Welcome to Open House Chicago!

Open House Chicago is an annual event organized by the Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF).  More than 150 buildings throughout Chicago will be open to the public with special behind-the-scenes access.  This year’s event will take place on October 18 and 19, 2014, and is free to the public.

When reviewing the Open House Chicago website and planning which buildings to visit, please note the following:

  • A few sites require reservations.
  • Some venues allow access to CAF members only.
  • Sites may be open both Saturday and Sunday, open one day only, or have restricted hours.

Make the most of Open House Chicago weekend by following these additional tips:

  • Visit venues that do not offer free tours to the public during the year.  Visit locations that offer tours throughout the year during their regularly scheduled tour times.  For example, take a free tour of the Elks National Memorial from 12 noon to 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday, from April 15 through November 15.
  • For CAF members, visit sites that do not have a tour offered by the CAF.  Take the more in-depth CAF tours during the year.  For example, the CAF offers a Cliff Dwellers tour, so tour that venue at another time.
  • However, if a location has special behind-the-scenes access not normally available, make sure to check it out!  For example, while the Lincoln Park Conservatory is always free and open to the public, Open House Chicago offers a special tour of the conservatory’s production greenhouses.

Have a great Open House Chicago weekend!