One World, One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure (Chicago)
Adler Planetarium
This planetarium show, a China-U.S. cooperative project, follows Big Bird, Elmo and Hu Hu Zhu on an exploration of the sky. The show is presented in English, Spanish and Mandarin. Visit the Web site for details on Spanish and Mandarin screenings.

Hard Rock and Heavy Metal (Chicago)
Adler Planetarium
Exhibit of sundials includes sundials in stone, brass, silver and bronze. Runs Feb. 7-Aug. 9.

Telescopes: Through the Looking Glass (Chicago)
Adler Planetarium
This exhibit features some of the world’s most important telescopes and one-of-a-kind hands-on interactives. Kids can look through a 20 foot long telescope from the 1600s, build a telescope using different tubes and lenses, and view themselves in infrared light.

Summer Tropical Flower Show (Chicago)
Garfield Park Conservatory
Enjoy a display of tropical flowering and foliage plants, including hibiscus and begonias.

Beyond Golden Clouds: Japanese Screens from the Art Institute of Chicago and the Saint Louis Art Museum (Chicago)
Art Institute of Chicago
Exhibit showcases the art of the Japanese folding screen, with examples from the 19th century to the present.

Picture Perfect: Art from Caldecott Award Books, 2006-2009 (Chicago)
Art Institute of Chicago
See favorite kids' books come to life in this exhibit of original paintings, drawings, and prints from 17 picture books that have received a Caldecott Medal of Honor Award between 2006 and 2009.

Wheel Works of Art Phase Two (Naperville)
DuPage Children's Museum
Multiple new wheel-inspired art installations featuring Cat's Paradise, a life-sized mural that invites children to step into this artistic world. Climb up the stairs of the Cat Tower and turn the crank that spins an assortment of toys fit for any art-loving cat. New, original costumes will help children get in the mood to explore the belts and wheels that keep the toys rolling.

Dinosaurs Alive! (Brookfield)
Brookfield Zoo
This interactive and multi-sensory exhibit will allow visitors to see, touch and even control the movements of life-size animatronic replicas of dinosaurs, on display in a wooded setting. The exhibit includes a replica dig site and interactive dig box where kids can play the role of paleontologist and uncover dinosaur bones. Interpretive signs and materials will also be featured. Exhibit runs April 4 through October. Requires a separate admission in addition to zoo general admission.

Paradise Lost: Climate Change in the North Woods (Chicago)
Notebaert Nature Museum
Environmental art exhibit uses paintings, quilts, puzzles and music to illustrate the effects of climate change in Wisconsin's North Woods.

One Small Step: Apollo 11 40th Anniversary! (Chicago)
Adler Planetarium
Daily during the month of July, celebrate the 40th anniversary of the first mission to land on the moon with moon-themed activities from 1-3 p.m. and daily giveaways. Check out the new Moon Wall in the Shoot for the Moon exhibit, where you can interact with images of the Moon from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. Visit the Web site for more information.

From Earth to the Universe (Chicago)
Adler Planetarium
Seven images from space captured by astronomers from the Adler and the Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics, University of Chicago, will be displayed in the pedestrian walkway tunnel near the CTA station at O'Hare International Airport. Viewers with a smartphone can take a picture of a barcode on each image and retrieve additional information about the celestial body from a Web site. For more information, visit fromearthtotheuniverse.org.

Ultra-Realistic Sculpture by Marc Sijan (Elmhurst)
Elmhurst Art Museum
This exhibit features 17  of the startlingly lifelike human figures sculpted by Marc Sijan. Exhibit includes full size figures, torsos and portraits.

Culprits, Innocents and Outsiders: Heartland Visions (Chicago)
Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art
Exhibit features the work of seven self-taught artists from  Ohio.

Finding Walden: Photographs of the Chicago Parks System (Chicago)
Notebaert Nature Museum
Exhibit features Bill Guy's photographs of Chicago's various neighborhood parks.

Cirque Shanghai: Bright Spirit (Chicago)
Navy Pier
Cirque Shanghai returns to Navy Pier with a new show featuring Chinese acrobatics in a full scale theatrical production. Runs June 3-Sept. 7. Visit Web site for schedule.

