Adler Planetarium, Chicago, IL

Shows & Exhibits

Featured Attractions

Cosmic Collisions

Solar Car

Fly Me to the Moon 3-D Space Show Attraction

The Zula Patrol

Black Holes

Shoot for the Moon

The Adler Planetarium does not offer advance ticket sales. Show tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis at the Adler box office.

Cosmic Collisions

OPENS FRIDAY JUNE 6, 2008

Narrated by award-winning actor, director, and producer Robert Redford, Cosmic Collisions launches visitors on an awe-inspiring trip through space and time-well beyond the calm face of the night sky-to explore the hypersonic impacts that drive the continuing evolution of the Universe. This new space show focuses on the full range of collisions, from catastrophic planetary impacts and the merging of massive galaxies to the continual explosions occurring in the center of the Sun and the incessant barrage of small ionized particles in the solar wind ricocheting off Earth's magnetic field creating other-worldly conditions called "space weather."

Click for showtimes

Solar Car

'Nergy the Solar Car - Northwestern University

The Adler Planetarium is displaying 'Nergy, a solar electric car engineered by the Northwestern University Solar Car Team. The team designed 'Nergy to compete in the 2001 American Solar Challenge, a 10-day, 2,300-mile race from Chicago to L.A. along historic Route 66. During the race, 498 silicon solar cells generated an average of 700 watts to power the car at an average speed of 25 mph.

Fly Me to the Moon 3-D Space Show Attraction

Blast off on a space adventure with three starry-eyed houseflies and the crew of Apollo 11 in Fly Me to the Moon at the Adler Planetarium.

Shown in the Adler's newly renovated 3-D Universe Theater, this animated, heart-warming story combines a thrilling space adventure with one of the most amazing moments in human history - the first Apollo Moon landing.

Continue the adventure in the Adler's interactive exhibition Shoot for the Moon. Future space explorers can try their hand at a lunar landing, Moon jump on the Lunar Leap and get a close-up look at the fully restored Gemini 12 spacecraft.

Daily Show Times:
10:45 a.m. 11:45 a.m. 12:45 p.m. 1:45 p.m. 2:45 p.m.

The Zula Patrol StarRider Show

The Zula Patrol invades Chicago for the Earth debut — and world premiere — of their space show at the Adler Planetarium.

Click for showtimes

Learn more!

Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity

Black Holes is closing June 5th!

There's a place from which nothing escapes, not even light, where time and space literally come to an end. Black holes exert their force on our imaginations in this visually stunning show, which allows us to fly through wormholes, experience the creation of the Milky Way galaxy, and witness the death of a star. Black Holes is a unique blend of cutting edge science and visualization that puts visitors in the middle of the action. Cross the cosmic threshold to experience the irresistible pull of Black Holes!

WATCH THE BLACK HOLES TRAILER!

Shoot for the Moon Exhibition — Now Open

We've been to the Moon. We're going back.
What part will you play in our next space adventure?

Shoot for the Moon at the Adler Planetarium! This new permanent exhibition highlights the exciting stories of space exploration and America's bold plans to return to the Moon. The exhibition begins with A Journey with Jim Lovell, featuring the fully–restored Gemini 12 spacecraft and the Lovell Collection of personal space artifacts. In Mission: Moon, young visitors discover the thrills and dangers of being an explorer and imagine their own futures in space.

A Journey with Jim Lovell — the first gallery of the Shoot for the Moon exhibition — tells the story of Astronaut Jim Lovell's life and career using artifacts from his personal collection. Learn about his initial setbacks and ultimate triumphs as one of America's space pioneers. The fully-restored Gemini 12 spacecraft, flown by Captain Lovell and Buzz Aldrin in 1966, is the centerpiece of a dynamic presentation celebrating the Gemini 12 mission and America's race to the Moon.

The second gallery — Mission: Moon — continues the story from the Gemini program to focus on the historic accomplishments of the hugely successful Apollo missions, which saw America reach its goal of landing a man on the Moon. Serve as a member of an exploration team going back to the Moon in the 21st century in the exciting Lunar Dangers Training Lab. The Lunar Leap and Touch Down interactives — and other state–of–the–art exhibit elements — allow you to discover the thrills and challenges of lunar exploration and imagine your own future in space.

Shoot for the Moon is powered by:

Shoot for the Moon is sponsored by:

Shoot For The Moon Interactives

Are you ready to live on the Moon? The Apollo astronauts made it look easy, but exploring the Moon is tough! Find out if you have what it takes with these one-of-a-kind-interactive experiences.

