Museum Campus: Landfill of Dreams
The story of three world-class museums built on fifty-seven acres of garbage, one controversial stadium, and a midnight bulldozer raid.
Start This ExperienceWhat You'll Experience
A taste of what you'll hear
10 stops, each with its own story. Here's a preview.
"You're standing on land that didn't exist until Chicago decided it needed more of it. In 1909, architect Daniel Burnham published his Plan of Chicago — a vision so ambitious it included making new land out of lake."
"Walk out onto Northerly Island. At the tip, you'll see a building that looks like an Art Deco flying saucer. The Adler Planetarium opened on May 12, 1930 — the birthday of Max Adler, the man who paid for it."
"You just walked across 57 acres of manufactured land, past three world-class museums, one controversial stadium, and the site of a midnight bulldozer raid. Here's what was true: The entire Museum Campus is built on garbage and coal ash."
Part tour, part game
Most of what you hear is true. But we slip in a few things that aren't. At the end, there's a quiz — can you tell which facts were real?
It makes you pay attention. And it's way more fun than just listening.
Have questions? Just ask.
Curious about something you heard? Want to know more about a place? Ask us anything — we have a lot to say. It's more fun when it's a conversation.
Ready?
Download the app, head to the starting point, and press play. The stories start themselves.
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