Adler Planetarium
1300 S. Lake Shore Drive; 312-922-7827, adlerplanetarium.org
Ongoing: “One World, One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure”: Big Bird, Elmo and their friend from China, Hu Hu Zhu, take visitors on a journey to learn about the Big Dipper, North Star, sun and moon in this Definiti Space Theater show.
Ongoing: “Planet Explorers”: A hands-on exhibition that allows children to be backyard stargazers, go on a planetary excavation, experience a simulated blastoff into space and more. Recommended for ages 3-8.
Balzekas Museum
of Lithuanian Culture
6500 S. Pulaski Road; 773-582-6500, balzekasmuseum.org
Through Dec. 31: Darius and Girenas Transatlantic Flight: The exhibit celebrates the 80th anniversary of the flight by Lithuanian-American pilots Steponas (Stephen) Darius and Stasys (Stanley) Girenas from New York, which crashed 404 miles short of its destination — Kaunas, Lithuania. It was the second longest and most navigationally precise single flight of its time, carrying the first transatlantic airmail consignment.
Ongoing: “Lithuania Through the Ages”: The main exhibit at the museum takes visitors through centuries of events in Lithuanian history through films on the culture, history and current state of the country.
Brookfield Zoo
8400 31st St., Brookfield; 708-688-8000, czs.org
Ongoing: Great Bear Wilderness: Enter the natural habitats of North American animals, including grizzly bears, polar bears, bison, eagles and Mexican gray wolves, with more than 30,000 new plantings that reproduce tundra, prairie and temperate forest landscapes.
Ongoing: Hamill Family Play Zoo: One of the country’s first major learning centers at a zoo centers//focuses// on how early childhood play can help children build a strong connection to animals and nature. The children’s zoo features domestic animals and North American wildlife.
Ongoing: Seven Seas: Dolphin Shows feature Atlantic bottlenose dolphins performing aerial displays to demonstrate their intelligence and agility. In the Underwater Viewing exhibit, visitors can observe dolphin life beneath the surface and learn about zoo initiatives in dolphin conservation.
Cantigny Park
1S151 Winfield Road, Wheaton; 630-668-5161, cantigny.org
Ongoing: The First Division Museum explores America’s military history through the eyes of those who served in the U.S. Army’s 1st Infantry Division, also known as the Big Red One. Enter a World War I frontline trench, board a World War II landing craft bound for Omaha Beach and walk through a Vietnam jungle. Outside the museum, see and touch an impressive collection of vintage military vehicles and artillery, including tanks.
Cernan Earth and Space Center
Triton College, 2000 Fifth Ave., River Grove; 708-456-0300, http://www.triton.edu/cernan
Ongoing: “Apollo/Mars Landscape Diorama”: The two-part exhibit commemorates the successful Apollo missions to the moon with models of the lunar module and lunar rover as part of the display, while also celebrating present and future exploration of Mars with re-creations of the rocky and sandy Martian landscape, complete with a scale model of the Sojourner probe.
Ongoing: “Earth View”: The computer-generated video exhibit updates every five minutes and displays a map that shows the current day and night hemispheres, along with the locations on Earth that have the sun directly overhead and the moon directly overhead.
Chicago Architecture Foundation
224 S. Michigan Ave.; 312-922-3432, architecture.org
Ongoing: “Chicago Model City”: A large-scale, 400-block representation of the Loop includes 1,000 highly detailed buildings. City photographs, maps and videos complement the display.
Ongoing: “Chicago: You Are Here”: Finding the “zero point” on Chicago’s street grid, a video of an “L” ride, an image of the packing house at the Union Stock Yards and more are part of this exhibit that looks at the spaces, places and structures that define Chicago.
Ongoing: “Stories Behind the Skylines” tours: Walking, boat and bus tours highlight Chicago’s architectural landscape, including historic residencies, lakefront parks and modern skyscrapers.
Chicago Botanic Garden
1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe; 847-835-5440, chicagobotanic.org
Ongoing: Farwell Landscape Garden: A cross-section of gardens suitable for residential settings and the plants appropriate to these designs make up the specialized gardens. These include formal and informal herb gardens, a traditional perennial border, a rock garden, stream-side gardens, an easy-to-grow mixed border and other small-scale landscaping ideas for Midwest gardens. A meandering path, with pools and streams, creates a strolling path through visually pleasing settings.
