Adler Planetarium
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE ADLER PLANETARIUM ('ADLER') IS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT CULTURAL INSTITUTION WHOSE MISSION IS TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO THE UNIVERSE AND EACH OTHER UNDER THE SKY WE ALL SHARE. IT ASPIRES TO BE THE WORLD'S PREMIER CENTER FOR ENGAGING IN ASTRONOMY AND SPACE SCIENCE.
- Income
- $22.0 million
- Spending
- $17.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 71%
- Reserves
- 7.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 34%
- Employees
- 174
- Volunteers
- 321
- Highest pay
- $559,625, former president & ceo (thru 3/25)
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 83 out of 100. Higher than 59% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 7.7 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 41% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 20% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 27% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1571% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2555 of 55 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $12.4 million spent. WHETHER THE ADLER PLANETARIUM IS INTRODUCING A GUEST TO THE RING NEBULA, A NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL TO A COMMUNITY PARTNER, A RESEARCH TEAM TO A NETWORK OF CITIZEN SCIENTISTS, OR ONE STAFF MEMBER TO ANOTHER, THE MUSEUM'S FOCUS ON MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS DATES BACK NEARLY A CENTURY. THE ADLER TYPICALLY HOSTS APPROXIMATELY A HALF A MILLION VISITORS EACH YEAR AND REACHES MILLIONS MORE THROUGH YOUTH STEAM PROGRAMS, NEIGHBORHOOD SKYWATCHING EVENTS, PEOPLE-POWERED RESEARCH, AND OTHER OUTREACH EFFORTS. TODAY, THE ADLER IS ALSO BRINGING OUR UNIQUE APPROACH - SCIENTIFIC EXPLORATION ROOTED IN COMMUNITY AND CONNECTION - TO GUESTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD WHO CAN ENJOY THE DIGITAL ADLER FOR THEIR OWN HOMES, LIBRARIES, SCHOOLS OR OFFICES. WITH THE ADLER'S SUPPORT, PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, BACKGROUNDS, AND ABILITIES GAIN THE CONFIDENCE TO EXPLORE THEIR UNIVERSE TOGETHER AND RETURN TO THEIR COMMUNITIES READY TO THINK CRITICALLY AND CREATIVELY ABOUT ANY CHALLENGE THAT COMES THEIR WAY. THE MUSEUM HAS AN ONLINE TICKETING PLATFORM, AND AN OPERATING MODEL THAT HAS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED PER CAPITA TICKET REVENUE THROUGH CHANGES MADE SINCE THE COVID PANDEMIC. THIS INCLUDES A SCHEDULE OF PUBLIC HOURS EVERY WEDNESDAY EVENING FOR OUR EXHIBITIONS, SKY SHOWS, AND TELESCOPE VIEWING. NEW CONTENT OFFERINGS, LIKE AN AWARD-WINNING, ORIGINAL PLANETARIUM SHOW NIYAH AND THE MULTIVERSE AND A NEW EXHIBITION OTHER WORLDS, SUPPORT GOOD ATTENDANCE. SCHOOL-GROUP-ONLY DAYS ARE PROVIDING MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCES AT THE MUSEUM FOR 10,000S OF EDUCATORS AND THEIR STUDENTS. IN 2024, A MAJOR RENOVATION WAS COMPLETED OF AREAS USED TO CARE FOR THE ADLER'S HISTORIC ASTRONOMY ARTIFACTS, ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST IMPORTANT COLLECTIONS TELLING THE STORY OF THE HUMAN CONNECTION WITH THE SKY. ADLER IS CONTINUING ITS ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE SPACES, WELCOMING MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD INTO ADLER EXPERIENCES, THROUGH STORYTELLING AND ENGAGING DIRECTLY IN SCIENCE AND DISCOVERY. ZOONIVERSE.ORG, A COLLABORATION BETWEEN CHICAGO'S ADLER PLANETARIUM, THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD, AND THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, IS THE WORLD'S LARGEST PLATFORM FOR PEOPLE-POWERED RESEARCH. IT IS MADE POSSIBLE BY VOLUNTEERSALMOST 3 MILLION REGISTERED PARTICIPANTS AROUND THE WORLDWHO COME TOGETHER TO ASSIST PROFESSIONAL RESEARCHERS WHOSE WORK WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE, OR PRACTICAL, OTHERWISE. ZOONIVERSE RESEARCH RESULTS IN NEW DISCOVERIES, DATASETS WHICH ARE USEFUL TO THE WIDER RESEARCH COMMUNITY, AND NUMEROUS PUBLICATIONS. EACH MONTH PARTICIPANTS SUBMIT OVER 6 MILLION CLASSIFICATIONS, PART OF THE MORE THAN 940 MILLION "ACTS OF SCIENCE" COMPLETED SINCE THE FOUNDING IN 2009. 