... we saw 2 and the Atwood. We also went right down to the Atwood Celestial Sphere to reserve a spot... DO THIS ASAP as it fills up very quickly!! (Only 8 seats per showing). The Atwood Celestial Sphere was designed by and named for Wallace W. Atwood. In June 1913, the Chicago Academy of Sciences presented an exhibit to its visitors unlike any other. It was a planetarium where, unlike others of the time period, visitors could walk inside to experience the night sky while the apparatus rotated around them. The sphere, constructed of a thin galvanized sheet metal, was only 15 feet in diameter. Tiny perforations in the exterior of the sphere allowed light to penetrate, appearing as stars to those viewing from the inside About Museum: It was founded in 1930 by Chicago business leader Max Adler. It is located on the northeast tip of Northerly Island at the shore of Lake Michigan in Chicago, Illinois. The Adler was the first planetarium in the United States and is 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. The Adler is home to three full size theaters, extensive space science exhibitions, and a significant collection of antique scientific instruments and print materials. In addition, the Adler boasts the Doane Observatory, one of the only research-active, public urban observatories. So, I think we had plenty of time to see most of the museum and see 2 shows plus the atwood. Side note: we also didn't have a great deal of time to read as much as we would have liked to... as our youngsters were on the move a bit. We read a bit to them and they also played in the child area a while... but all in all I fee we saw a lot and covered most all the areas. The facility is really clean. The staff is helpful and kind and everywhere, ready to help out. We had a great time and learned some very coo things about our universe! Highly recommended! read more

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If you are older, this is probably not a place for you, it was very much geared towards younger children. If you have a city pass they pick your show time and they picked a show 2 hours after we got there. There was not nearly enough to see to fill up two hours and we even are when we got there. We ended up not staying for our show because there just was nothing to do. It is clean, and great for kids, it just isn't great for other age demographics u less you get to pick your show time. It was nice though. read more

It's a great place to go with a group if you're looking for an amazing photo backdrop. nice beach just around the corner. When you visit Chicago, the spot that you must come. Visit it at day time or night, this place will not disappoint you. read more

Adler - Museums Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This place is alright, but it's not my favorite thing to do in Chicago. The wife and I got free admission to the Adler Planetarium thanks to the Chase Private Client pass. There are different shows available but they cost extra, and we didn't feel like ponying up for those. The exhibits are limited to the 2nd and 4th floors. The 2nd floor had some stuff about the beginnings of the universe and a large collection of telescopes. The 4th floor had more interactive stuff, including an area for younger kids. Some of the exhibits, especially the interactive ones, felt dated. Some of the interactive video games had buttons that didn't work. Overall, there aren't a ton of exhibits, and an hour and a half was sufficient to see most of them. To be honest, I found this place a little boring. It seems like the planetarium puts most of its resources into its shows, so you should probably see some of those if you're looking to get the most out of your visit. Otherwise, if you're looking for a place with a lot of things to see, I'd recommend the nearby Field Museum. read more

Watched three shows. Ratings based on scale of 5. 1) One world one sky with Big Bird and Elmo. 4/5. Only one time slot so that's the negative mark on it. Otherwise it was good for the kids and those young at heart. Funny informative and very engaging. 2) skywatch. 5/5. Lots of fun and you get to interact with the excellent host. Got to earn a lot despite the short time allotted. The show should be extended as it was just spectacular. 3) Destination solar system. 4/5 Quirky and fun. It's a different seating than the previous two shows. Only drawback is that it can very hard to see everything as there are obviously better seats than others. Having a sloped design like the other two would help. read more