Chicago Children’s Museum
Navy Pier, 700 E. Grand Ave.; 312-527-1000, chicagochildrensmuseum.org
Ongoing: “Skyline”: Learn about the science of construction and architecture, and the connection between buildings and basic science, technology, engineering and math principles, in this collaborative learning exhibit. Families can work together to build large-scale buildings such as skyscrapers, houses and bridges using real-world materials, including wooden struts, bolts and nuts. The Skyscraper Challenge allows visitors to record themselves building a skyscraper as part of a customized take-home package that also includes a construction video.
Chicago Cultural Center
78 E. Washington St.; 312-744-6630, chicagoculturalcenter.org
Ongoing: “Chicago Landmarks Before the Lens: Landmarks and historic districts — like North Western Station and the McCarthy Building — are captured in black-and-white photographs taken from 1956 to 1987. The photographic survey includes images by Barbara Crane, Bob Thall and the late Richard Nickel.
Chicago History Museum
1601 N. Clark St.; 312-642-4600, chicagohs.org
Ongoing: “Chicago: Crossroads of America”: The exhibition chronicles the city’s cultural history. Multimedia presentations, interactive galleries and more include the first “L” car and locomotive operated in Chicago, a replica of a jazz club and fashions that would have been displayed in Marshall Field’s windows.
Ongoing: “Vivian Maier’s Chicago”: Surely you’ve heard the tale that has become an art world campfire favorite: In 2007, five storage lockers were sold at an Indiana auction. Among the items were 120,000 photos, contact sheets and undeveloped film rolls, later traced to a humble nanny, a Chicago woman named Vivian Maier who happened to be an amateur street photographer with the eye of a master. None of her work had ever been published, and then, around the time she died in 2009 at 83, there were museum shows, books, a burgeoning legend. The contact sheets that ring this seem like ancestors of the random shots stacking up on iPhones and Flickr accounts, seemingly unbroken documents of what a person with a camera runs across.
Children’s Museum in Oak Lawn
5100 Museum Drive, Oak Lawn; 708-423-6709, cmoaklawn.com
Ongoing: “We the People … “: Two beam pieces from the World Trade Center towers are the center of this exhibit that focuses on unity and patriotism.
Clarke House Museum
1827 S. Indiana Ave.; 312-326-1480, clarkehousemuseum.org
Ongoing: Tours: Explore the Clarke House and see what life was like in Chicago before the Civil War, when the city received its charter and was still mostly undeveloped prairie. Noon and 2 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday (includes tour of Glessner House Museum).
Cosley Zoo
1356 Gary Ave., Wheaton; 630-665-5534, cosleyzoo.org
Ongoing: Animal Bytes: The ongoing programming, open to all ages, offers a variety of daily activities including animal encounters, amphitheater presentations and animal training sessions.
Driehaus Museum
40 E. Erie St.; 312-482-8933, driehausmuseum.org
Ongoing: Twilight Tours: Every first and third Tuesday, a museum guide shares stories, under the glow of Gilded Age lamplight, of how the Nickerson family entertained during the evening hours.
DuPage Children’s Museum
301 N. Washington St., Naperville; 630-637-8000, dupagechildrensmuseum.org
Ongoing: “Trains — Get on Board!”: The Interact with Art gallery at the museum has become a depot for exploration since this exhibit pulled into the station. From a control tower at the entrance, to a kid-sized Metra train and a model train diorama with passenger and freight trains winding around tracks, “Trains” is a lesson in the ways of locomotive travel, as well as math, science and the arts, with continuing updates to the display adding to the fun learning experience.
Ongoing: “Waterways” is a hands-on lesson in water control, the environment and the concepts of flow and gravity through the “Water Flows,” “Water Falls” and “Bubbles” portions of the exhibit.
DuSable Museum of African American History
740 E. 56th Place; 773-947-0600, dusablemuseum.org
Ongoing: “A Slow Walk to Greatness: The Harold Washington Story”: The multimedia exhibition takes a look at the life and legacy of the former mayor.
