CAC Open House

The Chicago Architecture Center (CAC) is pleased to recognize the many charities and
community organizations that lend support to the Open House Chicago (OHC) festival. The staff and volunteers at these fine organizations help the CAC team to identify OHC sites, develop public programs, promote the OHC festival, and, of course, welcome people to their wonderful neighborhoods.

If you’d like to consider being an OHC community partner and are interested to receive more
information, please contact us at OHC@architecture.org.

OHC Community Partners

826CHI is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting students ages 6 to 18 ...

826CHI is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting students ages 6 to 18 with their creative and expository writing skills and to helping teachers inspire their students to write.

Our services are structured around our understanding that great leaps in learning can happen with one-on-one attention, and that strong writing skills are fundamental to future success.

826CHI is dedicated to amplifying the voices of Chicago youth.

As you explore Chicago during OHC, please wear a face covering, maintain at least six feet of distance from others and do not attempt to enter any buildings.

826CHI

Rogers Park Business Alliance cultivates and sustains a thriving economic environment ...

Rogers Park Business Alliance cultivates and sustains a thriving economic environment in Rogers Park, serving businesses and residents.

Rogers Park Business Alliance

Visit Oak Park is the convention and visitor bureau serving the Village of Oak Park...

Visit Oak Park is the convention and visitor bureau serving the Village of Oak Park and its neighboring Western Cook County communities of Bellwood, Berkeley, Berwyn, Broadview, Brookfield, Elmwood Park, Forest Park, Franklin Park, Hillside, LaGrange, Maywood, Melrose Park, Northlake, North Riverside, River Forest, River Grove, Riverside, Schiller Park and Westchester.

Visit Oak Park

To integrate musical creativity into everyday life through performances ...

The mission of Access Contemporary Music is to integrate musical creativity into everyday life through performances of the music of diverse living composers, collaborative events designed to reach new audiences, innovative commissioning projects that foster the creation of new music and through storefront music schools that teach musical creativity.

Access Contemporary Music

The Chicago Public Library welcomes and supports all people in their enjoyment of reading ...

The Chicago Public Library welcomes and supports all people in their enjoyment of reading and pursuit of lifelong learning. Working together, we strive to provide equal access to information, ideas and knowledge through books, programs and other resources. We believe in the freedom to read, to learn, to discover.

Chicago Public Library

The mission of the Evanston History Center is to collect, preserve and interpret ...

The mission of the Evanston History Center is to collect, preserve and interpret the rich history of the City of Evanston and all its people through exhibits, educational programs and research facilities.

Evanston History Center

The Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community unites the resources of member organizations ...

Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community

The Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community unites the resources of member organizations and individual members to empower Chinese American communities in Greater Chicago. As a coalition of member organizations and individuals, CBCAC carries out its mission through civic education, issue advocacy, communication with policy makers and community mobilization.

CBCAC

The mission of Intuit is to celebrate the power of outsider art

Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art 

The mission of Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art is to celebrate the power of outsider art. 

Intuit Center for Outsider Art

The Forum brings together neighbors and friends ...

The Forum brings together neighbors and friends in revitalizing Bronzeville through engagement, performance and hospitality.

The Forum

The Bronzeville Historical Society is an African American historical society ...

The Bronzeville Historical Society is an African American historical society that preserves documents, photographs, memorabilia and cultural practices of black Chicagoans.

Bronzeville Historical Society

Magnificent Mile Association is a private, nonprofit membership organization ...

Magnificent Mile Association is a private nonprofit membership organization with a mission of preserving, promoting and enhancing one of Chicago’s most unique neighborhoods, The Magnificent Mile and the surrounding area. Its 700 plus members include real estate properties, retail stores, hotels, entertainment establishments, professional service industries and institutional and residential properties. 

Magnificent Mile Association

The mission of the Glessner House is to spark excitement in architecture ...

The mission of the Glessner House is to spark excitement in architecture, history and design through a dynamic exploration of Glessner House, its family and its preservation.

Glessner House

Pivot Arts creates and presents adventurous and multidisciplinary performance

Pivot Arts creates and presents adventurous and multidisciplinary performance often in unusual spaces. We develop and produce new works throughout the year culminating in a festival of contemporary performance. Our vision is that of a vibrant community where collaborations between artists, businesses and organizations bring diverse people together through unique performance events.