150+ RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS PARTNER WITH ADLER'S ZOONIVERSE TO LEAD MORE THAN 100 PARTICIPATORY SCIENCE PROJECTS EACH YEAR, RESULTING IN OVER 500 PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS TO DATE. THROUGH A RICH ARRAY OF DIGITAL PROGRAMMING, FROM OUR SKYWATCH WEDNESDAY ONLINE PLANETARIUM SHOW TO OUR SKY OBSERVER'S HANGOUT YOUTUBE LIVESTREAM EVENTS WITH OUR PUBLIC OBSERVING TEAM TO OUR WOW! SIGNAL SCIENCE SKETCH COMEDY AND MUSICALS TO OUR ONLINE GOOGLE ARTS & CULTURAL EXHIBITIONS, THE ADLER HAS CONTINUED TO PROVIDE A RICH ARRAY OF OPPORTUNITIES TO FOSTER CONNECTIONS AND CREATE SPACE FOR THE WONDERS OF OUR UNIVERSE AND CASTING SCIENCE AS THE STORIES OF HUMANITY. ADLER TEENS CONTINUED TO WORK CLOSELY WITH ADLER SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS TO ADVANCE THE FIRST-EVER COMPREHENSIVE LIGHT-POLLUTION SURVEY OF CHICAGO. FAR HORIZONS TEENS INVESTIGATED HOW LIGHT POLLUTION AFFECTS TREES ON THE MUSEUM CAMPUS, WHILE THE YOLO TEENS IN LITTLE VILLAGE ENGAGED THEIR SCHOOL AND BROADER COMMUNITY IN LIGHT-POLLUTION RESEARCH AND LOCAL ADVOCACY EFFORTS. OUR LONG-RUNNING HIGH-ALTITUDE BALLOON PROGRAM AND GROUND-BASED OBSERVING NETWORK CONTINUE TO MONITOR LIGHT POLLUTION ACROSS CHICAGO AND OTHER URBAN ENVIRONMENTSCRITICAL WORK AS CITIES RAPIDLY EVOLVE AND DEPLOY NEW LIGHTING SOLUTIONS. THIS YEAR ALSO SAW DEEPENING COLLABORATIONS WITH THE NATIONAL PARKS SERVICE AS WELL AS THE URBAN WILDLIFE INSTITUTE AT THE LINCOLN PARK ZOO TO STUDY HOW ARTIFICIAL LIGHT AFFECTS WILDLIFE IN DENSE URBAN ECOSYSTEMS. TOGETHER, THESE EFFORTS DEEPEN SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING, STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND EMPOWER YOUNG PEOPLE TO CONTRIBUTE MEANINGFULLY TO RESEARCH AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP. ADLER AND CHICAGO-AREA ASTRONOMERS INTERACT DIRECTLY WITH MUSEUM GUESTS SEVERAL DAYS EACH WEEK THROUGH OUR GROWING ASTRONOMY CONVERSATIONS PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM BRINGS CHICAGOLAND ASTRONOMERS INTO REAL-TIME DIALOGUE WITH VISITORS; A RARE AND MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE, AS MOST PEOPLE HAVE NEVER HAD THE CHANCE TO MEET AN ASTRONOMER. WE SCALE THE PROGRAM FAR BEYOND THE CAPACITY OF OUR SMALL STAFF BY TAPPING INTO CHICAGO'S EXTRAORDINARILY RICH SPACE-SCIENCE ECOSYSTEM. EACH YEAR, MORE THAN 100 LOCAL RESEARCHERS SIGN UP TO PARTICIPATE, MANY OF WHOM RETURN YEAR AFTER YEAR. ALL SPEAKERS RECEIVE SCIENCE-COMMUNICATION TRAINING FROM ADLER EXPERTS TO HELP THEM ENGAGE EFFECTIVELY WITH PUBLIC AUDIENCES. ASTRONOMY CONVERSATIONS IS OFFERED EVERY WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, AND SATURDAY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, CREATING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF INTERACTIONS ANNUALLY BETWEEN GUESTS AND WORKING ASTRONOMERS. IT PROVIDES A CONDUIT FOR SHARING CUTTING-EDGE DISCOVERIES AS THEY HAPPEN AND SERVES AN EXPLICIT PURPOSE: BUILDING TRUST AND UNDERSTANDING IN HOW SCIENCE WORKS, CRITICALLY IMPORTANT IN TODAY'S SOCIETY. MAKING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN PEOPLE, IDEAS, AND OUR UNIVERSE DOESN'T JUST FEEL GOOD - IT DRIVES SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS. WHEN PEOPLE FEEL WELCOME IN THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY, THEY DELIVER REAL RESULTS. THROUGH THE WONDER OF SPACE SCIENCE, THE ADLER CONNECTS PEOPLE, COMMUNITIES AND INSTITUTIONS SO WE CAN EXPLORE OUR UNIVERSE TOGETHER AND USE OUR COLLECTIVE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO CREATE A BETTER WORLD FOR EVERYONE.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since September 1968.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.