Elmhurst Historical Museum
120 E. Park Ave., Elmhurst; 630-833-1457, elmhursthistory.org
Through Aug. 25: “Shutter to Think: The Rock & Roll Lens of Paul Natkin”: Behind-the-scenes and on-the-stage moments are captured of some of the music industry’s legends, icons and popular bands by photographer Paul Natkin, including the Rolling Stones, Prince, The Who, Bob Marley, Muddy Waters and Kelly Clarkson.
Evanston History Center
225 Greenwood St., Evanston; 847-475-3410, evanstonhistorycenter.org
Ongoing: Evanston Women’s History Project: A collaborative community effort, the project’s goal is to celebrate the lives of Evanston women and the work of Evanston women’s organizations. EWHP has established a research database of Evanston women’s organizations, women’s history curriculum for local schools, tourism materials and a women’s history exhibit, “Lifting As We Climb: Evanston Women and the Creation of a Community.” The exhibit has been relocated from the History Center and is on display at the Frances Willard House, 1730 Chicago Ave., Evanston.
Field Museum
1400 S. Lake Shore Drive; 312-922-9410, fieldmuseum.org
Ongoing: “Sue the T. rex”: The permanent exhibition is the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus rex ever discovered.
Frances Willard House
1730 Chicago Ave., Evanston; 847-328-7500, franceswillardhouse.org
Ongoing: “Lifting as We Climb”: The exhibit that highlights notable Evanston women is part of the Evanston Women’s History Project, a research effort to document the accomplishments of Evanston women.
Ongoing: Tours: Guided tours are offered the first and third Sunday by appointment. 1-4 p.m. (last tour begins at 3 p.m.); $10, $5 for children under 12
Garfield Farm Museum
3N016 Garfield Road, Campton Hills; 630-584-8485, garfieldfarm.org
Ongoing: Mill Creek Prairie: The 31-acre addition to the museum includes 20 acres of unplowed pasture, with work underway to restore and rehabilitate the prairie.
Garfield Park Conservatory
300 N. Central Park Ave.; 773-638-1766, garfieldconservatory.org
Ongoing: Guided tours: Learn historical facts and more about the collection of plants and trees at the 104-year-old Jens Jensen-designed conservatory, opened in 1908. $12, adults only (self-guided tours also available)
Glessner House Museum
1800 S. Prairie Ave.; 312-326-1480, glessnerhouse.org
Ongoing: Guided tours: Learn about the themes of art, architecture and social history through the museum’s collections, and hear stories of its residents and neighbors. 1 and 3 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday (includes tour of Clarke House Museum).
Harold Washington Library
400 S. State St.; 312-747-4300, chipublib.org
Ongoing: “Called to the Challenge — The Legacy of Harold Washington” examines the life of the former mayor and provides an overview of projects from his tenure.
Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center
9603 Woods Drive, Skokie; 847-967-4800, ilholocaustmuseum.org
Ongoing: “Zev and Shifra Karkomi Permanent Exhibition”: Artifacts, photographs, testimonials and more tell a story of the Holocaust, from life in Germany before the war to ghettos and concentrations camps and then postwar resettlement, with a focus on life in Skokie.
Jane Addams Hull-House
Museum
800 S. Halsted St.; 312-413-5353, uic.edu/jaddams/hull
Ongoing: “Re-Defining Democracy: Jane Addams and the Hull-House Settlement”: A look into life of residents of the Hull home includes a scale model of the settlement as it was in 1913, highlighting the work of Chicago architects Irving Pond and Allen Pond; a multimedia display of programs for children at Hull-House; and personal artifacts of Jane Addams, including her Nobel Peace Prize, photos, childhood drawings and personal diary.
John Hancock Center
875 N. Michigan Ave.; 888-875-8439, jhochicago.com
Ongoing: Skywalk: The patiolike enclosure with industrial-strength screens is Chicago’s highest open-air viewing deck, 1,000 feet above the Magnificent Mile.
Kohl Children’s
Museum
2100 Patriot Blvd., Glenview; 847-832-6600, kohlchildensmuseum.org
Ongoing: “Baby Nursery”: The interactive exhibit aims to teach children about caring for babies and to develop care-taking behavior by acting as a doctor and treating doll babies using a stethoscope or X-ray viewer; changing, bathing, feeding the babies and more.