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I'm sure the Planetarium is amazing when you go for some of the nighttime events. It may also be fascinating when you get to see some of the shows or go inside the Sphere (I really wanted to do this!). But if you just go with the base admission, it leaves quite a bit to be desired. If I had paid the $22 base admission price, I may rate the planetarium even lower than I am. However, I went yesterday during the Smithsonian free day so I can't complain too much. It was an alright Saturday morning! I love astronomy, it really does fascinate me. However the Planetarium leaves a lot to be desired. I felt there could have been many more exciting exhibits. My friend and I did this one exhibit where we sat in the pilot's seat like we were navigating to different parts of the universe. As you approached the particular part of space - Cat's Eye Nebula, for example - it would show you flying into it and getting closer. The strange thing is it would be a flat photo of it that you're zooming in on. Uhhh, where's the latest technology in this!? It could be a really cool perspective on things if it were updated a bit. I don't think exhibits were interactive enough for me - let alone kids. I'm sure kids would be pretty darn bored here, save for the kid exclusive play area. I must say though that the staff was lovely during our trip. I saw one guy interacting with kids and he was engaging them and seemed to be genuinely psyched to talk to them about planets. Now because I did the free admission I missed out on so many things that I think actually make this museum pretty cool. I didn't get to try out the Atwood Sphere which I was really looking forward to. Nor did I see any of the cool shows in the awesome theaters. It honestly was a pretty big bust. I do want to go back for an Adler After Dark event and I'm sure will raise my starrage then. Overall though, the whole place needs an update, newer technology, more fun & exciting exhibits and just a bit more to do. The Planetarium has a cute shop (Adler Store - original name) with tons of items including a bunch of Big Bang swag. Please note, they had bobbleheads of every character except Raj. 'Sup with that!? There is also Gailleo's Cafe which actually has pretty good food for a museum cafe. Pro-Tip: The view from the Adler Planetarium looking out on the city and into Museum Campus is the BEST in the entire city from ground level. You must take any tourist friends in town here for some premo photos. But skip paying the admission to actually go inside unless it's for a special event. Second Pro-Tip: You can take the Blue Line CTA to the LaSalle stop and then have a nice 35 minute walk to Museum Campus with most of it being right along the Chicago Lakefront path. Gorgeous walk plus you save the money on parking! read more

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For someone with a tattoo of a moon and star; moons, stars and planets just aren't my thing. I know, it's a total contradiction - deal with it! I'll start off by saying my favorite thing about the Planetarium doesn't really even count; it's the view outside on the Planetarium lawn and stairs of the lakefront. In my book that alone warrants a star. Michael G and I decided to check out the Adler during the free week at (and one of the few sunny, warm days we've had thus far). I hadn't been to the Planetarium since I was in the single digits and although it really wasn't at the top of my list of places to revisit it was free so why not? I prepared myself to be inundated with strollers full of sticky, whiny, screaming children.* While there were lots of children there they were pretty well behaved, maybe the trick is coming at the end of the day. We decided to see a show while we were there (Night Sky), not included in the free admission, but well worth the extra bucks (7 I think). Before the show started we decided to see the regular part of the museum; it pains me to say this, but I did not enjoy the displays one bit. Nothing drew me in or captured my interest. The one section with the free 3D show (near the cafe) had only a fraction of the film in 3D so we all stood around like n00bs in our geeky 3D glasses wondering if we were missing something. I can't really go into much more detail since I felt like I casually window-shopped through the rest of the place killing time before the show started. The Night Sky show was pretty cool, although the movement of the sky across the ceiling made me a little nauseous. The narrator was very enthusiastic and entertaining you could tell she was trying to engage the kids, but it worked for me too. I genuinely enjoyed the show, which got the Adler another star. Despite her explanations I still remain convinced that whoever 'discovered' the constellations was on some serious psychotropics; there is no way someone can create those images out of a series of stars without them. Bottom line: Unless you go for free admission skip it. If you ignore my advice at least go to the Night Sky show and drink in the awesome view from the grass. TIP: You can pick up the 146 in the Loop and get dropped in front of any of the museum campus venues including the Adler. * I know not all children are nightmares, but it's those few who ruin it for the lot. Namely the kid who screamed bloody murder from the Loop all the way to the Planetarium while his mom watched oblivious to people covering their ears and flinching in horror. read more

Adler - View from the stairs - Museums Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

