Opened in 1930 as the first planetarium in the western hemisphere, additions to the Adler within the past decade include a theater and restaurant.

1300 South Lake Shore Drive. Call (312) 922-7827 for more information.

Daily visitors to the Adler may encounter hands-on learning opportunities throughout the museum. Many people experience the night sky through a telescope for the first time on the Adler’s telescope terrace or in the Doane Observatory. Younger visitors can act-out astronomy stories, do science experiments or find constellations in a sky show. Interactive games in the CyberSpace Classroom engage visitors of all ages. Interested adults and teens are invited to join the education team as docents and volunteers.

The Adler’s extensive course program offers something for everyone, from future space explorers to art-lovers, history buffs, and astronomy enthusiasts of all ages and experience levels. Adler educators, scientists, and respected guest lecturers lead courses designed especially for families, teens and adults.

In addition, the Adler supports school groups through a variety of offerings, ranging from sky shows, to field trip guides, to interactive software experiences. Teachers and administrators enroll in the Adler’s respected professional development programs and may borrow curriculum-related science kits and field trip support materials.

The Adler is a national leader in science education. Teachers and community groups from across the country can sign up for interactive videoconferences designed and led by Adler educators and/or scientists. We also sponsor symposia and lecture series for adults. Interested members of the general public are invited to download Adler-produced podcasts of videoconferences, lectures and symposia.

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The Greater Chicago area is full of attractions for all ages. Chicago claims fame to producing the earliest steel frame skyscraper, Pullman rail car, cafeteria, co-educational public high school, bifocal contact lens, along with Cracker Jacks and Schwinn Bicycles. Hugh Hefner started Playboy magazine here. Other bragging points for this city along Lake Michigan’s southwest shore include Sears Tower, stretching 110 floors skyward, the Merchandise Mart as the world’s largest commercial building, and McCormick Place as the largest convention center with 2.2 million square feet.

Adler Planetarium
Opened in 1930 as the first planetarium in the western hemisphere, additions to the Adler within the past decade include a theater and restaurant.
1300 South Lake Shore Drive. Call (312) 922-7827 for more information.

Art Institute of Chicago

Here you’ll find Grant Wood’s American Gothic, Picasso’s The Old Guitarist and a spectacular collection of Impressionist and post Impressionist works by Monet, Renoir, and Gaugin among other celebrated artists.
South Michigan Avenue and Adams Street. Call (312) 443-3600 for more information.

Field Museum
Explore cultures and environments from around the world within six acres of exhibits at this world-class facility originally funded by retailer Marshall Field.
Lake Shore Drive and East Roosevelt Road. Call (312) 922-9410 for more information.

The Loop
Known as the Loop since cable car days of the late 1800s, Chicago’s downtown serves as a vibrant architectural museum where you can wander past modern towers adjacent to 19th century structures, shop at huge department stores surviving the malling of America, and visit world-renowned museums. Noisily looping the loop overhead, you will encounter the train called the El.

Museum of Science and Industry
At this sprawling exhibit powerhouse, you can walk through a replica of a human heart, explore a WWII German submarine or sample perfect acoustics at the Whispering Gallery.
5700 South Lake Shore Drive. Call (773) 684-1414 for more information.

Sears Tower
Once the world’s tallest building (now edged out by another in Malaysia), the 110-story Sears Tower continues to impress with its steel frame covered in black aluminum and bronze-tinted glass. On clear days, you can see Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin from the 103rd floor Skydeck open 365 days.
233 South Wacker Drive. Call (312) 875-9696 for more information.

Shedd Aquarium
John G. Shedd Aquarium, the world’s largest, boasts underwater viewing areas for dolphins and whales along with exhibits for river otters, electric eels, piranhas, and scores of other aquatic wonders.
1200 South Lake Shore Drive. Call (312) 939-2426 for more information.

Tags: Chicago Attractions, Chicago Condos, Chicago Real Estate, Lincoln Park

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