Chicago Architecture Center Exhibits Admission

Visited the Center and took the boat tour. Both excellent- very entertaining and informative!

The 3-D model of the city is excellent, along with the short film. Great photo/map exhibit highlighting Chicago neighborhoods. LOVED the gift shop... high-class items and an outstanding selection of books on the city, design and architecture. Their walking tours are fantastic, too!! I took three, along with their boat tour.

My team actually took the First Lady River Cruise, which isn’t listed here, but our docent, Marisol Kelly, was procured by the Chicago Architecture Center. She was amazing—extremely knowledgeable and passionate about her partnership with the Chicago Architecture Center, as well as her genuine love for the city of Chicago. She made the experience especially engaging and memorable.

Awesome. Chris was great! We were introduced to multiple phases of Chicago architecture.

Very detailed and provided great info on the impact of buildings on birds and how architects have improved the situation with glass and building modifications. Also the permanent exhibit was excellent.

Maybe a tour is better but I don’t see how. There was literally almost nothing to see there. I can’t believe they charge for this center!

Had a great time on the Legacy of Northalsted tour with Rene! He does a fantastic job weaving together architecture, neighborhood history, and the rich history of Chicago’s LGBTQ+ community in a way that’s engaging and easy to follow. I learned so much about how Northalsted became one of the Chicago’s proudest LGBTQ+ neighborhoods saw places I’ve walked by for years in a whole new light. Highly recommend this tour for both locals and visitors! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Chris is the best whole tour was lit heck yeah

We had an excellent tour guide Emily. Learned lots on the tour of the architecture along the river. She was most knowledgeable. It was a beautiful sunny day and the boat was perfect.

Charles gave a very good tour. As a former city planner, he was knowledgeable and had a few anecdotes along the way.

Had an excellent Treasures of Chicago's Golden Age tour with Charles through the Chicago Architectural Center. Highly recommend this tour for a great overview of some of Chicago's great buildings. Our guide added quite a few additional spots along the way.

This tour was entertaining and informative. We learned a lot about major architectural themes and trends but also discovered many intriguing details about some of Chicago's most fascinating buildings. Tour guide Michelle Pittman was great. She spoke clearly, kept up a good pace, and was very interactive--taking our questions and sharing her extensive knowledge all along the way.

We had a great experience on the Pedway tour with Alice. She was very knowledgeable and shared lots of interesting facts, all with a great sense of humor that made the tour fun and engaging. I highly recommend this tour for anyone who wants to learn about Chicago’s history while also getting useful, practical information on how to navigate the city—especially when it’s cold, hot, rainy, or snowy, since the Pedway connects so much of downtown. One thing to be aware of: there are quite a few stairs in some areas, and not all locations have elevators or escalators.

We did a pedestrian tour with CAC and was able to use that for admission into the Chicago architecture center. It’s was nice. Had a video of Chicago and a nice mini replica of city and Wrigley field. The exhibit upstairs was really interesting.. “ The disappointed tourist” by Ellen Harvey

Last week my partner and I took a tour of the Pedway with Alice and we had such a great time! We've lived in Chicago for over a year, and use the Pedway regularly, but learned so much throughout the tour. Alice was so great with her pacing, keeping us moving, always asking if there are questions, and seemed genuinely tickled to be leading us. The group was intimate, just 7 people and Alice, and very kind and respectful. Everyone that wanted to ask questions had time to ask them. This was our second walking tour with the Chicago Architecture Center and we've loved them so much that we've decided to become members in the new year. We are so lucky that this is a part of our city and can't wait to take friends and family when they are in town. One note for those who are talking the Pedway tour: wear light layers! We were dressed for a cold Chicago day and had to shlep our coats and sweaters around... we should have thought that through!

This was an outstanding tour! Chris was our guide and he did an incredible job. This was such a great way to see Chicago. I highly recommend!

This was an awesome architecture trip. We learnt a lot and it was a fun experience. A very good boat tour. We also did the museum visit which was informative.

This physical museum is not set up well. We did a 90 minute boat tour focusing on architecture so we learned a bit and were interested in learning more. We walked into this museum thinking we’d learn more. Instead it seemed geared toward architecture awards along with a model of the city and some facts about the Wrigley Field. The postcards on the wall in a huge room were cute but not helpful to learn about Chicago. They could’ve done so much more with this museum space and I considered it a FAIL as a tourist trying to learn about Chicago. Meanwhile I see by other reviews that many people took “walking tours” which I wish the admission people (or even a sign in the museum) would’ve educated us about. That would’ve been far more interesting than this museum space. They do have a nice gift shop.

