In case you missed this story last week in the Chicago Tribune, the Adler Planetarium is one of many institutions hoping to land a space shuttle:The Adler is one of 20 museums in the running to get one of two orbiters up for grabs, Endeavour and Atlantis. NASA will reveal the two museums that will get those shuttles April 12, the 30th anniversary of the first shuttle space flight.
"Chicago is the best place in the Middle West for a shuttle," said Adler President Paul Knappenberger after revealing an elaborate concept drawing of the kind of building Adler would erect on a parking lot west of the planetarium to house a shuttle and related exhibits.
As part of their bid, Adler proposes an interesting pavilion to house the shuttle:
Hoping to create a little last-minute hoopla for its cause, Adler Planetarium on Thursday unveiled plans for a dramatic lakefront glass pavilion that it proposes to build if it obtains one of the soon-to-be-retired space shuttles.
(Image from the Chicago Tribune)