Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise aboard Chicago's First Lady
Experience why we're the #1 rated boat cruise in Chicago, tickets are on sale now for the 2024 season…
Recommended Tours
Visiting Chicago
Choose one of CAC’s acclaimed architecture tours, from a selection of our guests’ perennial favorites.
Latest and Greatest
Join us on one of our newest tours of the city, led by an expertly trained CAC Docent.
Skyscrapers
Select a tour of architectural treasures throughout Chicago and its suburbs, brought to life as only a CAC docent can.
Parks & Public Spaces
Explore Chicago’s green spaces and learn why well-designed parks and outdoor recreational areas are essential to the city.
Neighborhood Tours
Choose a tour featuring your favorite architect.
Visiting Chicago
Choose one of CAC’s acclaimed architecture tours, from a selection of our guests’ perennial favorites.
7 Tours in this collection
Must-See Chicago
Must-See Chicago is a fast-paced, 90-minute introductory tour to Chicago featuring some of its most famous…
Chicago Architecture: A Walk Through Time
Want a quick introduction to Chicago’s magnificent architecture? This 90-minute tour takes a comprehensive…
Chicago Icons: Connecting Past and Present
This lively overview of Chicago architecture explores iconic buildings from the 1890s to present. We'll…
Chicago’s First Skyscrapers
Chicago is home to some of the world’s earliest skyscrapers. Get an up-close look at these 19th Century…
Frank Lloyd Wright in Oak Park
Oak Park is home to the world’s largest collection of buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. View…
Elevated Architecture: Downtown "L" Train
Explore Chicago’s amazing architecture from the unique perspective of elevated trains and station platforms…
Latest and Greatest
Join us on one of our newest tours of the city, led by an expertly trained CAC Docent.
4 Tours in this collection
Wabash Avenue Arts Corridor
Discover a living urban canvas along the Wabash Avenue Arts Corridor in the South Loop. Learn more about…
What's New
Over the course of 90 minutes, explore some of the newest buildings around the Chicago Architecture Center…
Aqua, St. Regis Chicago and Lakeshore East
Take a short walk to see the Lakeshore East neighborhood, featuring two notable buildings designed by…
Riverwalk West
This tour helps you discover the western portion of the Riverwalk, starting at the Vietnam Memorial near…
Skyscrapers
Select a tour of architectural treasures throughout Chicago and its suburbs, brought to life as only a CAC docent can.
5 Tours in this collection
Chicago’s First Skyscrapers
Chicago is home to some of the world’s earliest skyscrapers. Get an up-close look at these 19th Century…
Modernism: Reviving the Loop
Previously titled Mid-Century Modern Skyscrapers, this tour takes a look at iconic Mid-Century Modern…
Art Deco Skyscrapers: The Loop
Go inside the lobbies of Art Deco masterpieces built in the heart of Chicago’s financial district during…
Art Deco Skyscrapers: The Riverfront
Tour the lobbies of five opulent Art Deco skyscrapers built near the banks of the Chicago River during…
Aqua, St. Regis Chicago and Lakeshore East
Take a short walk to see the Lakeshore East neighborhood, featuring two notable buildings designed by…
Parks & Public Spaces
Explore Chicago’s green spaces and learn why well-designed parks and outdoor recreational areas are essential to the city.
5 Tours in this collection
Chicago's Moveable Bridges
Understand how the unique Chicago-style bascule bridges work. View the underpinnings of the bridges,…
Walk the 606
Learn about The 606/Bloomingdale Trail and how it came to be during this 90-minute, one-mile walking…
Grant Park Secrets
Grant Park’s landscape is both front yard and recreation spot for Chicago. But did you know that the…
Riverwalk West
This tour helps you discover the western portion of the Riverwalk, starting at the Vietnam Memorial near…
Civil War to Civil Rights at Oak Woods Cemetery
Hear the stories behind the people buried at the beautiful and tranquil Oak Woods Cemetery on Chicago’s…
Neighborhood Tours
Choose a tour featuring your favorite architect.
