Adler Staff Star: Meet Lynette!

Editor’s Note: Updated in May 2023 to reflect more current and updated information.

Lynette M.

Former Manager of Program Development; Innovator

What do you enjoy the most about working at the Adler?

I love the creative nature of my job—figuring out ways to make space science engaging and relevant for all audiences. I also love that the Adler is truly a community of explorers. Of course, our astronomers are always exploring our universe, and we invite visitors to explore space with us both inside the museum and through our various outreach programs. But staff are also empowered to explore—new ways of sharing stories, creating experiences, rethinking systems and procedures, and brainstorming ideas of all sorts.

What is your favorite Adler program?

Any program that I’m excited to create and guests are excited to experience. I’m fortunate to work with passionate colleagues, and we have fun developing physical games and activities, science experiments that can lead to many different discoveries, interesting ways of telling stories, and hands-on experiences to help make the vastness of space a little more reachable. So it’s tough to pick a favorite program!

What does the Adler’s mission mean to you?

We strive to create experiences and programs and exhibits that spark curiosity, invite participation, and inspire exploration. Hopefully, this means that visitors will see and experience things at the Adler that they won’t see or experience at home or in school or even at other museums. We truly see ourselves and our guests as being together on an exciting journey of learning and discovery.

What do you like to do outside of the Adler?

I’m a cultural fun-haver. I enjoying traveling and experiencing new places, visiting other museums, attending theater, dance, and arts events, and—especially since I’m still relatively new to the city—exploring Chicago.

Name one fun fact about yourself!

Although I always knew I was destined to be an educator, I like to say that while growing up I wanted to be 5 things that begin with the letter ‘A.’ Seeing the movie Space Camp as a kid—at about the same time I visited my first space museum—made me want to be an Astronaut. Working at the Adler comes pretty close. (Can you guess the other 4?)