The Chicago Architecture Center (CAC), formerly the Chicago Architecture Foundation, is Chicago’s premier architectural exhibition space—nearly 10,000 sq ft at the junction of Michigan Avenue and the Chicago River. The CAC houses the city’s largest scale model of Chicago, plus exhibitions on neighbourhoods, leading architects, and the future of urban design. Adult and child tickets (ages 6+): US$7; children under 5: free. Open Friday–Monday, 10 am–4 pm; closed Tuesday–Thursday and on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.
The Chicago Architecture Center is the city’s definitive destination for anyone who wants to understand what makes Chicago one of the world’s most architecturally significant cities. Founded in 1966 as the Chicago Architecture Foundation to preserve the historic Glessner House, the CAC has grown over more than five decades into one of Chicago’s most important cultural institutions.
Its new riverfront home at 111 E Wacker Drive—at the heart of the city where Michigan Avenue meets the Chicago River—features nearly 10,000 square feet of exhibition space filled with super-sized architectural models, interactive displays, and thought-provoking exhibits on Chicago’s past, present, and future.
The CAC also serves as the departure point and intellectual home for many of Chicago’s best architecture tours—from river cruises to Art Deco walking tours—making it a natural first stop on any architecture-focused Chicago itinerary.
Top Tickets
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Ticket Prices
Adult Ticket (18+ years): US$7
Child Ticket (6–17 years): US$7
Children under 5: Free
The ticket includes access to all permanent and temporary exhibitions and the Chicago City Model Experience. Skip-the-Line tickets are available online; free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.
What to Expect at the Chicago Architecture Center
At the CAC, visitors discover how Chicago became the world’s first great city of modern architecture—through exhibits on distinct neighbourhoods, housing styles, prominent architects from Louis Sullivan to Jeanne Gang, and projects shaping the skyline today. The centrepiece is the Chicago City Model Experience: a breathtakingly accurate, large-scale three-dimensional replica of Chicago brought to life via special effects and video. The CAC also investigates what urban life might look like in 2050.
Walking through the CAC is an exercise in understanding architecture not just as art, but as the practical, social, and political act of building cities. The exhibitions take a wide view—from the scale of individual buildings and their structural innovations to the neighbourhood patterns they create, the architects who designed them, and the cities of the future they might inspire.
The Chicago City Model Experience is the undisputed centrepiece of the CAC. This breathtakingly detailed, large-scale three-dimensional model of Chicago is brought to life through special effects lighting and a short video presentation that contextualises the city’s growth and architectural achievements. It is a genuinely impressive display that gives visitors a bird’s-eye understanding of Chicago’s urban geography that no map or photograph can replicate.
Getting There
Address: 111 E Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60601
The CAC is at the junction of Michigan Avenue and the Chicago River—one of the most accessible locations in downtown Chicago.
Nearest CTA train stations: State & Lake (Brown, Green, Orange, Purple lines), Lake (Red Line), and Clark & Lake or Washington (Blue Line).
From any of these stations, walk east to Michigan Avenue, cross to the east side, and walk north toward the river. When you reach Wacker Drive, turn right (east); the CAC is the second building on your right. Look for the blue awning.
Opening Hours
The Chicago Architecture Center is open Friday through Monday, 10 am to 4 pm. It is closed Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The CAC is also closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. Most visitors need around 45 minutes to explore all the current exhibitions.
Friday–Monday: 10 am – 4 pm
Tuesday–Thursday: Closed
Closed on: Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day
How Long to Spend
Most visitors spend approximately 45 minutes exploring the CAC’s exhibitions. Architecture enthusiasts, students, and those planning further architecture tours in Chicago may wish to allow up to 90 minutes. The CAC is an excellent warm-up for one of Chicago’s renowned architecture river cruises or walking tours.
CAC Architecture Tours
The CAC is not just an exhibition space—it is the city’s leading authority on Chicago architecture and the intellectual home of many of Chicago’s best architecture tours. CAC-trained guides lead Art Deco walking tours and other curated experiences that bring the city’s built environment to life.
For a complete guide to Chicago’s architecture tours—river cruises, speedboats, walking tours, and bus tours.
See: Chicago architecture tours guide.
Chicago City Model Experience
The Chicago City Model Experience is the CAC’s most talked-about exhibit—a large-scale, precisely detailed three-dimensional model of Chicago’s built environment, enhanced by special effects lighting and a short contextual video. The model reveals the city’s urban geography, its architectural clusters and contrasts, and the extraordinary concentration of architectural innovation that makes Chicago unlike any other city on earth. This alone justifies a visit to the CAC.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Chicago Architecture Center wheelchair accessible?
Yes. The CAC at 111 E Wacker Drive is fully wheelchair accessible.
How long does a visit to the CAC take?
Around 45 minutes for most visitors; up to 90 minutes for architecture enthusiasts who engage deeply with all the exhibitions.
Does admission to the CAC include architecture tours?
No. CAC exhibit admission ($7) covers the exhibitions and Chicago City Model Experience only. Architecture tours—river cruises, walking tours, bus tours—are separate ticketed experiences. Your CAC admission ticket does, however, include access to the CAC’s exhibits when you book Art Deco walking tours that depart from the centre.
Is the CAC open year-round?
The CAC is open Friday through Monday throughout the year, except on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. It is closed Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