6 Tours in this collection
Frank Lloyd Wright in Oak Park
Oak Park is home to the world’s largest collection of buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. View…
Northwestern University
Discover Northwestern University’s stunning, wooded campus on the shore of Lake Michigan. This two-hour…
Hyde Park
In addition to being the site of the 1893 World’s Fair, Hyde Park is also home to the University of…
Explore Chinatown
Discover the art, architecture and history of Chinatown on this 90-minute walk, which includes stops…
Uptown
Discover Uptown—a treasure trove of terra cotta ornament and creatively repurposed historic buildings;…
Fulton-Randolph Market
Discover the fascinating 150-year evolution of the Fulton-Randolph Market District from food wholesaling…
Find a Tour
Tours by type
Tours by Location
Your selections are: Buildings
Aqua, St. Regis Chicago and Lakeshore East
Take a short walk to see the Lakeshore East neighborhood, featuring two notable buildings designed by the woman-led Studio Gang Architects: Aqua Tower and the St. Regis Chicago.
875 N. Michigan Ave (John Hancock Center)
Completed in 1970, 875 N. Michigan Ave (John Hancock Center) dominates the northern end of Chicago’s skyline. On this tour, you'll learn how the building forever changed the character of North Michigan Avenue.
Chicago Board of Trade Building
The Chicago Board of Trade is a Loop icon and City of Chicago and US National Historic Landmark that anchors La Salle Street, described in the building's opening brochure as the 'monarch' of the street, still standing tall and proud. We’ll see newly…
Fine Arts Building
Discover this treasure trove on Michigan Avenue and learn how it went from a carriage showroom to a high-profile artists’ colony that housed tenants like Frank Lloyd Wright, Lorado Taft and Harriet Monroe.
Inland Steel Building
As the first skyscraper built within the Loop after World War II, the Inland Steel Building became an instant symbol of Chicago’s prominence as a modern American city in the 20th century.
Macy's on State: The Legacy of Marshall Field's
Explore the construction, development and renovation of this State Street landmark by Daniel Burnham.
Marquette Building
Completed in 1895, the Marquette Building brings Chicago’s early history to life in an artistic and elegant setting. Examine the innovative exterior and get an up-close view of the beautiful interior.
Merchandise Mart
Once the largest building in the world, the Merchandise Mart remains a center for commercial and residential design. This massive structure has kept up with the times and is now recognized as a key Chicago hub for technological innovation.
Monadnock Building
Tour the world’s tallest commercial building with load-bearing masonry walls and learn how the transition from masonry to steel frame skyscrapers transformed the workplace.
Palmer House Hotel
Experience the glamour, intrigue and excitement of the bygone "Grand Hotel" era at the Palmer House. See recently restored public spaces and renovated guest rooms while learning about the history of Chicago’s oldest continually operating hotel.
Reliance Building
Marvel at the original marble, mahogany doors and decorative wrought iron found throughout the two lobbies and uppermost floors of this 1895 building, designed by John Wellborn Root and Charles Atwood.
Rookery Building
Explore the interior and exterior of one of Chicago’s most famous and beloved historic buildings: The Rookery by Daniel Burnham and John Wellborn Root.
The Old Post Office
Explore the new Old Post Office Building, whose early 20th-century design has been adaptively reused into a beautiful, modern Class A Office building.
Union Station: Icon of a Great Age
Union Station is one of the last grand train stations still operating in the U.S. and the only one in Chicago, serving both Amtrak and Metra commuter rail. Take in the elaborate details of this historic landmark, including the stunning Great Hall, which…
Columbia College Student Center
This Gold LEED certified building, with myriad sustainable features throughout, includes recyclable materials, glass that protects against birds flying into the building, noise cancelling walls for music practitioners and low-carbon concrete.
Willis Tower Revitalized
Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Willis Tower with a trip to the 103rd-floor Skydeck combined with a tour of the transformative $500M redevelopment featuring a visit to Catalog’s restaurants and experiences and an exploration of the Tower’s history…