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Northwestern University

  • No image description available.

    Ryan Center Music for the Arts.

Explore this stunning, wooded campus on the shore of Lake Michigan, featuring a wide variety of architectural styles.
  • No image description available.

    Ryan Center Music for the Arts.

Discover Northwestern University’s stunning, wooded campus on the shore of Lake Michigan. This tour explores a wide variety of architectural styles, from 19th Century Collegiate Gothic buildings to cutting-edge, contemporary designs.

Duration
2 hours
Site Type
Neighborhoods
Location
Suburbs
Architects and Styles
Meet

Outside Segal Visitors Center, 1841 Sheridan Rd., Evanston, IL

Learn how the campus doubled in size in the 1960s following a lakefill plan developed by noted architect Walter Netsch, whose Brutalist structures transformed the feel of the university.

Tour reviews

    • The Northwestern tour is unique among the tours I give because of the quiet, bucolic setting of the campus and the backdrop of Lake Michigan. It contains buildings by noted architects Daniel Burnham, George W. Maher, Henry Ives Cobb, and Walter Netsch and covers a wide variety or architectural styles over more than 150 years of campus development.
      Mitch RosenfeldCAC Docent
    • We did the walking tour of the Northwestern University Evanston campus with docent, Janell, today. It was an interesting and informative tour of the campus and we learned so much about the atchitecture of many campus buildings. Our guide did a wonderful job walking us through this beautiful campus. Highly recommend this tour and our docent, Janell!
      Annie Z.Chicago, IL
  • An exterior photo of Annie May Swift Hall.

    Annie May Swift Hall

  • An exterior photo of Charles Deering Library

    Charles Deering Library

  • A photo of Weber Arch.

    Weber Arch

Tour Accessibility

CAC is committed to improving access to our tours. The accessibility information below reflects our docents’ experience and is provided for general guidance only.

What to expect on this tour

  • Icon of a person walking with a red percentage sign

    Terrain & Surfaces

    Easy - Paved and flat the entire route 

  • Icon of a wheelchair and red arrow

    Wheelchair & Walker Access

    Moderate - Ramps and alternate routes provided 

  • Icon of the outline or some steps and a red arrow pointing diagonally right and up.

    Steps or Stairs

    Moderate - Step-free alternate route available  

  • Icon of an ear with a red throughline

    Hearing Access

    Easy - Quiet setting, easy to hear 

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Free Center Entry with Your Ticket

Ticket price includes entrance to the Chicago Architecture Center within 7 days of your walking or bus tour.

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