Transport your family to the cosmos with a trip to the Adler Planetarium in Chicago. Located on the city’s stunning Museum Campus, the planetarium has allowed visitors to gaze into the sky for nearly a century.
Quick details about the Adler Planetarium
- Address: 1300 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Chicago
- Hours: 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. Monday-Tuesday; 4 p.m.- 10 p.m. Wednesday; 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. Thursday-Sunday
- General admission: $19/ages 11-plus, $8/ages 3-11, free for ages 2 and under.
- Getting there: The 130 and 146 CTA buses service the planetarium. Transfer to the 146 bus from the Roosevelt red, green or orange line.
- Parking: Street parking is available along Solidarity Drive. The Adler Parking Lot and Soldier Field North Garage are paid parking lots with rates ranging from $12-$50.
The Adler Planetarium features more than a dozen exhibit halls that will take your family on a journey through the solar system. Little astronomers can learn about the night sky in their own backyards, take a trip to the moon and much more.
As a bonus, the Adler offers some amazing views of Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline. After you’ve traveled through space at these kid-friendly exhibits, be sure to take a few moments to take in the amazing sights right here on Earth.
Things to do with kids at Adler Planetarium
- Planet Explorers takes families with children ages 3-8 on a modern space adventure. Kids can climb, crawl and play as they learn what it takes to be an astronaut.
- Watch an award-winning sky show. These immersive shows take families out of this world for quick trips through the solar system. Shows for kids include One World, One Sky, a journey to the moon with your child’s favorite Sesame Street characters, and Nyah and the Multiverse, an adventure with a Chicago pre-teen who discovers where she fits in the universe.
- Snap a photo in the Clark Family Welcome Gallery. The out-of-this-world installation will feel like it’s transporting your family to another dimension with 125 LED lights that create millions of changing color and light combinations.
- Launch a stomp rocket and discover what it was like to be one of the first people to walk on the moon at Mission Moon.
- Gaze into the sky with the largest telescope available to the Chicagoland public at the Doane Observatory. Spot planes, moons, stars and more!
- Learn about solar eclipses and how to spot them — including the upcoming eclipse on April 8, 2024 — at the Chasing Eclipses exhibit.
- Depending on staff availability, the Community PlayLab is open on Saturdays to provide hands-on activities for kids ages 6 and under.
Tips for visiting Adler Planetarium with kids
- Visiting on a budget? General admission is free for Illinois residents from 4-10 p.m. every Wednesday evening. The Adler is also a participating Museums for All museum and offers eligible visitors $1 and $5 admission.
- All tickets must be purchased online. In case your family is trying to squeeze in a last minute visit, keep in mind that the last admission is one hour before closing time.
- General admission is free for Illinois residents from 4-10 p.m. every Wednesday evening.
- There is not a coat check at the Adler, so bring in only what you can carry during your visit. Strollers are permitted.
- Grab a bite to eat from the Cosmic Cafe. The cafe offers sandwiches, soups, salads, desserts and more. Enjoy your meal in the Adler cafe — a stunning space with floor-to-ceiling windows that offer amazing skyline and lakefront views.
- A private nursing room is located outside of the Plant Explorers exhibit on the fourth floor.
- Familiarize yourself with the layout of the planetarium — including accessible entrances and restrooms — with this museum map.
- Can’t get enough of the planetarium? The Adler has 10 at-home science experiments that little scientists can try with their families. The Let’s Do Science activities range from creating your own lava lamp to growing crystals.
Things to do nearby with kids
- Make it a museum day with a visit to the Shedd Aquarium or The Field Museum, both located on the Museum Campus.
- Walk the Lakefront Trail and explore the city’s scenic parks, beaches and seasonal attractions with your kids.
- Play at Maggie Daley Park, an imaginative city park with a three-acre Play Garden that features slides, swings, water and spray features, bridges, climbing structures and more.
- Already seen the tourist hot spots? Explore the nearby South Loop neighborhood and find the best places to eat, shop and play with kids in our South Loop family guide.
Follow Chicago Parent on Instagram.