The Big World: Recent Art from China (Chicago)
Chicago Cultural Center
Exhibit features 50 works in mixed media by artists living and working in China.

Real Pirates: The Untold Story of the Whydah from Slave Ship to Pirate Ship (Chicago)
Field Museum
Exhibit explores the Whydah, which sank off Cape Cod in 1717 and is the first authenticated pirate ship to be discovered. See artifacts, discover more about pirate life and learn about this period in history.

Masterpieces of Ancient Jewelry: Exquisite Objects from the Cradle of Civilization (Chicago)
Field Museum
This exhibit of jewelry and accessories covering 7,000 years, assembled from the world's great museums provides a window into ancient society and chronicles the cross-currents of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Yellowstone to Yukon: Freedom to Roam (Chicago)
Field Museum
Learn how National Parks and other conservation groups are working together to create "wildlife corridors" for animals that need roaming room to maintain their populations. Exhibit features the landscape photography of Florian Schulz, who documented these animals, and video of the animals of this region.

Water (Chicago)
Field Museum
Discover the importance of Earth's most vital resource in this exhibit featuring hands-on activities, dioramas, artifacts and multimedia.

Sacred Waters: India's Great Kumbia Mela Pilgrimage (Chicago)
Field Museum
Photographer Jean-Marc Giboux's exhibit portrays the Kumbha Mela Pilgrimage, the largest human gathering on earth.

At the Art Studio (Chicago)
Field Museum
Kids can create art based on water themes and learn how to conserve water in the Crown Family Playlab. Daily in July.

Road to Freedom: Photographs of the Civil Rights Movement 1956-1968 (Chicago)
Field Museum
More than 150 black-and-white photos, by artists, photojournalists, and amateurs, depict the Civil Rights Movement.

Block Party Exhibit (Chicago)
Chicago Children's Museum
Participants can create pretend pizzas, tacos, stir fry and ice cream cones, then get dressed up to perform on stage.

Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs (Indianapolis)
Children's Museum of Indianapolis
Exhibit features more than 130 treasures from the tomb of the Boy King and other Egyptian rulers from 2600 B.C.-660 B.C. Visit the Web site for schedule of hours.

EarthWorks: Virtual Explorations of the Ancient Ohio Valley (Evanston)
Mitchell Museum of the American Indian
This hi-tech exhibit explores the ancient mound-building civilizations of the Ohio Valley, with virtual reconstructions of earthworks from 39 sites across several states and 2,000 years.

A Mother’s Touch: The Cradleboard Collection of the Mitchell Museum (Evanston)
Mitchell Museum of the American Indian
Exhibit features 11 cradleboards, distinctively shaped infant carriers, of various Native American tribal origins, created from the late 19th to the late 20th century.

Cinderella (Chicago)
Chicago Kids Company
Performance runs April 2-10 at The Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell, Arlington Heights, Ill., April 14-July 16 at Stahl Family Theater (St. Patrick Performing Arts Center), 5900 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. Check the Web site for performance schedule.

The Princess and the Pea (Chicago)
Chicago Kids Company
Performances at Beverly Arts Center, 2407 W. 111th St., Chicago, at 10:30 a.m. except for 1 p.m. July 18. Call (773) 205-9600 or visit the Web site for tickets.

Cinderella (Chicago)
Chicago Kids Company
Performances at Stahl Family Theatre (St. Patrick Performing Arts Center), 599 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. Check the web site for times and tickets or call (773) 205-9600.

Color Play Exhibit (Glenview)
Kohl Children's Museum
Hands-on exhibit illuminates the art and science of color with more than 15 interactives.

Disney's Aladdin (Chicago)
Chicago Shakespeare Theater
This musical production is based on the 1992 Duisney film. Runs July 1-Aug. 30. Performances are at 11 a.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays with an additional 2 p.m. performance Thursdays-Sundays, except July 2-3.

The Arabian Nights (Chicago)
Lookingglass Theatre in the Water Tower Water Works
This new adaptation of the famous tales will preview May 20-29 and run May 31-July 12. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, 3 and 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, 7:30 p.m. Friday. Call the box office or visit the Web site for tickets.