Very nice and useful professional and exceptional service and unique service and entertaining and informative and satisfying

Admission to the Chicago Architectural Center is included with any tour. The exhibit has a great model display of Chicago and other iconic buildings. Worth a visit for any fans of architecture.

This was a fabulous tour. Mary Jo was so prepared and knowledgeable and engaging. We had a beautiful day for a walk and tour. This is one of the best tours I’ve been on with Chicago Architecture Center.

A visit to Chicago should include a stop at the Center- centrally located near the corner of Wacker Drive and Michigan Avenue. Here you will learn about the transformation of the city following the Fire and how it has become a world renowned center for architecture and commerce. The Center’s exhibits are fun and informative. The walking tour are great. And the Center’s boat tours are the best. (Don’t be fooled by the copycat tours of the many commercial companies offering boat rides with tour guides.) The Center’s tours on the First Lady boats are far and beyond better than the others. The docents on the boats know their stuff and are experts, not actor/employees/comedians following the same script. The Center is a great place to visit when you’re in Chicago. By the way, if you’re in town for a convention and you are at the Hyatt Regency- you are just steps away from the Center. Take a short break and wander a half block down Wacker Drive and stop in at the Center. You may never go back to the boring convention hall!

The museum was overpriced for the lack of stuff they had. Maybe I had higher expectations going into it. I left feeling like it was lacking interactive exhibits and information was bland. Expected to spend no more than 30 minutes there.

The warm welcome at reception was wonderful. The receptionists know their tours and can recommend nicely according to interests. We became member of the CAC and it is super worth while, also supporting a fantastic organisation!

Disappointing Not much there except a Wrigley Field exhibit and a whole floor of Rebuilding Ukraine. Not what we expected to see about buildings in Chicago.

Oh, my goodness, what an amazing day! We entered the Chicago Architecture Center, this morning, planning to tour the new exhibit on Wrigley Field. I always like to begin our visits by watching the short video on the history of Chicago architecture. After the video, one of the nice docents, Mitch, asked if we had any questions. We began chatting with Mitch, then set off on our own personal walking tour. We were thrilled! We visited the Marquette Building, the Monandock, the Rookery and the Chicago Board of Trade. Mitch shared so much information with us along the walk and while we visited the buildings, which was absolutely wonderful. We cannot more highly recommend the Chicago Architecture Center and their fabulous docents, exhibits and tours. The river tour and walking tours are incredibly educational, making any trip to Chicago even more special. We love this amazing city.

Great location. Exhibit and movie were informative. The volunteer staff Mitch even walked me to some closely landmarks, on a foggy and cold January.

We made a brief stop at the Chicago Architecture Center while exploring the city when rain surprised us. It turned out to be a fascinating and informative visit, offering insight into Chicago’s architectural history as well as future plans for expanding and repurposing existing structures. The local volunteers were very happy to answer any and all questions we had. The center is definitely worth a visit, and we’d recommend going early in your trip. It gives you a deeper appreciation for many of the city’s buildings and neighborhoods, helping you see Chicago in a whole new light - especially from an engineering and design perspective.

While the Chicago Architecture Center conducts various walking tours, it also has several nice exhibits in their building. One of the galleries was under construction, so admission was half off, but the other exhibits about Art Deco buildings and the model of Chicago were very interesting.

Why was I charged an additional $28.00 for the Chicago Architectural Tour. I ordered two tickets for $44.00 each. I should have been charged a total of $88.00 and I was charged $88.00 but an additional charge of $28.00 was added to my credit card. I want to know why?

All exhibits on the first floor were engaging informative and well done although the model of the new tallest building in the world which compared it to the Willis tower was misplaced behind the entry vestibule and impossible to appreciate. What a waste.

Chicago architecture is magnificent and we took four CAC tours in four days. Buying the CAC membership makes perfect sense. Each essential walking tour is free for members and it costs $30 per person for 90-120 minutes, if you buy a ticket. Besides four above mentioned walking tours, we took a river cruise (the cruise is 2:1 for CAC members). The membership costs $102, so just with two walking tours the cost has been already justified. The entrance to Chicago Architecture Center is also free for CAC members (without the membership it costs $14). We enjoyed very informative introductory video about the history of Chicago and excellent service of the CAC’s employees. Three of our walking tours as well as the river cruise were superb and I wrote separate reviews about them.

Signing up for the CAC's architectural boat cruises is a must, but be sure to visit the museum with its display on Chicago arch history, special exhibits, and a fine gift shop.

