10 Things At The Adler Planetarium You Don’t Want To Miss
Header Image: Outside shot of the Adler Planetarium at sunset.
Editor’s Note: Updated to reflect more current and updated exhibit information for Spring Break programs and activities beginning Monday, March 23, through Sunday, April 5, 2026.
As humanity prepares to return to the Moon, join the Adler Planetarium this Spring Break as we explore it as both icon and enigma and why it still captivates us.
Through interactive Moon experiences, an Artemis-focused discussion on the future of lunar exploration, and a classic The Dark Side Of The Moon planetarium show, discover how science, culture, and curiosity collide then and now.
As the first planetarium in the Western Hemisphere (and one of the historic Chicago attractions located on the city’s Museum Campus), we’ve got some pretty stellar exhibits and activities you don’t want to miss during your visit to learn more about new missions, the science behind why the Moon matters, and why humans are poised to return.
For a list of fun things to do in Chicago this spring break, read on, and you’ll even learn some behind-the-scenes tidbits along the way.
#1: Dome Theater Sky Shows
One of the coolest things about the Adler Planetarium is that we have not one, but two dome theaters!
Fun fact: We were also the first planetarium in Chicago to open a dome theater back in the day.
When you step inside a planetarium dome theater and take a seat, you become immersed in spectacular space visualizations that transport you across time and space.
What’s Currently Playing at the Adler:
- The Dark Side Of The Moon: Go on a cosmic visual journey choreographed to one of the best-selling albums of all time: Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side Of The Moon!
- Imagine The Moon: Explore how the Moon—our partner in space and companion in our sky—has inspired human creativity, learning, and exploration ever since looking up.
- Skywatch Live: See Chicago’s magnificent night sky simulated without light pollution. Our live presenters will show you constellations, stars, the Moon, and more as seen above the city on the day of your visit—perfect for stargazing enthusiasts!
- Big Astronomy: Discover Chile’s grand observatories and meet the people who push the limits of technology and what we know about the universe using world-class telescopes.
- Niyah And The Multiverse: Join young Niyah, her grown-up self, and her friends on an Afrofuturist journey through multiverse theory! Learn about shadow matter, bubble universes, many worlds, and the connections between science and culture.
- Cosmic Rhythms: Featuring Adler astronomer’s expertise, breathtaking imagery, and bold choreography by Joffrey Ballet dancer Xavier Nuñez, Cosmic Rhythms takes audiences on a mesmerizing journey through the cosmos.
- Destination Solar System: It’s 2096, and you’ve just signed up for a trip around the solar system with Space Express Tours! Get ready to tour the hottest hot spots, and most spectacular sights in deep space—fun for space explorers of all ages.
- One World, One Sky: Blast off in an imaginary rocket with Big Bird and Elmo on an unforgettable journey to the Sun, Moon, and the Big Dipper!
Buy Tickets For Your Next Space Adventure
#2: Our Newest Exhibit, Stars Aligned
Here in the 21st century, the words astrologer and astronomer mean very different things. But in the early modern period (1500–1800), you could get accurate information about the next lunar eclipse from an astrologer or have your horoscope cast by Galileo himself.
What do astrology and astronomy have in common? What did the world look like when observing the sky and interpreting its meaning were one and the same? Step back in time in our newest exhibition, Stars Aligned: Tracing the Story of Astronomy and Astrology, to discover how these two practices were once intertwined.
#3: Say Cheese and Take A Selfie
There are eight different Selfie Spots around the museum—can you find them all?
Throughout the museum you can find stickers labeled “Selfie Spots.” Take a selfie with our inflatable Moon near the Cosmic Cafe, on a light pollution map of Chicago in Chicago’s Night Sky or with the JWST mirrors in Stargazers Hub. When exploring Other Worlds, there are a couple of awesome selfie spots where you can take pictures with large models of Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune, or Uranus hanging from the ceiling, a climbable gas giant ringed exoplanet, and a real meteorite from the Arizona desert.
