Chicago Architecture: A Walk Through Time
Want a quick introduction to Chicago’s magnificent architecture? This 90-minute tour takes a comprehensive…
Recommended Tours
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Choose one of CAC’s acclaimed architecture tours, from a selection of our guests’ perennial favorites.
Neighborhood Tours
Choose a tour featuring your favorite architect.
Most Popular
Choose one of CAC’s acclaimed architecture tours, from a selection of our guests’ perennial favorites.
5 Tours in this collection
Mid-Century Modern Skyscrapers
Looking for iconic Mid-Century Modern architecture? What better place than Chicago with its triumvirate…
Art Deco Skyscrapers: The Loop
View Art Deco masterpieces built in the heart of Chicago’s financial district during the Roaring '20s…
Must-See Chicago
Must-See Chicago is a fast-paced, 90-minute introductory tour to Chicago featuring some of its most famous…
Chicago Icons: Connecting Past and Present
This lively overview of Chicago architecture explores iconic buildings from the 1890s to present. We'll…
Neighborhood Tours
Choose a tour featuring your favorite architect.
5 Tours in this collection
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…
Uptown
Discover Uptown—a treasure trove of terra cotta ornament and creatively repurposed historic buildings;…
Frank Lloyd Wright in Oak Park
For a limited time, CAC members get exclusive access to this tour in Oak Park—home to the world’s…
Fulton-Randolph Market
Discover the fascinating 150-year evolution of the Fulton-Randolph Market District from food wholesaling…
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Pub Tour: West Loop
Combining post-Chicago fire buildings with the legends of the Haymarket Riots, Chicago's West Loop will certainly make a lasting impression on you. The Chicago Park District has added green space to this growing community that retains deep roots to the…
Note: No upcoming departures are currently scheduled for this tour. To learn about other CAF tours and events, sign up to receive our monthly e-news at architecture.org/email.
River North: Transformation of a Neighborhood
See historic gems in this former center of manufacturing and explore its boom-and-bust transformation into a vibrant neighborhood buzzing with residential buildings, entertainment venues and office towers. Steeped in history and character, River North…
Note: Scheduled departures for this tour will return next season. To be notified when tickets for our next tour season go on sale, email tickets@architecture.org.
Riverwalk East
Learn about newly completed improvements to the Chicago Riverwalk—starting at the Vietnam Memorial and heading east to Lake Michigan—including new public art, trees, landscaping and outposts for picnicking.
Riverwalk West
This tour helps you discover the western portion of the Riverwalk, starting at the Vietnam Memorial near State Street. As we walk to Lake Street, hear how this linear park—called Chicago’s new coastline by some—has become a magnet for outdoor recreation…
Note: Scheduled departures for this tour will return next season. To be notified when tickets for our next tour season go on sale, email tickets@architecture.org.
Sheffield Historic District
Hear how the Sheffield District has evolved since its formation as a working-class neighborhood in the 1870s. See beautiful historic row houses and learn about residents' preservation efforts amid gentrification and DePaul University’s expansion.
Note: Scheduled departures for this tour will return next season. To be notified when tickets for our next tour season go on sale, email tickets@architecture.org.
Ukrainian Village
Take in the beauty of Ukrainian Village’s churches—including Louis Sullivan’s stunning Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Cathedral—and residential architecture while hearing stories of Eastern European immigrants who first called the neighborhood…
Note: Scheduled departures for this tour will return next season. To be notified when tickets for our next tour season go on sale, email tickets@architecture.org.
University of Chicago
Come explore the early Collegiate Gothic roots of the university campus in the original quadrangles, the “march of mid-century modernism” along the Midway and the recent, breath-taking architectural additions such as the Mansueto Library and the Midway…
Note: Scheduled departures for this tour will return next season. To be notified when tickets for our next tour season go on sale, email tickets@architecture.org.
Vice to Nice: Transformation of the South Loop
The story of the South Loop is complete with characters, corruption, renewal and transformation. Explore how an area known for vice, gangsters, a few famous madams and a lot of abandoned railroad tracks has transformed into today’s thriving South Loop…
Note: Scheduled departures for this tour will return next season. To be notified when tickets for our next tour season go on sale, email tickets@architecture.org.
An Evening with an Architect: Joachim Schuessler
Enjoy this one-time-only river cruise aboard Chicago’s First Lady with commentary from architect Joachim Schuessler, Principal at Goettsch Partners. Price includes a glass of Champagne and FREE Center admission.
An Evening with an Architect: Julie MIchiels
Enjoy this one-time-only river cruise aboard Chicago’s First Lady with commentary from architect Julie Michiels, Associate Director and Interior Design Leader in the Chicago office of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Price includes a glass of Champagne and…
An Evening with an Architect: Thomas Kerwin
Enjoy this one-time-only river cruise aboard Chicago’s First Lady with commentary from architect Thomas Kerwin, Founding Principal of bKL Architecture. Price includes a glass of Champagne and FREE Center admission.
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 South Side, from important local African Americans who fought for Civil Rights to Confederate prisoners of war.
Note: No upcoming departures are currently scheduled for this tour. To learn about other CAC tours and events, sign up to receive our monthly e-news at architecture.org/email.