Featured Tour
Historic Treasures of Chicago’s Golden Age
Learn about the great architectural landmarks of Michigan Avenue and State Street, with glimpses inside…
Find Your Chicago Architecture Tour
Chicago is known around the world for its architecture. Whether you tour downtown or a neighborhood, our expert docent guides will tell you the stories behind the buildings. Visit iconic skyscrapers, elegant hotels or the legendary houses of Frank Lloyd Wright. With more than 85 tours to choose from, we won't blame you if you can't pick just one.
Recommended Tours
Most Popular
Choose one of CAC’s acclaimed architecture tours, from a selection of our guests’ perennial favorites.
Signature Tours
Select a tour of architectural treasures throughout Chicago and its suburbs, brought to life as only a CAC docent can.
One-Time Bus Tours
Get on a bus to see more of the city! Choose from several special one-time bus tours. Save up to 35% by booking multiple tours.
Most Popular
Choose one of CAC’s acclaimed architecture tours, from a selection of our guests’ perennial favorites.
6 Tours in this collection
Chicago Architecture Foundation Center River Cruise aboard Chicago's First Lady
#1 boat tour in Chicago according to TripAdvisor user reviews! Looking for the ultimate Chicago architecture…
Must-See Chicago
Must-See Chicago is a fast-paced, 90-minute introductory tour to Chicago featuring some of its most famous…
Architectural Highlights by Bus
Discover the exciting diversity of Chicago architecture on this wide-ranging odyssey, which traces the…
Historic Treasures of Chicago’s Golden Age
Learn about the great architectural landmarks of Michigan Avenue and State Street, with glimpses inside…
Elevated Architecture: Downtown "L" Train
Explore Chicago’s amazing architecture from the unique perspective of elevated trains and station platforms…
Art Deco Skyscrapers: The Riverfront
Tour the lobbies of five opulent Art Deco skyscrapers built near the banks of the Chicago River during…
Signature Tours
Select a tour of architectural treasures throughout Chicago and its suburbs, brought to life as only a CAC docent can.
6 Tours in this collection
Chicago Icons: Connecting Past and Present
This lively overview of Chicago architecture explores iconic buildings from the 1890s to present. We'll…
Chicago Modern
Chicago is recognized as a leader in Modern architecture, a style that revolutionized our visual world…
Chicago Architecture: A Walk Through Time
Want a quick introduction to Chicago’s magnificent architecture? This 90-minute tour takes a comprehensive…
Hotel Boom: Making Old New Again
Chicago is experiencing a surge in tourism, resulting in the creative repurpose of historic skyscrapers…
Discover Chicago's Historic Neighborhoods
CAC has partnered with Big Bus Chicago for a tour that explores Chicago's mosaic of neighborhoods. Every…
Historic Skyscrapers
Chicago is home to some of the world’s earliest skyscrapers. Get an up-close look at these 19th Century…
One-Time Bus Tours
Get on a bus to see more of the city! Choose from several special one-time bus tours. Save up to 35% by booking multiple tours.
8 Tours in this collection
Berwyn
Learn about the history of Berwyn, an idiosyncratic suburb with fascinating architecture, including an…
Concrete Chicago
Get a behind-the-scenes look at one of Chicago’s most popular building materials: concrete! We’ll…
Frank Lloyd Wright Neighborhoods by Bus
Follow Frank Lloyd Wright's career from 1899 to 1913, when his designs changed the face of the American…
Parks and Boulevards by Bus
Join us on a leisurely summertime drive along Chicago’s stunning western boulevards, through Columbus…
Emerging Chicago
Discover what’s new and exciting in the city’s built environment on the 15th annual Emerging Chicago…
Churches By Bus
Once a year, a caravan of buses travels to a new area of the city to appreciate architecturally significant…
Chicago Murals: Rogers Park
Join us on our third annual Chicago Murals tour, this year in Rogers Park. We’ll walk along the Mile…
Sustainability in Chicago
Hear what architects, developers and the city are doing to make existing and newly constructed buildings…
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Tours by type
Tours by Location
Lake Bluff
Explore the fascinating history reflected in the unique designs of the North Shore suburb of Lake Bluff. Trace the history from the formation of the Lake Bluff Camp Meeting Association, and their plans for a resort similar to the Chautauqua movement,…
Lake Forest Cemetery
Experience the Lake Forest Cemetery's park-like setting overlooking Lake Michigan in one of Chicago's most beautiful premier suburbs. Hear stories of Lake Forest's founding and those who made their mark from Civil War to modern times.
Lights, Camera, Architecture!
Chicago’s unique architecture has co-starred in movies with Ferris Bueller, Batman and the Blues Brothers, among other famous big screen characters. See some of the buildings featured in these films and more!
Lincoln Park: From Cemetery to Sculpture Garden
Take a pleasant walk through Chicago’s beautiful Lincoln Park—a former lakeside cemetery turned recreation destination. Hear about the park’s history, learn the stories behind famous sculptures and enjoy a stroll through the park’s beloved zoo…
Logan Square
Step back into the late 19th century and early 20th century with this walk down Logan Boulevard, one of the best preserved sections of Chicago’s boulevard system.
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.
Louis Sullivan Rediscovered
See the trailblazing work of Louis H. Sullivan on this tour through Chicago’s Loop and discover how this pioneering architect cleverly fused elements of nature with early skyscraper technology.
Macy's on State: The Legacy of Marshall Field's
Explore the construction, development and renovation of this State Street landmark by Daniel Burnham.
Maggie Daley Park
A new and unique addition to Chicago's urban landscape, Maggie Daley Park provides an adventurous and playful space that features climbing walls, tennis courts, an ice-skating and walking ribbon, an enchanted forest and play areas, all set among grassy…
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.
Magnificent Architecture of the Magnificent Mile
Discover how a dirt road known as Pine Street transformed into a "Paris on the Prairie" and later into the Magnificent Mile, the city’s premier shopping district. Hear the secrets and stories behind the striking buildings on North Michigan Avenue that…
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.
Note: Scheduled departures for this tour will return next season. Please email tickets@architecture.org to be notified when tickets are available.
Media Production Center of Columbia College Chicago
Discover one of Chicago's boldest and most colorful buildings, the Media Production Center at Columbia College, designed by world-renowned Chicago architect Jeanne Gang, winner of a 2011 MacArthur Foundation Fellows Award.
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.
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.
Members Only: Chicago Architecture Biennial guided tours
Estúdio 9 De Julho With Escola Da Cidade and o Grupo Inteiro Diagram of interactions MSTC: Citizenship Factory, 2019 Courtesy of Chicago Architecture Biennial / Cory DeWald, 2019
Mies and Modernism: The IIT Campus Tour
The Illinois Institute of Technology is home to the largest group of buildings designed by Mies van der Rohe—the most influential figure in American Modernism. This tour traces the evolution of the campus with a special emphasis on the years 1938—1958—the…
Millennium Park: Beyond the Bean
Learn how architects, artists and engineers collaborated with Chicago’s movers and shakers to transform a railroad yard and parking lot into a magnificent park that has thrilled millions and become the envy of cities around the world.
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.