The Maker Mom

Helping parents raise STEM-loving, Maker-friendly kids

  • Home
  • About
  • Work With Us
  • When Geeks Grow Up
  • Gifted Kids
  • Videos
  • #STEMchat
  • STEM
  • Travel
  • Chicago
  • Maker Projects
  • Gifted Ed
  • Product Reviews

Adler Planetarium’s New Community Design Lab

June 4, 2015 By Kim
Tagged With: Adler Planetarium, Chicago, museums

Adler Planetarium Community Design Lab on www.TheMakerMom.comI got a sneak peek chance to play at the Adler Planetarium’s new Community Design Lab. You’ll be able to visit starting Sunday, June 7. After an orientation to the new makerspace, which I’ll explain below, I got busy designing and redesigning a payload structure. After its “missions” were complete, I quickly turned to making a new one and testing it out. And then I looked around to realize that all of the other media folks had cleared out. A quick glance at my watch confirmed the press event wasn’t over, at least not officially. Where did everyone go?

Okay, so maybe the Community Design Lab isn’t everyone’s idea of a great time, but it was mine. And if my boys were younger, I’m pretty sure they would beg to spend most of our visit to the Adler in the Community Design Lab.

Adler Planetarium Community Design Lab (CDL)

The CDL is a temporary hands-on creative space that invites both curiosity and action, letting makers of all ages build and test their ideas. The space was designed with the help of 14 students from Illinois Tech.

Photos from 85 years of community involvement fill the hallway leading to the CDL. Adler was engaging with citizen scientists decades before Zooniverse was a thing. They also have a long history of facilitating DIY science. Before we had kids, my husband actually built his own telescope through a class at the Adler Planetarium. He hand ground the lens and everything.

The CDL is an inviting room filled with curves. It’s got works tables and plenty of supplies. There’s a set of  brightly colored cubbies filled with duct tape, cardboard tubes, string, popsicle sticks, marshmallows, shaving cream, balloons, popsicles sticks, and, of course, safety goggles. The collection is a good reminder of something I often advise parents- you don’t need to go high-tech to have a great makerspace.

Adler Planetarium Community Design Lab on www.TheMakerMom.com

There’s also space to show off projects (though I’m pretty sure you can take them home if you wish). And the CLD has a spot to leave questions or ideas for future space experiments.

There are signs throughout the room posing questions, like can a marshmallow survive the vacuum of space? No spoiler alerts here. You have to try it for yourself.

Can a marshmallow survive the vacuum of space? Find out on TheMakerMom.com

There’s a vacuum chamber on site to help visiting scientists test out their theories. And a cement mixer to simulate the bumpy re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere. My payloads survived both.

The CDL is more than a place ask questions about science, it’s a place to answer them.

balloon in vacuum

make animated gifs like this at MakeAGif

Your kids will be fascinated by the vacuum chamber. At some point they will likely cross the line from not wanting their payload to explode to delighting when it happens. Or vice versa.

I think the space will be a hit. However, I do think it could use a few “girly” touches. As in my house, the Adler does not allow glitter, but adding sparkly stickers, colorful washi tape or patterned duct tape will make the (admittedly gender neutral) space even more inviting to some girls.

Chicago, Adler Planetarium Community Design Lab on www.TheMakerMom.com
The Adler team is tapping into social media, encouragingguests to share their experiences at CDL with the hashtags #AdlerMemories, #AdlersNext85 or #LetsDoScience

The Community Design Lab will be open Sunday, June 7 – Tuesday, September 8. It will be accessible from 10 AM until 1 hour before closing. The CDL is free with general admission.

 

Comments

  1. Catherine says

    June 8, 2015 at 11:08 pm

    This makes me miss Chicago. Before moving to California, we lived in the midwest and loved all the fun museums in Chicago.

    TheEngineersKids.com

STEMchat 3 gears

About Kim

Kim headshot Summer 2012 I’m a Chicago-area mom / empty-nester who is passionate about sharing ideas and resources to raise kids who love Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). I’m a published author, blogger, vlogger, baker and maker. I love to travel, especially on trips that involve hiking and other active endeavors, farm tours, and learning new things in general.[Read More...]

"

"

" "

Ads and Affiliates

Archives

BLOG TOPICS

#STEMchat (42) book review (12) books (35) Chicago (44) coding (27) coding for kids (5) college (4) computer programming (16) computers (6) contests for kids (8) DIY (44) engineering (12) family fun (92) geek camp (14) gifted education (18) gifted kids (6) giveaway (4) guest post (7) how to (20) kit (8) maker projects (30) makerspace (15) math (14) nanotech (4) parenting gifted kids (9) product review (42) projects (63) recipe (5) robotics (10) robots (25) science (13) special STEM day or week (37) sponsored (16) STEAM (16) STEM (97) STEM at work (6) STEM camp (9) STEM competitions (8) STEM gifts (6) STEM Girl Friday (31) STEM Girls (78) technology (27) travel (6) video (13) Women in STEM (6)

Copyright © 2022 THE MAKER MOM, SITE DESIGNED BY RK RESPONSIVE DESIGN