The CAC was a wonderful addition to understanding the issues and items of Chicago's plan and what is being done for its future. Has a great presentation and asking for feedback on many of the city's plans. A great ongoing presentation. In addition, the bookstore has unique and informative books and gifts on Chicago and its architectural history

You see a rating of 5.0 on TripAdvisor at way over 3000 reviews. Means EVERONE HAD TO GIVE 5 stars. Which obviously is not true looking at the reviews. But based on seeing the 5.0 you think “we definitely have to see this”. You spend the money, visit the museum just to find out, that there is only really one exciting movie and one exciting exhibit to see the rest is minimal and somewhat boring. A very small museum. My son, who is 18 and very interested in museums and I were quite disappointed. When we expressed our disappointment, we were told, that they are currently developing new exhibits and therefore not all was open.

The 2 space exhibit is small for the price, though what is present is interesting. Time required: <1 hour.

I took the architecture tour for the Old Post Office with John S. This past week and I must have to say I was fascinated with the beauty of this building. Learned how important and busy was the post office back in the day in Chicago! Also it was very cool seeing how the building has been readapted and reused for a new purpose, specially after being abandoned for many years! We saw the pretty interior and how they have changed the inside of it. Also we visited the rooftop and seeing the green roof they have to be environmental friendly. He showed us all around and took us through the history and beauty of this building. I definitely will recommend this tour to my family and friends who live in Chicago!

Our guide on the Architecture Center boat tour suggested we go up to the exhibit after debarking. It is very close to the boat dock. The exhibits were fascinating and a nice complement to doing the river tour. There is a great gift shop there too.

Cool 3D model of Chicago, plus fascinating insights into other architectural issues including sustainable building materials. Well worth visiting for an hour or two, although we only found out about this via our riverboat tour.

Very nice museum. Much smaller than we expected but beautifully done. We learned a lot about architecture of Chicago and the city model is amazing.

Is this a MUST DO when in Chicago? Is it thrilling and amazing? No. But it’s a neat place to spend an hour or a little longer learning some neat stuff about architecture’s history and future, especially as it pertains to Chicago. Entry is 14 dollars. I didn’t have to pay because it was included with my priority boarding architecture cruise ticket. If you see my review on the cruise, I’m not sure priority boarding is worth the extra cost. The first floor is the gift shop and focuses on Chicago history. There is a model of the city as well as info on the history of Chicago homes and architecture through the years. There is also a film playing. The second floor holds a rotating exhibit and models of famous skyscrapers. The exhibit that was on when I visited focused on the growing use of timber as the primary framing for skyscrapers—so interesting and teaching me things I never imagined! The center organizes the architecture cruises, walking tours, and other special events. It’s located on the riverfront, right across the street from the boat dock site.

Reservations and good customer service rep, the experience was great and very friendly , I will recommend this app

Charged twice of my credit card. Stop us after we finished 2nd floor visit, the lady in front desk told me I have to re-swipe my credit card. Ask her to double check. She keep claiming my card does not pass. Re-swipe my card. Just check my credit card report. She did charge me twice.

We have enjoyed a variety of offerings through the Chicago Architecture Center over the years - the museum, walking tours, kids summer camps, shopping at their store, etc. All of their programs are high quality and very professional. Any tour will accommodate the architecture novice to the expert and everyone in between. The tours are led by volunteers who are so friendly and informative. The camps are very well run and provide tremendous fun and exposure to the kids. The museum teaches a lot about the Chicago architectural landscape, while also having seasonally changing exhibits, so you can keep coming back to explore something new. Highly recommend checking out for tourists and locals alike!

Enjoyed the visit. The model of Chicago was very good. I thought the museum would have been bigger though and a little disappointed that the staff we spoke with did not what the model was made from. However because we did the river boat just before it put the city in perspective.

I was in Chicago for a few weeks, and made the excellent decision to join the Chicago Architect Center as a member for a year. This gives you access to all the walking tours (either for free or $10) as well as to the Center's exhibition, and I did as many of the tours as I could during my stay in the city. You can cover the cost of the annual membership by doing as few as 3 or 4 tours. All of the guides / docents are knowledgeable, enthusiastic and friendly and you learn a lot about history as well as about the buildings themselves. Thanks a lot to the docents I met: Burt, Steve, Ed, Lisa, Bill, Brent, Joann, Mitch, Darcy, Jill, Tony, Joan, Rick Jessica.

A big yes to arch center walking and boat tours. Epic fail for the $14 arch center admission. Besides the epic model of chicago, there is nothing worth seeing. The other exhibits are pretty juvenile. Really basic info. A shame with the amazing history of architecture in chicago that the center is so lightweight.

Excellent exhibits on the history of architecture in Chicago and on green energy. Interesting gift shop.

An interesting building with a good interactive model of the downtown area. However there is not much else to see apart from a few boards about climate change. We thought it was a lot of money for one basic exhibit.