[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 21]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 31229]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 31229]]

           ADLER PLANETARIUM AND THE MARS MILLENNIUM PROJECT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DANNY K. DAVIS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 18, 1999

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to recognize 
one of Chicago's premier institutions, the Adler Planetarium and 
Astronomy Museum, as they kick-off their contribution to the Mars 
Millennium Project and celebrate the grand reopening of their landmark 
building on October 1st.
  Located on Chicago's beautiful lakefront, the Adler was founded in 
1930 by Max Adler ``to be the foremost institution for the 
interpretation of the exploration of the Universe to the broadest 
possible audience.'' To help fulfill this mission, the Adler has become 
actively involved in the Mars Millennium Project using its StarRiderTM 
Theater Mars Millennium Show as the centerpiece of their contribution.
  The Mars Millennium Project is an official White House Millennium 
Council Youth Initiative, challenging students across the nation to 
design a community yet-to-be-imagined--for the planet Mars. This 
national arts, sciences and technology education initiative is guided 
by the U.S. Department of Education, the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration and its Jet Propulsion Lab, the National Endowment for 
the Arts, the J. Paul Getty and others.
  The world's first StarRiderTM Theater is a 3D interactive virtual 
reality experience, which will transport visitors on a voyage to Mars 
and allows the audience to participate in developing a viable Martian 
colony. The audience flys over Mars, picks a place for their colony and 
then designs the architecture, cultural icons and symbols that will 
make the colony unique.
  The Adler is working with the Illinois State Board of Education and 
the Chicago Public Schools Teachers Academy for Professional 
Development to involve classrooms from across Illinois in the Mars 
Millennium Project. Throughout the project year, teachers will engage 
their students in project-based learning opportunities that will result 
in the development of student-created Mars colonies and Web pages.
  Mr. Speaker, as we move into the Millennium it is important to engage 
the public in science and technology. The Adler's work with the Mars 
Millennium Program through the StarRiderTM Theater and the reopening of 
their historic dome marks the advent of new era for the Adler 
Planetarium and Astronomy Museum.

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