Happy news for Chicago stargazers: the Adler Planetarium is packing up its telescopes and taking the universe on tour. Through its free ‘Scopes in the City program, the museum’s astronomy educators and volunteers set up telescope observing sessions at local libraries and parks across many Chicago neighborhoods, bringing the night sky a little closer to home.
The next stop is on Monday, November 2, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at the Obama Presidential Center Branch of the Chicago Public Library, with another November session planned at the Bucktown-Wicker Park Branch. Earlier this fall the telescopes visited the Portage-Cragin Branch, and each evening offers a different sky to discover, from the craters of the Moon to the planets shining over the city.
No museum ticket is needed: neighbors simply walk up, look through a telescope guided by people who love astronomy, and ask all the questions they like about the daytime and nighttime sky. It is the Adler’s joyful way of sharing science beyond Museum Campus, one neighborhood at a time. Because observing depends on the weather, the museum recommends checking the partner library’s website for the latest information before heading out. Happy City News invites you to look up, Chicago: the universe is visiting your block.
Photo: Victor Grigas / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
