Programs & Events at CAC

Join us to explore how transportation connects our schools, homes and towns. Through hands-on activities, learn about roads and railways, and how urban planners decide where things go!

Join us for an evening of fun and fascinating storytelling with architects, interior designers, CAC docents and regular folks who will share crafted tales about Chicago’s buildings and their personal experiences with the built environment.

Join us in the ArcelorMittal Design Studio on Thursdays from 5—7pm during the school year to get feedback and guidance on independent or competition projects. CPS students are eligible for a stipend.

Chicago’s iconic train system, known as the "L", gets its nickname from being “elevated” above the city's streets. In this workshop, you'll see public transportation in action and build your own "L" platform and train using LEGO®.

The CAC descends from a long line of comparable architectural displays, stretching back more than 200 years. In this two-part class, historian and author John Zukowsky leads a discussion on the traditions and trends in exhibiting architecture.

Chicago is synonymous with architecture and Chicagoans—especially CAC members—love to share their knowledge of architecture with family and friends. Come learn fun architecture facts you can share again and again at this members-only event.

Chicago is home to more than 80,000 bungalows! We’ll visit our Chicago Gallery to learn about various housing types and discover what makes bungalows unique. Then, we’ll build a bungalow using LEGO® and studio materials.

Join us on Dec. 16 to build homes inspired by the Chicago Model! We'll walk through the CAC's Chicago Gallery to learn about neighborhood homes and create our own structures based on the building types.

Applications for the docent class of 2019 will open Dec. 4, 2018. Interested applicants are encouraged to attend an information session to learn more about the requirements of becoming a docent. No RSVP is required.

Take a special bus ride with the CAC on December 15 to Plano, Illinois, to see Mies van der Rohe’s iconic Farnsworth House decked out in 1950s holiday décor. Step back in time and imagine yourself as Dr. Farnsworth’s holiday guest 60 years ago.

Join us in the ArcelorMittal Design Studio on Thursdays from 5—7pm during the school year to get feedback and guidance on independent or competition projects. CPS students are eligible for a stipend.

What are signs of change on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile? Hear why new experiments in branded design—like the eye-catching Burberry store and the Starbucks Reserve Roastery—appeal to today’s consumers.

Bring the whole family to the CAC to build a Chicago-inspired gingerbread house! Get a mini-tour of our Chicago Gallery and learn about iconic Chicago housing types from an expert. This family-friendly workshop is recommended for ages 5 and up. Space…

From the birth of a "Me Too" movement in architecture to the death of icon Robert Venturi, it's been a busy year in architecture design. CAC contributor Reed Kroloff will provide a lively and unorthodox review of important events in the field that occurred…

Enjoy a sweet treat while shopping Thursday night at the CAC Store. Get your holiday shopping done and take a walk through our warm galleries. Take advantage of a special 20% off during Member Double Discount Days, which runs from Dec. 3-9.