Adler Planetarium
The Adler Planetarium, established in 1928 in Chicago, is recognized as the first modern planetarium in the Western Hemisphere. Funded by business leader Max Adler, it features an advanced optical projection device created by Carl Zeiss, which projects celestial images onto a hemispherical dome. Located on Northerly Island, an artificial landmass in Lake Michigan, the planetarium was designed to be part of a cultural complex alongside the Field Museum of Natural History and Shedd Aquarium. Upon its opening, it drew substantial daily attendance, becoming a highlight of the 1933 Chicago World's Fair, where it showcased innovative lighting techniques using signals from the star Arcturus.
Over the years, the Adler Planetarium has played a pivotal role in shaping science education and has significantly influenced the establishment of over two hundred planetariums across the United States by 1960. Additionally, it houses one of the world's most significant collections of historical astronomical artifacts, enhancing its reputation as a leading institution in both astronomy and education. The Adler continues to serve as a valuable resource for those interested in the sciences, fostering a broad appreciation for celestial exploration and discovery.
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Adler Planetarium
Identification First American planetarium
Also known as Adler Planetarium and Astronomical Museum of Chicago
Date Opened on May 12, 1930
Place Chicago, Illinois
The Adler Planetarium was the first public planetarium opened in the United States. It served as an example for a number of planetariums, such as those in Los Angeles, New York, and Philadelphia, that were opened across the United States during the 1930’s and 1940’s.
In 1928, Chicago business leader Max Adler invested $500,000 to build the first modern planetarium in the Western Hemisphere. He had learned of an optical projection device designed by the firm of Carl Zeiss in 1923, and he brought one to Chicago. Zeiss’s device, positioned at the center of a hemispherical room, used self-produced light to project images of celestial objects onto the inner surface of the dome. While the planetarium was the main feature of Adler’s building, numerous astronomy exhibits surrounded it.
Adler built the museum on Northerly Island, an artificial land mass in Lake Michigan that was the first of a series of artificial islands stretching southward. The South Park Commissioners (later the Chicago Park District) agreed to maintain and operate the planetarium. They connected the island to the mainland permanently soon after the opening of the planetarium, which formed what became a popular complex with the nearby Field Museum of Natural History and Shedd Aquarium. The average daily attendance at the Adler in its first two years was more than seventeen hundred.
The lights for opening night of the Chicago World’s Fair were turned on by light from the star Arcturus that was converted into electrical signals and sent to the Adler. The planetarium became one of the main features of the fair. The fair also contributed to the long-term sustainability of the Adler when its president donated $16,000.
Impact
The Adler Planetarium influenced the development of numerous planetariums in the United States, of which there were more than two hundred by 1960. Adler obtained historical artifacts to form one of the most important astronomy collections in the world. The planetarium also became a leader in science education.
Bibliography
Fox, Philip. Adler Planetarium and Astronomical Museum. Chicago: Fred J. Ringley, 1937.
Marché, Jordan D. Theaters of Time and Space: American Planetaria, 1930-1970. New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press, 2005.
Webster, Roderick S., Marjorie Webster, and Sara Schechner. Western Astrolabes. Chicago: Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum, 1998.