As a former science teacher, there's a special place in my heart for museums- but especially for planetariums! Space is freakin' awesome, as all the employee shirts say. I love how personable the staff are here, wandering around answering questions or set up at an educational station interacting with visitors. That's what makes science come alive! That said, my experience wasn't that great. You purchase a ticket and select shows based on times and availability, and wander the circular museum space in the mean time. The displays ranged from space tools through time to individual displays for each planet (and included an honorary section on Pluto!) but the layout, materials, and information seemed a bit on the dated side. I understand that they can only update museums so often, but this may not be the place to take the kid who is fascinated by space and up to date on the current research. The planetarium shows spanned a range of topics, but the couple of shows we saw, other than the fun of being projected onto a screen in lay-back seats, were about as exciting as a weekday special on the Discovery channel. I was hoping for something more, I guess. Pricing is a bit steep: $25/adults, $20/kids, for what seems to be only one show? $10 more gives you unlimited (same day?) access to as many shows as you like. As others have said, if you plan on doing even one or two more attractions, City Pass is your best bet. read more

Adler - Museums Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

First off, I cannot stress enough how priceless it is to visit the Planetarium as it has not only the best view of the Chicago skyline, but it has one of the most breathtaking views I have ever witnessed period (and I've seen many breathtaking views, ranging from the view 1,800 meters up on top of the Yellow Mountain and the surreal blue-green waters of the Jiuzhaigou National Park). The view of the skyline is way more satisfying than the Planetarium itself. For the view of the Chicago skyline, the Planetarium gets +2 stars. The Planetarium gets the credit as I would have never come here otherwise.. I would have deducted 1 star had I not had the CityPass. With a CityPass, you get to skip the line as well as access to two shows. Each show is about 30 minutes long. Due to time restraints, I was only able to visit one. I ended up going to the Cosmic Wonder show, which provides a plethora of mind-blowing facts and visually appealing images on a 360 screen. I thoroughly enjoyed it so +1 star for Cosmic Wonder. During the Cosmic Wonder show, they provide everyone with a penny (for size and weight comparisons mentioned during the show). You can keep the penny for use in the elongated souvenir penny machines. Conveniently next to the machine is a dollar to quarter machine as well, since it costs .50 cents and a penny to get the elongated penny. The last +1 star for this place goes to how kid/family-friendly the museum is. Tons of activities, demonstrations, and simulations for the kids. I swear the kiddie playground takes up half the museum. Definitely a place I'd take my kid to (uh, if I had one hah!). However, with that said, this place is tiny which means it gets crowded easily. Without a CityPass, it can be an hour wait for a mere 20 minute experience if you're just there for a casual visit. I will be coming back for the view of the Chicago skyline, though! read more

Adler - View of the Chicago skyline from in front of the Planetarium - Museums Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I had never been to a planetarium before, so I made it a point to visit the Adler Planetarium while in Chicago. It was significantly cheaper than the aquarium at $12 admission, but I found it to be slightly less interesting. They have many space/astronaut exhibits, some displays on telescopes and ancient astronomy, and a kid friendly area with games and buttons to push. Massive displays in a dark room would have been cool. I was expecting to see at least a mobile sculpture of our solar system in orbit. I don't regret going, but once is probably enough. read more

Adler - Museums Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A lot of the exhibits were confusing as to what they were, and not much of it caught my attention. The space shop was the best part. That and the kids area, which I think is a great idea. Overall I struggled to keep my 5 year old interested for an hour and a half here. We did not see any shows so I can't speak to their quality. I went on the free day for Illinois residents and I'm glad I didn't pay. I think that when compared to the FM, MSI, aquarium, it's not in the same class at all. read more

I love Adler Planetarium!!! They are always changing and updating exhibits!! They have interactive exhibits that any one of any age can enjoy. There are many things to learn, to see, to touch, and to do. They have a huge area that is all about different planets and each planet is showed with information about it. There is a room that talks all about the different stars and star clusters. The room offered a great experience for many different senses. There is a huge screen to look at, in a different section you control what you see by using a touch screen and in another section you can listen to someone talk about it. There is also a telescope room that has astronomers that teach you about current experiments that are being done now, and it's really exciting to see it and learn about. Outside on the second floor is a telescope that is set up so you can see a part of the sun!!! Talk about astounding!!!! This place really has it all!!! It's so much fun for kids and adults!!! Also, all the staff is super fun and friendly! They are always great to chat with and learn from!! As an added bonus, the cafe is great! They offer a huge selection of yummy sandwiches and snacks! And it's priced really well!!! You can get a huge sandwich for $8.50, that's a really good deal and the quality of the sandwiches are amazing! They taste like something from a cafe or a bakery!! read more

