>> the country's oldest planetarium has a new leader.

Elizabeth Babcock is the latest CEO and president of the astrophysics focused institution.

She previously served as the founding director of the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum in Washington, D.C., and earlier in her career, the Chicago area native worked with the field museum.

So her return to the city's museum campus.

It's kind of a homecoming.

Joining us now with more vision for the institution and current challenges facing museums is and was Elizabeth Babcock, the new president and CEO of the Adler Planetarium.

Welcome back to Chicago.

Thank you so much, of course.

And congrats on the new job.

Thank what you do.

Want this Sure.

Well, the opportunity to come to a historic organization like the Adler Planetarium that's approaching its one 100th year.

>> In a fabulous city like Chicago, something I couldn't turn down.

Yep.

Yep.

Yep.

That's it's good place to be replaced, So the actor took a bit of a hit during the pandemic.

Of course, as did many museums laying off 120 employees in 2020.

Closes doors for nearly 2 One of the planet's Haram's plans for growth and expansion.

Sure.

So now we're past the pandemic in where and, you know, a few years on.

So our plans and our plans for the future are really focused on our one 100th anniversary.

So we are in the middle of rethinking everything from how can we be more present around space, discovery and exploration?

How can we revitalize and renew a lot of our visitor experience efforts and how can we continue to focus on science?

Discovery has a lot of people don't know that we actually do research at the Adler Planetarium in astrophysics.

So the other a few of the things we're going to be doubling down on.

And of course, new planetarium shows us lots of fun.

So has mentioned you were previously with the little known institution called the stunt.

So never heard of all.

And the Smithsonian's really all museums throughout the country been under threat, of course, because of federal funding cuts to the Institute of Museum and Library Services and President Trump's mission, of course, to get to the woke.

That's a quote, unquote woke out of American museums.

How are you dealing with that tension?

So here at the Adler Planetarium, we're focused on our mission, which remains the same, which is how do we get people focused on science, science exploration in our case.

Exploring the cosmos.

So we remain consistently and steadfastly committed to that as a science research organization and a science education organization for us.

That's at the core sites inquiry.

So do you think any programming will change because of the federal government's policies or requests demands?

No, we're actually very focused on what we do.

We know that our visitors love the focus on space and space exploration.

We're welcoming to all and we are excited to continue on the same path.

As someone who is familiar with museums all of your working experience with it in the letter sent to the Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie Bunch.

The 3rd the White House said that it will perform a comprehensive review of museums to, quote, assess tone, historical framing in alignment with American ideals.

What was your reaction to that request?

Well, let the Smithsonian kind of comment on those on that question.

But I will say that like all museums, it is time of change and careful consideration of for us at the Adler Planetarium.

What we're focused on is the Chicago land community and beyond and how we can serve.

Our audience is right now.

And one of the things we know is it's key to be welcoming to all we know that we're a science organization.

So we're standings, UNOS get with science inquiry at our core.

We are a planetarium.

So when you come to the other, what you get to explore is the cosmos, the universe and all of the new discoveries that are coming out almost every day.

So for us, that's what we're staying focused on plant area been using social media as a means, of course, to connect and educate the community.

What are the plans that you have to get folks to visit in-person?

Sure.

So a couple things.

One is over the holiday season.

I want to encourage people to come back if they haven't been to the I-learn a while.

We have a new exhibit about astrology and astronomy and the connections historically between those 2 fields.

We also have a new planetary and we're going to be showing called Big Astronomy over the holiday season.

That's looking at some of the largest telescopes in the world that are exploring the cosmos.

So first news, new content, new experiences.

Second, we're very committed to and excited about new exhibits and new activities and new kinds of science activities that people can do when they're actually in the building itself.

And we're really focused on laying out a plan that's heavy on focus on space discovery.

And what's new today for the first time in a long time space discovery and and the whole notion of what's out there in the cosmos is something that a lot of people are talking about, that all of us are interested in.

And so that's the stories that will bring to the public.

You mentioned the latest exhibit that you all kicked off just on Halloween stars aligned tracing the story of astronomy and astrology.

Something fun for the Zodiac fans in What can folks expect that that?

Sure.

So it's a beautiful gallery that is exploring the common history between astrology and astronomy.

And there are some really interesting connections in that regard.

But we are actually display for the first time.

A lot of the objects from our collection.

People may not know this, but the Adler has an extraordinary collection of historic objects and artifacts that tell the history and the story of astronomy.

So we've brought some of those objects out ranging from beautiful scrolls that astrological predictions too scientific instruments that actually advanced astronomy work.

So it's a beautiful gallery we encourage people come out.

will be on for quite a while.

So this is a great time to come out and see it.

Well, it's A lot of people, you know, when you read your horoscope, people like, alright, let's cute.

And it's kind of fun.

But, you know, some folks aren't really aware that astronomy is actually scientific and that it is a science.

What do you find?

Interesting about astronomy and astrology.

Sheriff says astrologer real versus not astronomy.

Everybody knows that's real.

Things I found most interesting is that.

>> A lot of the early astronomers also did astrological predictions on the side kind of like a side business for them.

And when we look back at some of the historic alma, next, you'll find in an ax astrological predictions and astronomy calculations and observations.

So this science and the astrology side by side, I found that really fascinating that that the astrology part was kind of side job for a lot of astronomers.

is interesting like yeah.

Looking over the 900 numbers back in the day.

Whatever can I call one of the scientists that my horoscope turns out to be wrong So you talked about the centennial celebration.

It's coming up in 2030 got a little bit of time.

But are you all preparing?

Sure.

So the first thing we're looking at basically asking our audience is and our visitors.

What are they interested in hearing about what are kind of experiences are they looking for at the Adler?

And I like to say that, you know, wearing museum planetarium and for us, we want to provide those experiences that people can't get at home.

So how are we leveraging our planetarium domes?

We have to theaters right now that show amazing immersive digital experiences where you are transported in space and time out into the cosmos.

So really doubling down on those digital in immersive activities that you can only do at the Adler, right?

So it sounds like a good reason for people to