Adler Planetarium Expands Collection of Work by Space Art Pioneer, Chesley Bonestell, with Major Archive Acquisition

Image Caption: Saturn as seen from Titan by Chesley Bonestell

The Adler Planetarium is significantly expanding its role as the steward of the leading publicly accessible collection of Chesley Bonestell’s work with the acquisition of his business archive. 

This rare archive, now housed here at the Adler Planetarium, offers a look into Bonestell’s creative process with early sketches of his work, some of the three-dimensional models he used to plan his paintings, and his early architectural drawings. 

Who is Chesley Bonestell?

Chesley Bonestell was an American painter who is widely credited with popularizing space art—imagined depictions of outer space—and shaped how generations visualize the cosmos. With a background in architecture and Hollywood special effects, he approached his paintings of planetary landscapes, galaxies, and space travel with scientific precision. 

Throughout his career, he collaborated closely with space scientists at NASA, a relationship that further grounded his life’s work in scientific accuracy. 

Bonestell’s work appeared on the covers of hundreds of influential mid-twentieth-century publications, like Life and Collier’s, helping define the visual language of the Space Age, bringing imagined views of space to millions. Many of his spaceship designs are based on real engineering drafts that NASA was developing in real time.

Bonestell was particularly attuned to angles and light in his work, especially planetary landscapes and views of distant celestial bodies. He used a unique combination of techniques, including building detailed three-dimensional miniatures to map light, shadow, and scale before translating them into his iconic paintings.

His work embodies a spirit of curiosity and discovery that continues to shape Adler’s exhibitions, educational programs, and public engagement with space science.

How to See Chesley Bonestell’s Work 

The Adler’s comprehensive Bonestell collection makes the museum an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the history of space art, the space age, and Bonestell and his contemporaries. Replicas of some of Bonestell’s most recognizable works are currently on display in the Other Worlds gallery at the Adler Planetarium.

This large acquisition also establishes the Adler as the owner of the copyright on a vast majority of  Bonestell’s work and its ongoing use in research, media, and education. Anyone wishing to request to use images of Bonestell’s work can contact the Adler Planetarium’s Collections Department at [email protected] with the subject line “Bonestell Image/Research Inquires.”