Peggy Macnamara: The Natural Art of Nests (Glencoe)
Chicago Botanic Garden
Learn about different types of nests in this exhibit of original artwork by Peggy Macnamara from her recently published book, Architecture by Birds & Insects.

Darwin’s Flowers: Unlocking Natural Selection (Lisle)
Morton Arboretum
See a collection of Charles Darwin’s works that supported his theory of natural selection as the driving force of evolution, including archival photos, copies of Darwin's books, lithographs, botanical prints, and plant diagrams. Sterling Morton Library. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Fri., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat.

Summer Tropical Flower Show (Chicago)
Lincoln Park Conservatory
Experience a tropical paradise with displays of flowering plants and colorful foliage.

Silent Stories from Arlington Heights' Past (Arlington Heights)
Arlington Heights Historical Museum
The stories of those long ago laid to rest in some of Arlington Heights' cemeteries are told in this exhibit. Through biographical sketches, photographs, and personal artifacts, the lives of many of the village’s early residents, along with the art and symbolism often found on their grave markers, are explored.

Lincoln Treasures (Chicago)
Chicago History Museum
Family-friendly exhibition features Lincoln artifacts, including his pocket watch, desk, and the bed in which he died. April 1 through May 1, the exhibit will also feature Lincoln's handwritten Gettysburg Address.

Prehistoric Lake County (Wauconda)
Lake County Discovery Museum
In the Museum’s newest original exhibition, paleontologists and artists team up to uncover what life was like in Lake County over the past 400 million years.

Worldwide Agates (Elmhurst)
Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art
Exhibit of agates also features a geography activity for kids.

Harry Potter: The Exhibition (Chicago)
Museum of Science and Industry
In this world premiere exhibit, Harry Potter fans can get a close-up look at more than 200 authentic costumes and props from the films displayed in intricate settings inspired by the Hogwarts™ movie sets. A limited number of advance tickets are available on the Web site. This exhibit has extended hours, till 9 p.m. nightly. Timed-entry ticket required. Combination tickets including general admission are $26, $25 seniors, $19 kids 3-11; exhibit-only tickets good from Museum closing-9 p.m. are $18, $15 kids 3-11.

Fast Forward (Chicago)
Museum of Science and Industry
New permanent exhibit showcases how real-life technology from cutting-edge innovators will shape and advance our society, including advances in robotics, outer space travel, clothing engineered to respond to your environment, and more.

Smart Home: Green+Wired (Chicago)
Museum of Science and Industry
The " greenest home in Chicago" exhibit is reinterpreted and updated. See how people can make eco-friendly living a part of their lives. This exhibit is not included in general admission, and requires a ticket and specified entry time.

The Soul of Bronzeville: The Regal, Club DeLisa, and the Blues (Chicago)
DuSable Museum of African American History
Exhibit uses insturments, original photographs, memorabilia, music and moving footage to chronicle the musicians and clubs that contributed to the Chicago blues sound.

Tracing the Civil Rights Movement 1848 to 1968 (Chicago)
DuSable Museum of African American History
This exhibit uses museum artifacts to recap important moments in the civil rights movement.

Eyes to the Skies Balloon Festival (Lisle)
Eyes to the Skies Balloon Festival
This festival features hot air balloon launches, as well as musical entertainment, a special kids' area, an arts and crafts fair, fireworks, a large carnival and an assortment of daily events. Visit Web site for times of festival and carnival.

Taste of Chicago (Chicago)
Taste of Chicago
The festival features musical entertainment on three stages, cooking demonstrations, carnival rides, a special kids entertainment area and, of course, lots and lots of food. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily. Closes at 9:30 p.m. on July 3-4 and 6 p.m. on July 5.

To See Reality in a New Light: The Art and Activism of Marion Perkins (Chicago)
Carter G. Woodson Regional Library
Retrospective exhibition on the life and work of Chicago Renaissance sculptor and social activist Marion Perkins will be on display Jan. 31-Dec. 31.

Family Fun Festival (Chicago)
Millennium Park
Featuring daily hands-on activities and kids' concerts at Chase Promenade North in Millennium Park. Check www.millenniumpark.org for details. June 10-Sept. 4, daily.