Lincoln Park Zoo
2001 N. Clark St.; 312-742-2000, lpzoo.org
Ongoing: Regenstein African Journey: The sights and sounds of Africa are brought to visitors in four habitats that house giraffes, rhinoceroses, colorful fish, the Regenstein Center for African Apes and more.
Mitchell Museum of the American Indian
3001 Central St., Evanston; 847-475-1030, mitchellmuseum.org
Ongoing: “Did You Know They’re Native II?”: The first of many updates to the museum’s permanent exhibit that spotlights notable Native Americans, past and present, now includes artist and activist Charlene Teeters (Spokane tribe); Olympic gold medal runner Billy Mills (Oglala Lakota); Jeff Styers (Mohawk and Onondaga Clear Sky), president and founder of Arrow Strategies; and actor and activist Adam Beach (Canadian Saulteaux).
Morton Arboretum
4100 Illinois Highway 53, Lisle; 630-968-0074, mortonarb.org
Ongoing: “Tree House Tales”: Children of all ages can learn about the species of various trees in this interactive exhibit of tree houses like the Empress Tree Castle or the Bur Oak Clubhouse Hideaway that offer fun and educational activities.
Museum of Contemporary Photography
Columbia College, 600 S. Michigan Ave.; 312-663-5554, mocp.org
Through July 3: “Spectator Sports”: The group exhibit includes the work of artists who consider the ways technology can engage sports fans through displays of professional athleticism mixed with narrative dramatization. Central to each artist’s interest is how fans feel connected to these athletes or their favorite team.
Museum of Science
and Industry
5700 S. Lake Shore Drive; 773-684-1414, msichicago.org
Ongoing: “Science Storms”: Learn about the science of storms in this interactive exhibit where you can manipulate the strength of a tornado, launch a tsunami and explore air currents.
Naper Settlement
523 S. Webster St., Naperville; 630-420-6010, napersettlement.org
Ongoing: “Brushstrokes of the Past”: The paintings of self-taught local artist Les Schrader, who was a sign painter by trade (his day job) for Naperville’s Kroehler Manufacturing Co., illustrate life in Naperville with his love for horses evident in many pieces.
The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
2430 N. Cannon Drive; 773-755-5100, naturemuseum.org
Thursday: A Celebration of Local Food: Visit the museum’s “Food: The Nature of Eating” exhibit, watch a demonstration by chef Melissa Graham, meet artist and author Jennifer Angus, who created the museum’s “A Meticulous Beauty” exhibit, and get a bite to eat from a food truck. 5-9 p.m.
Ongoing: Judy Istock Butterfly Haven: Get up close to more than 75 species of exotic butterflies and bird species from the Southern Hemisphere in a 2,700-square-foot greenhouse with water, flowers, tropical trees and 1,000 butterflies, including some never before seen in our region.
Pullman State Historic Site
11111 S. Forrestville Ave.; 773-660-2341, pullman-museum.org
Through November: Pullman Factory tours: Take a one-hour walking tour of the historic Pullman factory that was part of the19th and 20th century industrial society (tour includes interior and surrounding grounds). Tours are held at 11:30 a.m. the 1st and 3rd Sunday and begin at 610 E. 111th St.
Shedd Aquarium
1200 S. Lake Shore Drive; 312-939-2438, 312-559-0200, sheddaquarium.org
Ongoing: “Jellies”: A showcase of the strange anatomies and life cycles of the translucent ocean dwellers.
Ongoing: Aquatic show: Dolphins spring out of the water and belugas dance during this marine mammal presentation in the aquarium’s Oceanarium amphitheater. The newest addition to the Shedd’s dolphin family is a male Pacific white-sided calf born May 282012.
Swedish American
Museum
5211 N. Clark St.; 773-728-8111, swedishamericanmuseum.org
Ongoing: “A Dream of America — Swedish Immigration to Chicago”: Learn about the struggles and triumphs of Swedish immigrants as they journeyed to the New World to build a life in Chicago. (Guided tours offered.)
Ongoing: Scandinavian Jam: Musicians Paul Tyler and Mary Allsopp lead the open session for all ages and instruments the second Saturday of the month. 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Submit information to ctc-ent-events@tribune.com.