#4 Astronomical Objects Everywhere
The Adler has the best and most comprehensive sundial collection in all of North America, but we also have a ton of other collections objects too! You can learn about different cultures through these objects like astrolabes and celestial globes on display.
For a limited time, experience Stargazers Hub unlocked, from November 28—December 31 from Tuesday—Sunday between 10:00 am–2:00 pm and 4:00 pm–8:00 pm on Wednesday night. Take a step into the gallery to see the tools used to look at the skies for centuries for special hands-on experiences that relate to our newest exhibition: Stars Aligned: Tracing the Story of Astrology and Astronomy.
This hands-on experience gives you a close look at our seven-foot armillary sphere and the tools people have used to map the stars throughout history in our Cabinet of Curiosity.
Spring Break Object Encounters
When: Every Tuesday between Monday, March 23–Sunday, April 5, 2026
Get up close and personal with Adler historical artifacts! Every Tuesday of spring break, our curator and other members of the Collections department will bring out some of our coolest, rarest, and strongest artifacts about the Moon from Renaissance maps to Apollo mission materials in the Stargazers Hub on the Lower Level.
#5: The Doane Observatory
Did you know the Doane Observatory is home to the largest publicly accessible telescope in Chicago? Since opening in 1977, the observatory in Chicago has had several telescopes within its walls, and these telescopes have given Chicagoans the opportunity to look up at the Sun, the Moon, stars, nebulae and planets despite light pollution’s interference in the city.
The Doane is open (weather permitting) on Wednesdays throughout the year. To know when the Doane will be open, join our Facebook Group or check our Doane Observatory page the week of your visit. You can also check in at the box office on the evening of your visit to inquire about the availability of the Observatory.
The observatory building is east of the Adler’s main building, right next to the shores of Lake Michigan. Follow the sidewalk around the back of the Adler to the observatory’s front doors. If the doors are open, you are welcome to come in, head up the stairs, and check out the sights!
Spring Break Night Sky Observing:
- Wednesday, March 25 between 7:00 pm–10:00 pm*
- Wednesday, April 1 between 7:45 pm–10:00 pm*
*Depending on crowd size and/or weather, the line entry may close prior to the time listed. Telescope targets will depend on weather/cloud conditions and may change without notice.
#6: Cutting Edge Astrophysics From Chicagoland Researchers
Come hear about cutting-edge astrophysics from Chicagoland researchers, accompanied by engaging images, visualizations, and simulations of space science topics.
Museum guests are encouraged to steer the conversations to learn about astronomy and space science topics they find most fascinating.
The Space Visualization Lab hosts scientists all year round on Wednesdays from 6:00 pm–8:00 pm and Saturday–Sunday 11:00 am–1:00 pm.
Spring Break Offerings:
Special Astronomy Conversation: Megan Eaves, Adler’s Youth Organization for Lights Out Participants Featured in Her Book, “Nightfaring: In Search of Disappearing Darkness.”
- When: April 1, 5:00 pm–6:00 pm
- Where: Space Visualization Lab
Pop-Up Talks with Astrophysicists: Adler astrophysicists will be giving 10-minute talks multiple times a day on topics related to the Moon and lunar exploration, followed by a Q&A.
- When:
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 10:00 am, 11:00 am, 12:00 am
- Wednesday: 6:00 pm, 7:00 pm, 8:00 pm
- Where: Other Worlds exhibit on the Upper Level
#7: An Out-Of-This-World Stomp Rocket
Located in our Mission Moon exhibit, there is an interactive stomp rocket where you can build your own foam rocket and try to send it up as high as you possibly can through the atmosphere (aka a very large tube)!
Test out the brand new Moon Wall prototype (available for spring break beginning Monday, March 23, 2026 through Sunday, April 5, 2026.) and discover new details about Moon exploration that led us to the Artemis missions and what’s on the horizon.