Tall Man of Destiny: Images of Abraham Lincoln (Chicago)
Harold Washington Library Center
This exhibit displays images of Abraham Lincoln in many different forms, including an 1860 campaign banner, Civil War era magazine illustrations, sculpture, and folk art painting.

Barrington 4th of July Festival (Barrington)
Barrington 4th of July Festival
Event features entertainment and fireworks. Visit Web site for details and times.

Land of Lincoln Readers (Chicago)
Chicago Public Library
Chicago Public Library's summer reading program for kids features interactive events and performances that explore Lincoln's life and times. Visit the Web site for a schedule of events at local library branches.

Dragons of Komodo (Indianapolis)
Indianapolis Zoo
Exhibit features Komodo dragons of various sizes.

Butterflies (Indianapolis)
Indianapolis Zoo
Exhibit features species from the United States, Central America, South American and Africa. Experience these beautiful and delicate creatures up close and personal. Visit during regular zoo hours. 

Voices of Norwood Park (Chicago)
Noble-Seymour-Crippen House
This exhibit tells the stories of the historic Norwood Park neighborhood through old photos, personal memorabilia, artifacts, and audio and video recordings.

Chicago Model City (Chicago)
Chicago Architecture Foundation
This exhibit features highly detailed scale models, photographs, maps, videos and computer animations. Held in the atrium of the Santa Fe Building, 224 S. Michigan, Chicago. Exhibit runs June 11-Nov. 20.

B Like Burnham (Chicago)
Chicago Architecture Foundation
This exhibit is designed for families to understand Daniel Burnham, the 1909 Plan, and the Burnham legacy. On June 21, there is an opening event where families can explore the gallery with an "I spy" gallery guide and make a Burnham-inspired souvenir to take home.

Improvised Shakespeare Company (Chicago)
Theatre on the Lake
Each night, the Improvised Shakespeare Company takes a title suggested by the audience and performs a fully improvised Elizabethan style play using the language and themes of Shakespeare. 7:30 p.m. July 1-4, 6:30 p.m. July 5. Call or visit the box office beginning June 9 for tickets.

Kids Bowl Free (Downers Grove)
Tivoli Bowl
Kids 15 and under can visit the Tivoli Bowl and receive a Safe Summer punch card, which will allow them to receive a free game of bowling every day from June 7-August 31. Call or visit the Web site for more information.

Prancing Carousels (Lake Geneva)
Lake Geneva Convention and Visitors Bureau
Exhibit of themed carousel horses will be displayed throughout downtown Lake Geneva. Get a map includign artist information at the Lake Geneva Convention and Visitors Bureau. Exhibit is held to benefit Special Methods in Learning Equine Skills (SMILES). For more information, visit prancingcarousels.com.

Animal Houses (Lisle)
Morton Arboretum
This outdoor exhibition features 11 oversized, interactive animal shelters that will allow kids and adults to see, experience, and learn how animals interact with trees and the environment. Visitors can get an underwater feeling in the Pollywog Pond as they see the pollywogs overhead, emerge from the Squirrel Drey onto a perch like a squirrel on a tree branch, crawl on a net suspended aboveground in the Spider's Web, and more. Open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. or sunset, whichever is earlier.

Nature Story Time (River Forest)
Trailside Museum of Natural History
Nature-inspired stories, crafts and activities for preschoolers with an adult. This nature program will be held on July 2, 16, and 30, each time with a different story/theme/activity.

Farmer for a Day (Glenview)
Wagner Farm
Families can experience farm life by doing daily chores and activities that were commonplace on a dairy farm in the 1920s. Activities vary from day to day, but may include domestic chores, milking a cow, collecting eggs, and feeding the animals. Call for more information.

WTTW Kids Great Food Fan Van (Various throughout Chicagoland and Indiana)
The WTTW Kids Great Food Fan Van
Event features a concert by Miss Lori's CAMPUS, with original songs about being active and eating right. Food samples, complimentary products, coupons and trivia games are also included. Jewel, 11730 South Marshfield, Chicago.

Little Bearfoot in the Park (Glenview)
Glenview Park District
Steve Beno performs a kids' concert at Gallery Park, 2415 W. Lake Ave., Glenview.

