The CAC will be open until 8pm on select Fridays & Saturdays between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
At Chicago Architecture Center, our programs and events help you think differently about the places we live, work and play. Get behind-the-scenes access to the city's architectural treasures. Practice your design skills while you play with your family. Participate in expert-led discussions about the latest urban design issues. With these offerings and so many more to choose from, we guarantee there’s something inspiring and fun for you at CAC.
This training, on July 24 and 25, will familiarize participating educators with themes and issues within the graphic novel, and explain how they can use the graphic novel to support teaching and learning in the classroom.
Planning a late-summer getaway? On July 22 CAC docent and WTTW host Geoffrey Baer will share his architecture road trip suggestions during this special event. Learn about rewarding stops in popular destinations and must-see sites in smaller towns.
Discover the history of Chicago and collaborate with your fellow campers to design and build an ideal neighborhood during this week-long urban planning camp for ages 11-14. Each camper receives a copy of the graphic novel "No Small Plans."
Chicago is the birthplace of skyscrapers, but it's also known for its innovative bridges. Learn about the Michigan Avenue bridge, a trunnion bascule that was invented right here in Chicago. Build our own bridge and test its strength!
Get an introduction to architecture basics by exploring buildings, bridges and iconic structures along the Chicago River. This week-long camp for ages 7-10 will include walking tours, sketching exercises and model building.
Use your imagination to invent structures out of odds and ends, then test the strength of your creations! Drop in any time before 11am to enjoy multiple readings of “Audrey the Amazing Inventor” by Rachel Valentine.
Author and photographer Mark Hertzberg presents on his new book about Penwern, a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed vacation estate on Lake Delevan in southern Wisconsin. Come learn about the harmony between four structures on a breathtaking 10-acre site.
The CAC and WBEZ’s Curious City podcast team are hosting an architecture extravaganza! Hear the story behind a famous Chicago skyscraper through a live performance and help stump top architects in a live game of Architecture Jeopardy.
Did you know art and architecture often intersect? We’ll visit Tribune Tower and the Wrigley Building to observe ornamentation and sculptures, then head back to the design studio to create your own building that incorporates art.
Join us on our search for art in architecture! Come learn about buildings inspired by art and ornamentation through hands-on activities and multiple readings of “Maya Lin Artist—Architect of Light and Lines” by Jeanne Walker Harvey.
If tall buildings represent the future of city living, what policies and technologies will help make them affordable to the masses? Get insights from a panel of experts on the design innovations and policy initiatives making inroads today.
In "Chicago: From Vision to Metropolis", journalist Whet Moser dissects the myths, legends and shifting aspirations for our city. Get an informed local’s take on Chicago’s arduous—and often scandalous—journey from trading post to global metropolis…
Efforts to preserve our Modernist architectural icons are ramping up in Chicago and around the nation. In this 100th anniversary year of the Bauhaus, learn about the work underway to re-interpret and protect important Mid-Century Modern buildings.
Come learn about Aqua Tower—a modern skyscraper inspired by water that is both sustainable and beautiful. Then, find your own inspiration in nature and create a planet-friendly creation using LEGO®.
Come celebrate the start of summer programming along the Chicago Riverwalk from May 13-18!
