Adler Planetarium

About

The Adler Planetarium sits at the east end of Museum Campus on Chicago's lakefront, at 1300 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive. It was the first planetarium built in the Western Hemisphere, and it still runs three dome theaters alongside exhibit halls devoted to astronomy and space exploration.

Inside, permanent exhibits include Stars Aligned, which covers early astronomy tools, and Mission Moon, which follows astronaut James A. Lovell's path to the lunar missions. Telescopes: Through the Looking Glass traces how the instrument changed what people understood about the sky, and The Universe In Your Hands displays historic pieces from the planetarium's collection. Planet Explorers is built for younger kids, with hands-on activities about modern space missions. Dome shows run in three theaters, including the Johnson Family Star Theater, and each show needs an add-on ticket beyond general admission.

General admission starts at $25 as of 2026, with dome shows priced separately. The museum opens Thursday through Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and stays open later on Wednesdays, from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., with last admission an hour before close. Most visitors spend two to three hours moving through the exhibit halls and one or two shows.

The Adler lot sits next to the building; a full day of parking runs about $27 for a car, with a cheaper early-bird rate before 9:30 a.m. and a reduced rate after 4 p.m. The Soldier Field North Garage is another option nearby, priced by the hour. For public transit, the CTA Roosevelt stop on the Red, Orange, and Green lines connects to the #146 bus, which runs along Museum Campus. Divvy bike-share docks sit right outside the entrance.

Accessibility

The Adler Planetarium is wheelchair accessible, with a step-free entrance, elevators to every floor and wheelchair spaces in all three dome theaters.

Drivers can use the accessible parking spaces reserved in the Chicago Park District lot next to the building. They are first come, first served, so arriving early helps on busy days. A U-shaped turnaround out front handles drop-offs. Coming by CTA, the Roosevelt stop (Red, Orange, Green lines) is fully accessible and connects to the #146 bus, and Pace also runs prearranged paratransit service to the area.

The accessible entrance is next to the Telescope Terrace, to the right of the main doors, and opens with an automated push button. Some older guides point to a South Box Office entrance; look for the Telescope Terrace instead. Once inside, elevators reach every floor, and accessible restrooms sit on the mid-level in both the north and south sections of the building, plus a single-occupancy restroom in the Leffmann Education Center.

For the dome shows, all three theaters have designated wheelchair spaces with companion seating next to them. Manual wheelchairs are loaned free at either box office on a first-come basis; bring a photo ID. Assisted listening devices are also free at the box office for theater audio, and most dome shows offer closed captioning through your own phone at adlercaps.org, so check the specific show before you buy tickets. Service animals trained for a task are welcome throughout the building under ADA rules.

The Adler does not publish information on braille or tactile signage, sensory-friendly hours, ASL interpretation, or the path surfaces on the surrounding Museum Campus grounds, so call ahead if any of those affect your visit.

Checked by Accessible America, August 2026. Report a change

More accessible places in Illinois

• National Museum of Mexican Art (Chicago)
• Museum of Science and Industry (Chicago)
• DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center (Chicago)
• Garfield Park Conservatory (Chicago)
• Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum (Chicago)
• Lincoln Park Conservatory (Chicago)

Photo credits

• The Adler Planetarium's copper dome and marble entrance with an American flag and visitors on the front steps.: Adler Planetarium, CC BY-SA 3.0 (source)
• Statue of Copernicus in front of the Adler Planetarium dome with a welcome banner at the entrance.: Setiawan Soekamtoputra; sculptor Bertel Thorwaldsen, 1768-1844,, Public domain (source)
• Aerial view of the Adler Planetarium on Lake Michigan showing the plaza, ramps, and accessible entrance sign.: Sea Cow, CC BY-SA 4.0 (source)