Spring Break Mission Moon Tours:
- When: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 10:45 am and 12:45 pm and Wednesdays 4:45PM (Starting March 23 through Sunday, April 5, 2026)
- Where: Main Lobby Mission Moon Entrance, Upper Level
Told through the life and career of astronaut Jim Lovell, Mission Moon reflects the human side of space exploration and experimentation.
On this special spring break tour, Adler experts offer insights and perspectives on one of the museum’s most popular exhibitions, highlighting a real space capsule, a Moon rock, and other authentic artifacts. As new initiatives aim to return humans to the Moon, this tour grounds today’s ambitions in the people and problem-solving that shaped the first era of lunar exploration.
#8: Architectural Secrets
In 1930—the year the Adler Planetarium opened—Italian-American sculptor Alfonso Iannelli built and installed a dedication plaque in what is known as our Rainbow Lobby. To get into the museum, you walk up the front steps and pass through this lobby! Why is it called the Rainbow Lobby you ask? Around sunset every single day, the Sun’s rays pass through our glass angled prism-like front doors causing the light to bend and the colors in the Sun’s light to spread out, creating lots of tiny rainbows!
Fun fact: The Rainbow Lobby’s dedication plaque is not the only sculpture around the building created by Alfonso Iannelli. Outside and inside the Planetarium are 12 zodiac constellation plaques that match the Rainbow Lobby’s plaques that depict the planets.
#9: Spaces For Collaboration, Curiosity, and Hands-On Activities
Around the planetarium are several Community Design Labs that are flexible spaces for guests to learn through play, test ideas, create art, and reflect.
- Located in the Telescopes: Through The Looking Glass exhibit, the brand new Community Stargazers Hub offers a multiversity journey through time with a focus on historic objects and is great for all ages.
- The Community PlayLab is located in the Planet Explorers exhibit and is great for children six and under and their families.
- The Community Star Studio is located in the Chicago’s Night Sky exhibit and is great for all ages!
Spring Break Activities:
Between Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, April 5, special facilitated experiences are included with museum entry. Activities run between 10:00 am–3:00 pm between Tuesday–Sunday and 4:00 pm-8:00 pm on Wednesday nights.
- The Vacuum of Space: What would happen to a marshmallow on the Moon? Find out with an Adler educator at this demonstration station. Observe vacuum chamber experiments to see how a lack of air changes everyday objects, and consider what those conditions mean for exploring and working on the Moon!
- Spacecraft Design Challenge: Design, build, and test your own spacecraft using simple materials. Can your cotton-ball astronaut survive the trip through our wind tunnel? Inspired by NASA’s Artemis missions to the Moon, explore how engineering design choices affect your mission’s success!
- Lunar Surface Collages in the Star Studio: Stop by Star Studio this spring break to explore the surface of the Moon! Learn more about lunar geography and observing – past and present! Use rubbings taken from 3-D printed lunar terrain and historic Moon imagery, including Galilelo’s early sketches to create your own mixed-media observational collage.
- Moon Modeling in the PlayLab: What would it be like to play and work on the Moon? Families can find out by building a Moon landscape, exploring craters, and trying fun astronaut challenges together. Put on “astronaut” gloves and see how even simple tasks can feel tricky in space! Designed for families with children 6 and under.
- The Moon Rocks in Stargazers Hub: This gallery highlights the methods and tools used to look to the skies for centuries. During spring break, special hands-on experiences shine a light on our Moon and its rocky surface.
#10: City Views
There’s lots to look at on the inside at the Adler, but what about the outside? We’ve been located on Chicago’s lakeshore for almost 93 years, and the views of the city are unbelievable!
Fun fact: There is a huge sundial out in front of the Adler. Have you seen it before?
Join Us This Spring Break—Get Tickets
This spring break, between Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, April 5, special facilitated experiences are included with museum entry.