Pivot Arts

The mission of the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center is expressed in ...

The mission of the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center is expressed in our founding principle: Remember the Past, Transform the Future. The Museum is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Holocaust by honoring the memories of those who were lost and by teaching universal lessons that combat hatred, prejudice and indifference. The Museum fulfills its mission through the exhibition, preservation and interpretation of its collections and through education programs and initiatives that foster the promotion of human rights and the elimination of genocide.

Illinois Holocaust Museum

The Puerto Rican Arts Alliance is dedicated to preserving Puerto Rican culture ...

The Puerto Rican Arts Alliance is dedicated to preserving Puerto Rican culture by maintaining our traditions, promoting our arts, providing educational opportunities in arts programming and cultivating pride in our heritage for future generations.

Puerto Rican Arts Alliance

Hyde Park Art Center is a hub for contemporary arts in Chicago ...

Hyde Park Art Center is a hub for contemporary arts in Chicago, serving as a gathering and production space for artists and the broader community to cultivate ideas, impact social change and connect with new networks. The Art Center functions as an amplifier for today and tomorrow’s creative voices, providing the space to cultivate and create new work and connections.

Hyde Park Art Center

The Oak Park Art League's mission is to be a welcoming center of artistic inquiry ...

The mission of the The Oak Park Art League is to be a welcoming center of artistic inquiry, creative expression and art appreciation in Oak Park and the surrounding communities.

Through the offering of dynamic public arts programming and exhibitions, our goal is to engage the beginner to professional artist in creative practices allowing for the refinement of their creative voice.

Oak Park Art League

To provide a leading voice and active hand in the community’s ongoing evolution ...

The mission of the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce is to provide a leading voice and active hand in the community’s ongoing evolution and growth because we believe in our neighborhood as:

A welcoming and inclusive community
A place where businesses and neighbors know and support each other
A neighborhood with vibrant commercial corridors that contribute to a unique sense of place
A cultural hub and destination
A neighborhood that encourages innovation and diversity
A community that works together for the greater good

Empowering community momentum so businesses can grow.

Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce

The mission of the Renaissance Collaborative's is to promote self-sufficiency ...

The mission of the Renaissance Collaborative is to promote self-sufficiency through an innovative and comprehensive network of supportive housing, employment and educational services. The Renaissance Collaborative (TRC) is a community-based 501(c)3 social impact organization that has provided affordable housing, workforce development, employment and educational services and solutions to over 1,000 individuals annually in Bronzeville and its adjacent communities for the past 27 years. 


The Renaissance Collaborative

Chicago’s North Shore Convention and Visitors Bureau (CNSCVB) ...

Chicago's North Shore Convention and Visitors Bureau

Chicago’s North Shore Convention and Visitors Bureau (CNSCVB) is the State-certified destination marketing organization promoting tourism, meetings and leisure activities on Chicago’s North Shore.

Chicago's North Shore CVB

The Rogers Park/West Ridge Historical Society collects, preserves and shares the story ...

Rogers Park/West Ridge Historical Society

The Rogers Park/West Ridge Historical Society collects, preserves and shares the story of the diverse community of Chicago’s Far North Side. Established by local residents who believed their part of Chicago was a place with much to celebrate, the Society today serves the community through its publications, neighborhood tours, Living History programs and other educational and outreach efforts. 

Leadership Greater Chicago (LGC) is the region’s premier civic leadership...

Leadership Greater Chicago (LGC) is the region’s premier civic leadership incubator, delivering the knowledge and network to lead bold transformative change​.

Leadership Greater Chicago

Breakthrough partners with those affected by poverty...

Breakthrough partners with those affected by poverty to build connections, develop skills and open doors of opportunity.

Breakthrough FamilyPlex

Oak Park River Forest Museum is operated by The Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest...

Oak Park River Forest Museum is operated by The Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest, a 501(c)3 organization founded for educational and charitable purposes. The purposes of the Society are as follows: To operate Oak Park River Forest Museum; To collect, preserve, exhibit and interpret the history of the villages of Oak Park, River Forest and vicinity through the operation of an archive, research library and museum; To disseminate and provide to the public access to such historical information; To assist in the designation and preservation of buildings, monuments and other sites significant to the history of the area; and to inspire, engage and educate the residents of and visitors to Oak Park, River Forest and vicinity.