Adler - View from the cafe - Museums Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Chicago certainly has it's fair share of museums and some of the best in the United States. The Adler Planetarium is most definitely a spot for us nerds and geeks! Such a beautiful museum, it offers plenty of hands on interactive pieces and many interesting reads. The Solar System display is amazing! I feel like I learned so much on my visit and hope to someday visit again. read more

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Love this place! This is the perfect place to bring your little ones to play and have fun. Not only do they play, but they also learn. Enjoy exploring a world of space and stars! read more

Out of all three of the museums on museum campus, I would probably place this as second behind the Field Museum in terms of content and entertainment. I think it's very much underrated because it's a planetarium. I mean who wants to go to a planetarium? but it was actually really cool and a lot bigger than it seems from the outside. The view from outside perimeter of the planetarium is GORGEOUS!! I just want to sit out there and look out at the lake for hours. So pretty! I would say that the planetarium is a lot more interactive than the aquarium. It has a cute little astronauts section for the kiddies where they can put on astronaut gear and virtually launch a space craft. The shows were good and very interesting. I think Whoopi Goldberg narrated ours. There were many to choose from. You just have to make sure you go there early to have the best pick. Also, don't go in to one when you have been touring all day long. Made that mistake and fell asleep during one show. hehe Just confirms that they have comfortable seats in the theater. There is a lot to look at then simply the planets and it is very interactive for the kiddies! read more

Adler - Museums Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Pay attention to the name--planetarium and astronomy. This museum doesn't have rocket ships, though space exploration is touched on here, and they sometimes have talks with former astronauts during member events. They're not an air & space museum. This is one of the largest, if not the largest, collections of astronomical instruments (astrolabes, star globes, spheres, et al), and the museum takes great care to display them and teach how they affected scientific breakthroughs. Stuff about the cosmos. Space science. If you're expecting moon buggies and space capsules, go visit the Museum of Science & Industry. The Adler's shows range from kids shows to adult shows. In addition to the usual planetarium shows, one stands out: "Planet Nine." Tips: The food service, Galileo's Cafe, has THE CHEAPEST offerings of any museum food service in Chicago. The views from the museum campus offer the best views of the city. Even if you don't enter the museum, you can walk around the area and take photos and enjoy the lakefront. If you have time, and it's available, do the little Atwood Sphere. Young kids might like it a lot. Hard to believe people found it an amazing experience back in 1913. The #146 bus stops within feet of the entrance. Ditch the car (limited parking anyway), and enjoy the ride, which connects to the Field Museum and Shedd Aquarium). read more

I am a science person so I was very excited to come here to the Adler Planetarium. I love space and find everything about it interesting. The one part I did really like at this place was the movies and videos that were playing. That was a big part of coming here and usually where you spend most of your time. They were interesting and the visuals were great. The view of the lake and the city was also very nice here as well. It is worth coming out here just for that! Everything else here didn't really do much for me. The exhibits weren't as spectacular as the movies they have and overall, the planetarium is quite small. You would most likely only be here for an hour or two. This place would be fun for kids however. They did design this one thinking more about the children. So if you are an adult, I would definitely check out a different museum to spend time at. read more

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My husband and I really enjoyed this planetarium. The only other planetarium I've been to is in my local middle school so this was an unique and pleasant experience. Lots of things to look at and multiple different shows to learn about the planets and our solar system in general. I can't wait to experience all the museums Chicago has to offer and hope to come back here again. read more

Adler - Museums Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is so cool! It is the oldest planetarium in the western hemisphere. Lots of good exhibits, including on the African-American women who helped in the space race. Definitely need to do one of the 3-D adventures, as well as it traditional planetarium exhibit. read more

Had a decent time today at the Adler Planetarium. Was a little disappointed by the number of screaming children while trying to enjoy the exhibits. The exhibits were cool but wish they had some more interactive elements to them, they just seemed a little out dated to me. The place seemed like more of a child's day care then anything else. I thought next door at the Field Museum, the exhibits were executed much better. We did see a show inside the planetarium which was the best part of the whole experience. A 30 minute show on the moon and some interesting history and facts about our moon. It was cool to watch it in the huge dome theater. Overall it was ok but not worth the price of the ticket. read more

