Open House Chicago
111 E. Wacker Drive
One weekend in October each Year. Open building hours vary by location
$
seasonal-activities, local-highlights
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"HAVE YOU EVER WALKED BY A BUILDING AND THOUGHT I WISH I COULD SEE WHAT'S INSIDE?"
Open House Chicago is the annual opportunity for you and your family to do just that... see what's inside hundreds of Chicago's most well-known, and not so well known, architectural gems. Everything from local factories to small hip urban art studios and famous churches, sacred spaces and revered buildings of all types are open to the public over the course of this annual architectural festival weekend. It is a fun and fantastic way to learn about this incredibly historic, culturally rich and architecturally renowned city!
Plan ahead, especially if you're attending with babies, tots and/or young kids. Our kids are at an age where one stop a day was just enough. So, we chose our picks judiciously (& alternated a few spots to see on our own while our kids napped). One of our stops was a coffee roasting factory. I enjoy learning about local Chicago businesses and there were enough cool things to see (& smell) for our tots that it kept them entertained enough for us to get our fix at this open house spot... plus, there was free (delicious) coffee.
It's a really fantastic weekend; one that Chicagoans venture to proudly. It's been going on since 2011 and people eagerly await the announcement of which buildings will be open for this weekend. It gets you out of your regular neighborhood and into some really cool spots. It might even allow you to discover some real gems right around the corner from you that you never knew existed or never knew anything about.