WHY GO TO THE MOON? Before launching for the Moon, you’ll need to know why you’re going there. By stepping on the light circles on the gallery floor, compelling reasons to explore the Moon will beam onto the walls before you. Young visitors especially will enjoy getting into the action as they jump from one light circle to the next.

TOUCH DOWN One of the most harrowing moments of every Apollo mission was the lunar landing. Would the crews run out of fuel before finding a safe spot to touch down? Would they be able to control the Lunar Module with enough precision to avoid a crash landing? The Touch Down interactive tests your piloting skills as you attempt your own lunar descent and landing. After a quick briefing, take the controls of a lunar landing vehicle. Will you make a successful soft landing or will this be a one-way trip to the Moon?

LUNAR LEAP Feel what it’s like to jump on the Moon. This lunar gravity simulation uses an inclined plane outfitted with two slider boards to recreate the sensation of jumping in the 1/6-gravity of the Moon. First, measure your Earth jump. Then try a lunar leap, as you lean back onto one of the slider boards and push yourself up with your feet. A green-screen video effect shows what the jump would look like on the lunar surface.

MOON VISION On the Moon, things are not always what they seem. Depth perception is an enormous challenge. On Earth, the atmosphere makes far away objects appear hazy. Because the Moon has no atmosphere, all objects on the surface can be seen clearly – even if they’re a mile away. The Moon also lacks the familiar landmarks (such as trees and buildings) that help determine size and distance on Earth. The Moon Vision interactive gives you a feel for the disorienting effects of the lunar surface. Peer into a lunar landscape diorama and attempt to judge which Moon rocks are largest.

LUNAR DANGERS LAB This immersive multimedia experience conveys the science of the Moon via the dangers of lunar exploration. The lab features an animated robot named A.L.E.X. (Analyst of Lunar Environmental Extremes), who thinks he’s ready to live on the Moon. But does he really know what he’s getting into? In this animated show, A.L.E.X. goes through rigorous tests to see if he can survive the dangers of the Moon, which include Temperature Extremes, Solar Radiation, Micrometeorites and Lunar Dust. The scientific content is narrated by Captain Lovell and delivered with visual puns and environmental special effects, making it fun and accessible for all ages.

EXTRA! EXTRA! Complete the experience by making some news of your own - appear on the front pages of a future newspaper with a gigantic newspaper photo op. Peek through the cutouts in the image and snap a picture of yourself making history as a Moon explorer. Headline “Future Moon Astronauts Chosen.”