Adler - Standing on the universe - Museums Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Pros: Over 21 so no kids! Plenty of exhibits. Drinks and lounge area. Affordable. Cons: Busy. Door security is nuts. He literally grabbed all my stuff out of my purse and then shoved it at me to put away. Was like wtf because I had loose cash in there and items that could have fell out easily with winter wind blowing. Unprofessional. The 8$ telescope upgrade tour was a bit of a rip off. Looked through a telescope and didn't see anything. Glad we did it but wouldn't return again. Fun, unique night out...once. read more

Adler - Museums Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

When I was doing research before my trip to Chicago I added this on my list since it is the first planetarium after all. Located right in the center of museum island it is the perfect place to go when you want to escape the downtown life. My BF and I came right when it opened so we definitely beat the crowds. When we walked in we got the general pass which excluded the shows. The planetarium is actually quite small and we finished viewing the entire place in under 2 hours. I loved how interactive everything was in here, but it's definitely made more for kids rather than teens and adults. I really expected to see more as this is the first planetarium. Overall I enjoyed my trip here but it's probably not a place I would go back on my next trip. read more

Adler - Museums Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I've only ever been to a couple of planetariums, while I love museums, I must admit that the Cosmos doesn't really hold my interest I had a City Pass and this was one of the attractions on it. On the whole, I was very underwhelmed. The exhibits were pretty boring. we pretty much just killed time until out scheduled presentations started. We saw two presentations in the planetarium. Planet Nine, which was about New findings that could lead to the discovery of an actual Planet Nine, since Pluto was downgraded to a satellite, and a semi interactive journey through our solar system. There were in my opinion the best part of the whole experience. I would have mush rather spent more time at the Field Museum if I had a do over. But this is just my personal opinion since space isn't really my thing. Others may enjoy it a lot more. read more

This place was alright. There's not much to really talk about as I've been to much better planetariums in the past. If you have spare time in the city and need something to do, this could be one of those spots. read more

Negatives: -This place always seems to have long entry lines regardless time of day, or day of week. It seems they are short staffed in the check in/registration area. -Although their dome theaters are cool to experience shows, I noticed that children 10 and under start to get bored and antsy within the first 10 minutes. (Shows last about 30 min, and I remember getting antsy as well). Positives: - wonderful exhibits on several floors explaining all about the solar system, space, astronauts and more! -awesome kids play area, with a super cool pitch black space walk through. (All you see is stars and it feels like you are really walking in space) -beautiful cafeteria seating area with great city and lake views. -cafeteria serves beer! Very convenient when you are taking a minute to sit down, enjoy the view, and take the edge off. read more

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I'm a new member to the Adler Planetarium. I purchased a groupon deal back in Novermber 2014. The rationale behind committing to this was 1) it's tax-deductible; 2) it's worth it because one (1) adult all-access admission is $25. I purchased one-year individual membership deal for under $50, with an extra groupon discount at that time. With that being said, if you live in Chicago and freakin' mobile like me (meaning walking and running faster than a cheetah with my 5"3 stature), you will get your money worth it by coming twice in a year. I personally will come more than twice certainly, I brought my hubby along since he's also a museum junkie. As a member, I'm allowed to bring one (1) guest with me for no additional charge. Honestly, for those who didn't get to have fun in the Planetarium, I can kind of understand that if you paid the minimal admission fee ($12 if I remember correctly). That ticket doesn't get you the show inside the theater. Therefore, my recommendation is to go ahead purchase the full package so you can enjoy the show. From my perspective, I think the show makes the entire experience at the Planetarium complete. However, you don't suggest you to go if you have any history of epilepsy, seizure, or anemic conditions due to motion sickness. Why did I say that? There are movements throughout the show since you're sitting on a chair, simulating the spatial traveling experience to other constellations. If you can't handle this, you might want to skip the show. We saw "Cosmic Wonder." It was very fun and interactive, just like the rest of museum. Staff and astronomers were friendly and available to answer any question. That's probably needed because with my intelligent brain, I couldn't figure out lots of things on my own when I just read through the paragraphs. The views from the Planetarium and the Cafe Galileo were heavenly gorgeous! If you're not serious about stars and globes, enjoy the scenery then. Overall, I totally think the membership is right on the money. I also love that the CTA 146 (museum campus/solider field) bus drops you feet away from the Planetarium and all other museums in proximity. read more

