I’ve been following with great interest the Tribune series “Wonders Of Chicago” as well as the article about “Lost Wonders Of Chicago” (Tempo, Aug. 29).
I would like to suggest a Lost Wonder that didn’t make it onto the list.
For many years this was a true wonder.
It mesmerized, tantalized and inspired an untold millions of Chicagoans. For years and years, while I grew up in the ’50s and ’60s, it was an inspiration to me.
Many, many field trips as well as Sunday and Saturday afternoons were spent with this Lost Wonder.
The Lost Wonder is the days when admission to Chicago’s museums was free.
I don’t know how many afternoons I spent at the Field Museum or the Museum of Science and Industry researching a topic for a school paper or just ogling the wonders.
It is impossible to count the number of days I spent at Adler Planetarium.
Unfortunately those days are gone and replaced now by admission fees that make it almost impossible to just take a Sunday afternoon museum jaunt.
Gone are the days when a whim might carry one into the Field Museum to visit the mummies or to the Shedd Aquarium to marvel at the exotic fish.
Too bad.
Chicago is much poorer for the loss.