Oak Park River Forest Museum

BAPA is a community based civic organization, founded in 1947, ...

BAPA is a community-based civic organization, founded in 1947, that serves the Beverly/Morgan Park neighborhood with programs and services supporting local schools, businesses, housing, history, institutions and residents. The mission is to sustain and enhance Beverly/Morgan Park as a safe, culturally diverse Village in the City with increasing home values, high quality schools and thriving commercial areas.  

Beverly Area Planning Association

The Chicago Cultural Alliance’s mission is to connect, promote, and support ...

The mission of the Chicago Cultural Alliance is to connect, promote and support centers of cultural heritage for a more inclusive Chicago.

Chicago Cultural Alliance

NON:op Open Opera Works seeks to engage diverse audiences, artists, and program partners...

NON:op Open Opera Works seeks to engage diverse audiences, artists and program partners around urgent social issues of our time through projects and performances that are immersive, interactive and multi-disciplinary. Our large-scale works are supported by salons, panel discussions, workshops and installations. We seek to release that which is both archetypal and unique in each spectator, to encourage meaningful conversation and to bring forward new ideas and innovative ways of being.

NON:op Open Opera Works

Preservation Chicago is a not-for-profit committed to strengthening the vibrancy ...

Preservation Chicago is a not-for-profit committed to strengthening the vibrancy of Chicago's economy and quality of life by championing our historic built environment. It is the mission of the organization to protect and revitalize Chicago's irreplaceable architecture, neighborhoods and urban green spaces by influencing stakeholders toward creative reuse and preservation through advocacy, outreach, education and partnership.

Preservation Chicago

Plein Air Painters Chicago encourages the experience of painting the city of Chicago ...

Plein Air Painters Chicago encourages the experience of painting the city of Chicago—the lake, the skyline, the neighborhoods, the grit and the grime, as well as the natural beauty. We paint on-site in the open air, on beautiful days and sometimes in extreme weather. We offer our members opportunities to paint, critiques to improve their painting, events and exhibits to promote visibility and sales and general camaraderie among painters.

Plein Air Painters Chicago

The Rainbow Beach Park Advisory Council is composed of community members ...

The Rainbow Beach Park Advisory Council is composed of community members who have a vested interest in the Park and volunteer their time to advocate on behalf of it. The Council acts as a liaison between the Chicago Park District and the community on topics such as park use, safety and security, programming and beautification. The Advisory Council also focuses on projects that include fundraising, community building and environmental education.

Rainbow Beach Advisory Council

Logan Square Neighborhood Association (LSNA) ...

Logan Square Neighborhood Association (LSNA) is a community-based organization advancing diversity, leader development and models for engagement as the catalysts for social justice.

Logan Square Neighborhood Association

The North Lawndale Community Coordinating Council improves the physical, economic and social fiber ...

North Lawndale Community Coordinating Council

The North Lawndale Community Coordinating Council improves the physical, economic and social fiber of the local community through strategic and comprehensive planning, civic engagement and implementation of stakeholder-driven initiatives. We continually develop and execute bold community-driven solutions with the input of an engaged community that questions assumptions and challenges the status quo.

Chicago Loop Alliance is a member-based business organization...

Chicago Loop Alliance is a member-based business organization that represents Chicago’s most dynamic mixed-use district—the Loop—and advocates for the rapidly growing central business district. With over 300 members representing the Loop’s business, civic and cultural institutions, Chicago Loop Alliance is the only organization whose primary role is to promote businesses and lead revitalization efforts specific to the Loop.

Chicago Loop Alliance

Midwest Society for Acoustic Ecology, established in 2009, is a membership organization

The Midwest Society for Acoustic Ecology (MSAE), established in 2009, is a membership organization dedicated to exploring the role of sound in natural habitats and human societies, while promoting public dialogue concerning the identification, preservation and restoration of natural and cultural sound environments.

Midwest Society for Acoustic Ecology

Founded in 1980, Design Evanston is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit advocacy...

Founded in 1980, Design Evanston is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit advocacy organization promoting good design in Evanston, Illinois. Design Evanston attracts a wide range of professionals living or working in Evanston, including architects, planners, graphic designers, landscape architects, web designers and industrial designers.

