Historical Research at the Adler Planetarium: Resources, Projects, and Opportunities

The Adler Planetarium is America's first planetarium and a leading science museum. It is the only independent planetarium to steward a world-class collection of historic scientific instruments, rare books, and works on paper. The collection covers a period spanning from the 12th century to the contemporary period. Adding to this exceptional resource, the Adler archives document the history of the institution since its inception in the late 1920s. They also include archival collections covering important aspects of scientific instrument design and making, science education, and curatorial research over the last 150 years. This poster provides an overview of the Adler's collections, as well as a summary of ongoing projects aiming to increase digital access, and some guidelines for researchers willing to make use of the Adler's resources.