		Shows & Exhibits Featured Attractions Cosmic Collisions Solar Car Fly Me to the Moon 3-D Space Show Attraction The Zula Patrol Black Holes Shoot for the Moon The Adler Planetarium does not offer advance ticket sales. Show tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis at the Adler box office. Cosmic Collisions OPENS FRIDAY JUNE 6, 2008 Narrated by award-winning actor, director, and producer Robert Redford, Cosmic Collisions launches visitors on an awe-inspiring trip through space and time-well beyond the calm face of the night sky-to explore the hypersonic impacts that drive the continuing evolution of the Universe. This new space show focuses on the full range of collisions, from catastrophic planetary impacts and the merging of massive galaxies to the continual explosions occurring in the center of the Sun and the incessant barrage of small ionized particles in the solar wind ricocheting off Earth's magnetic field creating other-worldly conditions called "space weather." Click for showtimes Solar Car 'Nergy the Solar Car - Northwestern University The Adler Planetarium is displaying 'Nergy, a solar electric car engineered by the Northwestern University Solar Car Team. The team designed 'Nergy to compete in the 2001 American Solar Challenge, a 10-day, 2,300-mile race from Chicago to L.A. along historic Route 66. During the race, 498 silicon solar cells generated an average of 700 watts to power the car at an average speed of 25 mph. Fly Me to the Moon 3-D Space Show Attraction Blast off on a space adventure with three starry-eyed houseflies and the crew of Apollo 11 in Fly Me to the Moon at the Adler Planetarium. Shown in the Adler's newly renovated 3-D Universe Theater, this animated, heart-warming story combines a thrilling space adventure with one of the most amazing moments in human history - the first Apollo Moon landing. Continue the adventure in the Adler's interactive exhibition Shoot for the Moon. Future space explorers can try their hand at a lunar landing, Moon jump on the Lunar Leap and get a close-up look at the fully restored Gemini 12 spacecraft. Daily Show Times: 10:45 a.m. 11:45 a.m. 12:45 p.m. 1:45 p.m. 2:45 p.m. The Zula Patrol StarRider Show The Zula Patrol invades Chicago for the Earth debut — and world premiere — of their space show at the Adler Planetarium. Click for showtimes Learn more! Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity Black Holes is closing June 5th! There's a place from which nothing escapes, not even light, where time and space literally come to an end. Black holes exert their force on our imaginations in this visually stunning show, which allows us to fly through wormholes, experience the creation of the Milky Way galaxy, and witness the death of a star. Black Holes is a unique blend of cutting edge science and visualization that puts visitors in the middle of the action. Cross the cosmic threshold to experience the irresistible pull of Black Holes! WATCH THE BLACK HOLES TRAILER! Shoot for the Moon Exhibition — Now Open We've been to the Moon. We're going back. What part will you play in our next space adventure? Shoot for the Moon at the Adler Planetarium! This new permanent exhibition highlights the exciting stories of space exploration and America's bold plans to return to the Moon. The exhibition begins with A Journey with Jim Lovell, featuring the fully–restored Gemini 12 spacecraft and the Lovell Collection of personal space artifacts. In Mission: Moon, young visitors discover the thrills and dangers of being an explorer and imagine their own futures in space. A Journey with Jim Lovell — the first gallery of the Shoot for the Moon exhibition — tells the story of Astronaut Jim Lovell's life and career using artifacts from his personal collection. Learn about his initial setbacks and ultimate triumphs as one of America's space pioneers. The fully-restored Gemini 12 spacecraft, flown by Captain Lovell and Buzz Aldrin in 1966, is the centerpiece of a dynamic presentation celebrating the Gemini 12 mission and America's race to the Moon. The second gallery — Mission: Moon — continues the story from the Gemini program to focus on the historic accomplishments of the hugely successful Apollo missions, which saw America reach its goal of landing a man on the Moon. Serve as a member of an exploration team going back to the Moon in the 21st century in the exciting Lunar Dangers Training Lab. The Lunar Leap and Touch Down interactives — and other state–of–the–art exhibit elements — allow you to discover the thrills and challenges of lunar exploration and imagine your own future in space. Shoot for the Moon is powered by: Shoot for the Moon is sponsored by: Shoot For The Moon Interactives Are you ready to live on the Moon? The Apollo astronauts made it look easy, but exploring the Moon is tough! Find out if you have what it takes with these one-of-a-kind-interactive experiences. WHY GO TO THE MOON? Before launching for the Moon, you’ll need to know why you’re going there. By stepping on the light circles on the gallery floor, compelling reasons to explore the Moon will beam onto the walls before you. Young visitors especially will enjoy getting into the action as they jump from one light circle to the next. TOUCH DOWN One of the most harrowing moments of every Apollo mission was the lunar landing. Would the crews run out of fuel before finding a safe spot to touch down? Would they be able to control the Lunar Module with enough precision to avoid a crash landing? The Touch Down interactive tests your piloting skills as you attempt your own lunar descent and landing. After a quick briefing, take the controls of a lunar landing vehicle. Will you make a successful soft landing or will this be a one-way trip to the Moon? LUNAR LEAP Feel what it’s like to jump on the Moon. This lunar gravity simulation uses an inclined plane outfitted with two slider boards to recreate the sensation of jumping in the 1/6-gravity of the Moon. First, measure your Earth jump. Then try a lunar leap, as you lean back onto one of the slider boards and push yourself up with your feet. A green-screen video effect shows what the jump would look like on the lunar surface. MOON VISION On the Moon, things are not always what they seem. Depth perception is an enormous challenge. On Earth, the atmosphere makes far away objects appear hazy. Because the Moon has no atmosphere, all objects on the surface can be seen clearly – even if they’re a mile away. The Moon also lacks the familiar landmarks (such as trees and buildings) that help determine size and distance on Earth. The Moon Vision interactive gives you a feel for the disorienting effects of the lunar surface. Peer into a lunar landscape diorama and attempt to judge which Moon rocks are largest. LUNAR DANGERS LAB This immersive multimedia experience conveys the science of the Moon via the dangers of lunar exploration. The lab features an animated robot named A.L.E.X. (Analyst of Lunar Environmental Extremes), who thinks he’s ready to live on the Moon. But does he really know what he’s getting into? In this animated show, A.L.E.X. goes through rigorous tests to see if he can survive the dangers of the Moon, which include Temperature Extremes, Solar Radiation, Micrometeorites and Lunar Dust. The scientific content is narrated by Captain Lovell and delivered with visual puns and environmental special effects, making it fun and accessible for all ages. EXTRA! EXTRA! Complete the experience by making some news of your own - appear on the front pages of a future newspaper with a gigantic newspaper photo op. Peek through the cutouts in the image and snap a picture of yourself making history as a Moon explorer. Headline “Future Moon Astronauts Chosen.”