Design Evanston

The Mission of the North Lawndale Historical and Cultural Society is ...

North Lawndale Historical and Cultural Society 

The Mission of the North Lawndale Historical and Cultural Society is to chronicle the historical narrative and educate the community about North Lawndale’s unique cultural assets, its people and its architecture.

NLHCS

Home Page

Welcome to the OHC 2020 mobile app—your handheld guide for exploring 20+ Chicago neighborhoods during the 10th annual Open House Chicago festival, happening Oct. 16−25! All OHC 2020 experiences and programs are outdoors or online. To learn more about how you can use the OHC 2020 app to enhance your experience, visit openhousechicago.org/app. And if something catches your eye, let us know by posting a photo on social media using the hashtag #OHC2020. Many thanks to OHC 2020 Presenting Sponsor Wintrust. 

OPEN HOUSE CHICAGO 2020

Neighborhoods

Choose a neighborhood and start exploring! Neighborhood pages include architecturally significant sites, trails for self-guided exploration, app-exclusive experiences and ways to explore like a local.

Explore OHC Neighborhoods

Trails and Experiences

Get the most out of Open House Chicago by following one of our 20+ self-guided trails on foot, by bicycle or by car.

Follow OHC Trails

Online Programs

Register to view nearly two dozen panel discussions, presentations and virtual tours via Zoom, many of which are free or exclusive to current CAC members.

Discover OHC Online Programs

https://cart.architecture.org/donate/q/35

DONATE

Your tax deductible contribution to the CAC is much appreciated and is 100% tax deductible.

Support OHC

CAC Membership

Join to get special benefits during Open House Chicago, including FREE admission to most OHC programs and exclusive access to “My Neighborhood, My Story” celebrity tours.

Become a Member

Sponsors and Partners

Community Partners

OHC 2020 would not be possible without the support of our generous sponsors and community partners.

OHC Sponsors and Community Partners

Hyde Park / Kenwood

Chinatown

South Shore

Auburn Gresham

Austin

Back of the Yards / New City

Beverly

Bronzeville

Englewood

North Shore / Evanston / Rogers Park

Humboldt Park

Lincoln Park

Logan Square

Near North Side

Near West Side

North Lawndale

Oak Park

Pilsen

Pullman / Roseland

Wicker Park

Woodlawn

Downtown

Plan your spring break family fun in Chicago! Check it out on the Choose Chicago channel on Vamonde.

Choose Chicago

Plan a family getaway the kids won't soon forget!

Spring Break Family Fun

Explore some of the locations of the Chicago blues scene of the 1960s with this VAMONDE adventure, based on the Chicago History Museum exhibition, "AMPLIFIED: Chicago Blues."

Chicago History Museum

Explore some of the locations of the Chicago blues scene of the 1960s with this VAMONDE adventure, based on the Chicago History Museum exhibition, "AMPLIFIED: Chicago Blues." Southern black migrants brought the blues to Chicago, where the music helped them forge connections and transform an unfamiliar, often inhospitable city into a new home. The music was also transformed—electrified and amplified to compete with urban noise. The photography of Raeburn Flerlage captures the streets, clubs, homes, and studios where a community of musicians defined the Chicago blues sound.

AMPLIFIED: Chicago Blues

From a 20th century resurgence that rivaled the Harlem Renaissance, to spectacular displays of Victorian Era architecture, this South Side neighborhood is responsible for tremendous cultural and social advances that are not to be missed.

The heart and soul of Chicago lies in its 77 vibrant neighborhoods, and going beyond the loop (Chicago’s downtown business district) will give you a much needed escape from the hustle and bustle of the skyscraper district. As part of the Beyond the Loop video series, The Second City and Goose Island Beer Company have teamed up with Choose Chicago to explore the local hotspots in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood. Discover why Bronzeville is more than just an artsy pocket on the South Side.

Bronzeville and Beyond

"How can I possibly be expected to handle school on a day like this?" We've all been there, even if we're not Ferris Bueller. After your mornings stretch, you look outside at the shining sun, soft breeze, and then wonder, "How can anyone expect me to handle work on a day like this?" So take the day off! While you're at it, follow in Ferris Bueller's footsteps too as Choose Chicago takes you through the film locations that made Ferris Bueller's Day Off such a wonderful adventure (but make sure Ed Rooney isn't on your tail).