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This place was fun! Just wish it had more activities/cool things to see and do for adults. We watched the Planet 9 show and that was really nice and super cool. The lights and seating orientation were different and exciting. If you like space, hit this place up but I wouldnt go out of my way. read more

Y'all. I haven't been to a planetarium in ages. So, I really wanted to go to this one. I do not regret it. First of all, we went kind of close to closing. But, when we were purchasing our tickets, the employee assisting us was so freaking helpful. He reminded us that they are closing soon and then told us what parts the adults usually find interesting and what time the last show was. He showed us on a map, everything. We didn't even have to ask. That is service. He was awesome. We meandered about the parts we thought would be interesting (they were). It looks like a really fun place (mostly for kids, but I mean, also for me). Then we went to the show. Guys, I love planetarium shows. This one was not a disappointment. I thought it was really cool, super informative and just...maybe nostalgic? Also, the grounds are beautiful (which is why we got there late - photo ops galore!). read more

Adler - Museums Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Was in Chicago over the weekend and wanted to do something different so visited this planetarium. I left very unsatisfied. Overall, it's a little dated and needs some upkeep. The exhibits are aging and hasn't kept up with modern times. I have to point out what I thought was one very troubling observation. Keep in mind, we are currently experiencing a Corona virus which can be transmitted by people through touching and germs. This place had NO hand sanitizer anywhere to be seen. Many exhibits allow for some interaction. There are hundreds of kids daily here all touching things. Even before this virus, I would have expected some kind of sanitizer on the walls. This is a huge issue and I would ask management to deal with it ASAP. read more

Absolute waste of time and any money! Terrible staff. They seemed as lost as all of the guest. Nothing cool to see/ obverse. Save your money and don't go in and just enjoy a beautiful walk around it read more

Awesome activity for a couple of hours. Could have stayed for much longer. Specially loved the moon mission and the history of astronomy exhibitions. Also watched the "planet nine" sky show which was very interesting as well. read more

Adler Planetarium is a great way to view the stars, constellations and review information about the solar system and space. The museum is smaller than Field and Museum of Science and Industry (MSI) so 3-4 hours is enough time to spend at the Adler Planetarium. The exhibits are interesting but are not as comprehensive as the exhibits in MSI/Field and not as interactive as MSI. However, I really enjoyed the Chasing Eclipses exhibit. It was great to know how enthusiastic people get about eclipses and the geographical areas that the eclipse will pass. The telescopes exhibit was informative: you learn how we make modern telescopes and why the 20 foot long telescope gives you a blurry image. For the City Pass, you can either choose Art Institute of Chicago or Planetarium. I choose the Art Institute of Chicago (and I think that's the better deal). So you have to pay extra to enter the planetarium. Included in your pass is one of the movies, in which I chose Destination Solar System. This was interesting learning experience about the solar system in a 3D movie. It was informative and a little corny but fun for kids. If you are short on time, you can skip this. Skywatch Live was a beautiful magical live-narrated movie. The narrator shows you Chicago's starry sky if there was no light pollution. The host showed us constellations and what you can see from Chicago during different times of the year. I really enjoyed this. My favorite part of the Planetarium was seeing the old Planetarium. Historic Atwood Sphere is a planetarium showing the 1913 Chicago sky. Our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and funny. He let the children in the tour guess what the constellations looked like and told us what the Greek and Roman's constellation name. If you had to choose between Art Institute of Chicago and the Planetarium, definitely go to the Art Institute. You can add on the Planetarium separately. read more

This is a pretty nice museum located in the south loop area of Chicago it's right next to the field museum in the shed aquarium so it's great for tourist or those who want to go explore their city. If you come I think it's best to get the all access pass because you're able to see several of the different shows. I was able to see two of them I enjoyed the planet nine because it almost feels as though you're moving. The screen is a big circle above you ... all around you....the way the projectors are set up it is super cool. They offer a lot of great information and interactive stations. There's a food court and a little gift shop. I like the contributions that they had pertaining to hidden figures. Overall I recommend. read more

Adler - Museums Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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