We took a tour on the Chicago First Lady through the Chicago Architectural Center. It was fabulous. We had Cynthia for a docent during the ride, and as I told her afterward, I couldnt believe how many facts about these buildings she could remember. Plus she hardly took a breath for the 90-minute ride. (She told me what rigorous training the docents actually went through for 6 months!) I want to take this tour at least one more time, if not more. It was so much fun, I learned so much. Chicago is a gorgeous city, and you can see so much of it from the river.Thank you CAC, and thank you Cynthia!!

This is the go to place for Chicago walking tours. The docents are very knowledgeable and fun. Each tour has a different feel because there are over 450 volunteer docents. The exhibits at the center are great. The model of downtown is fantastic and there is a short video that highlights parts of Chicago history. The organization also puts on special events like Engineering Fest and Chicago Open House. I can’t recommend this place enough. Lastly, the river boat tours with Chicago’s First Lady are the best in town and a great activity for locals and tourists alike.

Excellent tours! An experience one should enjoy while in Chicago day or night. David was our informative, engaging, fun guide! I highly recommend it! enjoyed it so much we went in the evening to see the buildings lit up at night. There were multiple fireworks displays as well.

Weve had a membership at CAC for several years. Its a great organization. Knowledgeable people, excellent tours, and great exhibits. This is one of the best ways to get to know Chicago.

Best tours in Chicago!They are the OFFICIAL institution for tours in Chicago.The tour presenters (also known as docents) have an immense amount of knowledge on Chicagos history and architecture. Add to that, the fact that many of them have lived in the city throughout their lives - you end up with a living encyclopedia giving you the tour. They are friendly and well spoken.Also, the visitors hub has an amazing model of the city and a great presentation on Chicago.Please take the river tour - it is Chicagos No 1 attraction. HOWEVER, please also take as many walking tours as well as bus tours as you can.Every tour teaches you something new, even for long lived Chicagoans. The tours are always fun and interactive. They also offer tours in many languages and they are very flexible when requesting private tours for large numbers.I am a member of the Architecture Center and I get to take many tours for free (at no additional cost after you buy the membership). They offer tours that talk about not only architecture, but also artistic movements, food, neighborhoods, etc.You really get your moneys worth during OPEN HOUSE CHICAGO. When you get to visit many buildings that are usually closed to the public and YOU DONT HAVE TO WAIT IN LINE.Please support this institution.

Born and raised in Chicago.. this tour will definitely open your eyes, and have more appreciation for the city and its accomplishments.. Tour guide Ross, was exceptional!

Really cool scale models and a fantastic presentation about the city of Chicago. Boat tour was very nice as well. The presenter was knowledge and entertaining.

My fiancé and I went on a walking tour this past weekend on a cold, rainy day and had a fantastic time (even in sub-optimal weather conditions). Ross did a wonderful job explaining everything, and we could hear his passion for architecture. We recommend that anyone interested in learning more about Chicago architecture (or architecture in general) should go on a tour through the CAC.

Chicago is a great place for architecture, and this is the best place to learn more about it. Exhibits are interesting and informative. The tours are led by the most knowledgeable docents youll find anywhere. The river tour is a must for tourists and Chicago natives alike.

Was able to stop by the box office and buy a boat cruise ticket for the same day. We didnt have enough time to go into an outdoor bar but theyve repurposed one of their boats into a floating rooftop bar! We had enough time to relax with one drink before heading next door to our boat. The tour was great! Hands down the best architectural boat cruise in Chicago. All other providers are just imitators.

Mike was a great docent and Bob was so informative as well! Very knowledgeable!

The river cruise these folks put on IS the best in Chicago. Informative host explaining all the details of local landmarks. And the full bar isnt all that more expensive than area restaurants.

The CAC is the premier keeper of Chicagos architectural flame. Pop in to explore its excellent galleries, which feature an interactive 3-D model of Chicago and displays on the citys architectural history, as well as giant models of and exhibits on skyscrapers around the world and the amazing technologies needed to build them, from construction to security to sustainability.

Interesting place to visit if you like architecture. I went to the Center last year. This year we did the Frank Lloyd Wright Tour which took four hours. You take a coach to his home and studio in Oak Park Chicago, then walk around the neighbourhood to see other homes he designed. You end up with a guided tour of Unity Temple which Frank designed. It was tiring and raining but well worth the effort. I took a few pictures on my phone and have posted them for you to view.

What an amazing place! Just some models of buildings present and buildings to come along with the history and lay out of future plans, just amazing! Many, many thanks to Debbie Sherman-Rodak for everything you did to make my first venture to the windy city an absolutely wonderful day!

Great exhibit of chicago architect. Must see

Hands-down a must see if you are in Chicago! Located just south of the river, you get an amazing and breathtaking view of some iconic architecture right at the beginning of your time there. I learned so much from the volunteers they had in the galleries and my love for Chicago grew 10 times the day we went! So much history and so many amazing architectural models to see. If you want to know about how Chicago was established and why it became the city it is today, this is the place to go! The scaled model of Chicago is unprecedented and an icon of the city! We planned to go on the boat tour but decided to go to just the museum instead. It was only $12 to get in (as of November 2019) and worth every penny! They could easily charge more!