It’s Ferris Bueller's Day Off! Take a day to explore the city, but don't get caught by the incredulous Principal Rooney! Kick it like a couple of wise-cracking high school kids at The Art Institute of Chicago and peer down from over 100 stories in the air with the Skydeck at Willis Tower. (Cover photo from @thiswashollywood via Instagram)

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Chicago’s legendary Second City comedy troupe and Goose Island Beer Company have teamed up with Choose Chicago to create the quintessential Old Town experience. Join us as we explore the historic neighborhood and discover its many claims to fame.

As part of the Beyond the Loop video series, The Second City and Goose Island Beer Company have teamed up with Choose Chicago to create the quintessential Old Town experience. Discover why this neighborhood has been home to immigrant families, gays, hippies and young professionals alike over the years.

Quintessential Old Town

The Second City and Goose Island Beer Company team up with Choose Chicago to how you why even 120 years after the Columbian Exposition, Hyde Park is still a profound point of historical and social importance in Chicago.

The heart and soul of Chicago lies in its 77 vibrant neighborhoods, and going beyond the loop (Chicago’s downtown business district) will give you a much needed escape from the hustle and bustle of the skyscraper district. As part of the Beyond the Loop video series, The Second City and Goose Island Beer Company have teamed up with Choose Chicago to explore the local hotspots in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood. Join us as we show you why even 120 years after the Columbian Exposition, Hyde Park is still a profound point of historical and social importance in Chicago.

Hyde Park: Obama's Neighborhood

The Budget Savvy Travelers

Temperatures are rising and the days are getting longer. This is a sure sign that schools will soon be out for summer vacation. Families looking for fun, affordable ways to keep kids busy during hot days will appreciate this guide that shares some great ways to cool off around Chicago—most are even free.

Best Places to Cool Off in Chicago

Craving a getaway, but short on vacation time or extra travel funds? Why not consider embarking on a culinary adventure? Chicago is a great city to experience the world through food! There are over 100 different neighborhoods in the city, each with its own unique flavors and traditions to share. Chicago has always celebrated a diverse array of people, cultures, and cuisines. Therefore, it's not surprising that Chicago consistently ranks high in top foodie destinations in the United States. For those of us that can’t book a plane ticket to satisfy our travel “craving,” taking a culinary adventure is truly the next best thing. Chicago offers a great opportunity to be carried away to a dreamy, distant place–if only through our palates alone.

Traveling the World Through Food | Chicago

Haley Guidry

Only have a short time to visit Chicago? No problem! With this guide, you can fit it all in - in just a weekend!

Spending a Weekend in Chicago

Looking for some free activities to explore in Chicago? You'll be surprised to learn that there are many things to do around the city that are absolutely free of charge!

6 Chicago Hidden Gems to Explore For Free

Wrigley Field holds the very identity of the Chicago Cubs. But Wrigley isn’t the only spot that embodies the spirit of the Cubbies. Lakeview is home to so many rich businesses that are full of North side pride!

Lakeview Roscoe Village Chamber of Commerce

Wrigleyville isn’t the only haven for fans of the Chicago Cubs. Take an adventure “Beyond Wrigley” into West Lakeview to explore some of the neighborhood icons and local businesses that are full of Cubbies pride!

Beyond Wrigley

Glessner House -

An architectural treasure in Chicago

Glessner House - An architectural treasure in Chicago

Welcome to the Chicago Cultural Center, a landmark home of the arts.

The People's Palace

Choose Chicago® is the official destination marketing organization for Chicago, Illinois. When you’re in Chicago, you’re home. With the countless experiences there are to have here, you're absolutely welcome to do any and all of them.

Puerto Rican Arts Alliance

Others

Puerto Rican Arts Alliance

OHC Community Partners

Puerto Rican Arts Alliance

Other pages in this Story

Puerto Rican Arts Alliance

Puerto Rican Arts Alliance

Others

Puerto Rican Arts Alliance

OHC Community Partners

Puerto Rican Arts Alliance

Other pages in this Story

Puerto Rican Arts Alliance

Download our app to experience the content you're previewing right now.

Watch, Listen, and Learn

Stories happen here

Find your inspiration