Chicago - Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum

For 70 years, the Adler Planetarium and Astronomy museum has been teaching Chicagoans and mid-westerners about the universe. Reportedly, it was the first astronomy museum built in the western hemisphere when Max Adler founded it in 1930. The museum collection contains nearly 2000 historical and futuristic instruments including telescopes, space-age equipment, navigational tools, astrolabes and sundials.

There is also a library with numerous rare books, astronomy-related documents and a research center. The museum also hosts a regular program of traveling exhibits and educational public lectures.

There are two planetarium theaters. The Star Rider theater uses high tech computers to create an interactive, 3D, virtual reality experience.

The Zeiss Sky Show Theater offers a more traditional encounter with the stars. The classic Zeiss Mark VI star projector creates realistic views of the stars, planets and constellations as seen from inside and outside the city.