Model Railroad Garden: Landmarks of America (Glencoe)
Chicago Botanic Garden
Garden-scale trains traverse bridges and miniature scenes of American landmarks, with gardens planted to scale. 2009 exhibit features new East Coast landmarks.

Burrow Sweet Burrow (Lisle)
Morton Arboretum
Learn about underground animals in this drop-in activity. Daily in July.

The Underground Farmer (Lisle)
Morton Arboretum
Explore ants up close in this drop-in activity in the Children's Garden. Daily in July, weather permitting.

got milk? Mobile Tour (Chicago)
got milk? Mobile Tour
The Mobile Tour visits Chicagoland from July 2-10, featuring  tips on wellness, free health screenings, samples of milk, smoothies, and free five-minute chair massages. Families can pose for souvenir Milk Mustache photos. Today's stop is  at the Thompson Center, 100 W. Randolph St., Chicago.

Water Bugs (Bourbonnais)
Kankakee River State Park
Discover what organisms live in the Rock Creek. Meet at Concession Stand.

Naperville Ribfest (Naperville)
Naperville Ribfest
Fest features a BBQ contest with 17 rib vendors, food ranging from ribs and hot dogs to salads, snacks, desserts and drinks, two live music stages, special events, and fireworks.  Family area features carnival rides, inflatables, circus tricks, magic show, face painting, Forms in Motion Circus, petting zoo, live performances by Dave Rudolf, McNulty Irish Dancers, Jesse White Tumblers and School of the Performing Arts. Bulls/Sox Training Academy will present a free baseball training camp for kids from 1-3 p.m. July 5. Check the Web site for a complete schedule of events. Sponsored by the Naperville Exchange Club to raise funds to help fight child abuse and domestic violence.

Titanic: Treasures from the Deep (Naperville)
Naperville Ribfest
The mobile museum featuring authentic artifacts recovered from Titanic will visit Ribfest from noon-9 p.m.

Milwaukee Summerfest (Milwaukee)
Milwaukee Summerfest
Event includes entertainment, family exhibits and displays, children's theater and playzone, puppet shows and travelling wildlife show.

Picnic Stories (Deerfield)
Deerfield Public Library
Bring a bag lunch and enjoy stories for the whole family in the park. Event moves to the Storytime Room if it rains. Thursday, June 18-Aug. 6.

Into the Wild (Lisle)
Morton Arboretum
Explore the natural habitats that surround the garden, while singing songs, playing games and pretending to be animals. Hikes will last approximately 45 minutes. July 2 and 16.

Crime Lab Detectives (Rockford)
Discovery Center Museum
Take on the role of chief investigator with this new traveling exhibit. Examine fingerprints, fibers and DNA; scrutinize tire tracks and witnesses’ accounts as you collect, sort and analyze evidence as a forensic scientist would.

The Drawn-Out History of Comic Books (Elmhurst)
Elmhurst Historical Museum
Comic book fans of all ages will see how comic books evolved from humble beginnings to more sophisticated story lines and memorable characters.

Splash Pad (Oakbrook Terrace)
Oakbrook Terrace Park District Splash Pad
The Splash Pad is the newest trend in water play and has no standing water. There are six above the ground spray features which include a daisy, horse cannon, rainbow, serpent head, fire hydrant and pelican. In addition, the splash pad has eight in-ground, nozzles that spray in various capacities. People of all ages are welcome to enjoy the splash pad. A supervisor will be posted during open hours. Kids 7 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

Car Cruise (Crown Point)
The City of Crown Point
Annual Car Cruise nights will take place around the historic downtown square on Thursdays in May, June, July and September, and at Beacon Hill Plaza in August. Opening night, May 7, features 50s and 60s music from Five Star DJ and Karaoke. Rain date is May 14.

Free Bingo Event (Melrose Park)
Winston Plaza Shoping Center
Play Bingo for prizes. Event includes free crafts and carnival-like games for kids.

Westmont Cruisin' Nights (Westmont)
Downtown Westmont
Event features classic cars, live music, radio station appearances, car parades, raffles, people’s choice classic car awards, and more.

Public Art in Geneva Walking Tour (Geneva)
Geneva History Center
Join Educator Margaret Selakovich for a tour of public art in the Geneva downtown area. Meet at the History Center.