'We are very excited:' Families reach for stars with Adler Planetarium open again after two years
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Chicagoans can once again reach for the stars at the Adler Planetarium.
The iconic lakefront institution closed when the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020. On Friday, March 4, 2022, it finally reopened, and CBS 2's Asal Rezaei stopped by for the excitement.
Jessyka Quintero and her daughters came out to the planetarium from the western suburbs.
"We are very excited," Quintero said. "We've been looking forward to it for a couple of years now."
And while her daughters explored different parts of space, Quintero said there is nothing better than seeing them back out in the world again - having fun and learning at the same time.
"It's been good," she said. "We are obviously still using masks just for health reasons for our family, but back into the swing of things with sports and activities and sightseeing!"
Even ahead of opening day, the Adler presold 800 tickets. A lot of people were excited to be back and get a look into space.
For planetarium staff like director of public observing Michelle Nichola, it has been quite the comeback.
"Overwhelmed, grateful, excited - just all sorts of emotions," Nichols said. "I started crying when I saw people coming in at 9 o'clock this morning."
Nichols says museums all over the world were hit hard by the pandemic, and the planetarium was no different. They laid off two-thirds of their staff, but have since hired about 30 percent of them back.
The planetarium has also hired more than 60 new employees.
Nichols said the Adler Planetarium stayed closed all this time - since March 13, 2020 - for simple safety and financial reasons.
"It would have cost us more to stay open then it would have to stay closed, because of the limited capacity we would have been allowed for quite a while during the pandemic," she said.
Nichols said now, it is almost as if they're picking up right where they left off.
"You see people enjoying exhibits and seeing shows. It looks and feels like it did - and that's the main thing, it doesn't feel different," she said. "It feels right."
It is a feeling many were getting Friday as they explored old territory with perhaps a new perspective.
Adler offers a discount if you live in Illinois. It also has evening hours Wednesdays from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. so you can look through the telescope when it's nice and dark.