If your booked one of their tours, you get in at a discounted price! The space has some interesting exhibit on Chicago and skyscrapers around the world. Nice gift shop if you are an architecture buff! I took their architecture cruise and it is very well organized and the narration from our guide was so so good. It only she was knowledgeable but also funny as hell! Thoroughly enjoyed it!

Very interesting place. Spent about an hour there. Not too crowded

Participated in a Legos build event today at the Center. Good fun with our oldest granddaughter.Love the exhibits, and the wealth of information available in the gift shop.

Such a great museum here! Highly recommend the short movie. You can spend about an hour here so its great if you need something short to do. Also, there are wonderful views of the city if the weather is cold or miserable.

A very knowledgeable place. Every kid in the Chicago area should visit here. Today I was here representing my engineering firm top discus engineering with young people. I had a great time answering questions and interacting with beautiful families. The staff there is very helpful and pleasant, and everyone had a smile on their face. Chicago had such fascinating architecture with a lot of history behind it. Please go and check it out.

Very informative river tour. The guide had wonderful insight into all the incredible buildings shown around the Chicago riverfront. We lucked out with wonderful weather. The dock location was easy to get to.

We moved out of Chicago the day the new location opened. But we finally made it back to Chicago this week and this was our first stop. We were not disappointed!! The models of the city are super cool. There is enough history to keep you interested and engaged but it’s not so much that it’s boring. The models in the second floor are also cool. I highly recommend stopping by!

Beautiful space, great walking tours, and the gallery below will leave you speechless. Though ever developing, small city model is breathtaking.

We did 2 tours with CAF; Historic Neighborhood Tour in the morning which gave us the general history of Chicago and then details of neighborhoods as we drove around the city, and the Twilight tour in the evening which explained Chicagos rich architecture and its evolution. It was amazing. The Twilight tour is very well timed. We had very well informed ladies who were our tour guides for each tour. Worth the money!

They offer superb tour of the city. I am sure, everyone can find an appropriate tour for their taste.We took their river tour, which was super informative. In 90 minutes, the guide talked about almost 70 building. The pace of the tour is very good. They first go west (in) through the main branch. Then go up to the north branch up until the goose island, and turn back. Next, they go through the south branch all the way down to S Canal St. bridge. In the last part of the trip, the tour takes you out from the main branch, up to the key (do not go out to the lake), where you can see whole skyline of Chicago. It is more expensive than the other tours but worth every penny.

A great introduction to Chicago’s historic skyscrapers. Saving two of the most interesting buildings, the Rookery and the Marquette til the end really helped to focus the tour. Our Docent, Cindy, was great- a conversational style that wasn’t just a list of facts. Highly recommended!

Definitely a neat place to visit if youre a fan of architecture.

I had a wonderful experience on the Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise. Our docent Lindy was spectacular, knowledgable, and an absolute delight. I highly recommend their 90 minute tour, which will leave no one disappointed. They have a full bar and restrooms in their air conditioned salon on the boat as well.

This building was an absolutely awesome experience. Aside from the tours that the company offers, they also have the building that has multiple exhibits inside. We did not do a tour due to our short time in the city, but the exhibits in the building were very cool and informational. The 3D aspects of the building were very realistic. The building itself is self guided, but there are many tour guides that are walking around answering questions and elaborating on the exhibits. The front desk lady honored our student membership without us having our ID’s on us, which was very cool! You can spend hours here or just a quick forty five minutes. I definitely recommend. I believe that it is best to start with the exhibit upstairs and then move downstairs to that exhibit and watch the film. Super cool building!

Great (albeit smallish) museum that provides a terrific overview of how architecture shaped the citys past and present. I loved all the models, especially in the skyscraper exhibit on the second floor. Definitely worth the price to visit, though an even better deal if paired with a boat cruise or walking tour.

OMG! I see why this is the #1 thing to do in Chicago. We went on the 5:15 sunset tour through the city. Victor was our tour guide and he was SOOOOOOOOOOOO amazing. Informative, educated, and HILARIOUS. I really liked his style of guiding. He did an amazing job. I honestly want to go again. I know there is something new to see each time. This is a MUST DO in the city.

We went on the Hotel Boom tour. Great choices if buildings and a very knowledgable guide.

Their cruise is great. Very knowledgable architect lady explaining about Chicago’s various tall buildings and their history. The boad was completely packed.

Awesome placeWe visit Lego architecture had a lot of fun play with legoWhen Im in Chicago with kids we always came to build lego

Updated review:As of early 2019 the move is done and the new place is beautiful! Besides the original model that is much expanded, there are now several very large scale models of tall structures from around the world, all built 91:1 scale as I recall.Be sure to watch the short movie by the city model. I found it very informative in spite of having watched numerous channel 11 PBS documentaries about Chicago architecture.Full ADA wheelchair accessibility inside and out too. Thanks!Original review:On 3/20/2018 the Chicago model is moving to 111 E. Wacker Dr. (see pic of sign) Other photos also show the new location is now being remodeled and an artist rendering of the future finished product.This model has always been GREAT. I can’t wait to see the NEW and IMPROVED model!

The full 3D map of Chicago and the video accompanying it are worth the admission price alone. This was an awesome way to start the boat tour and just an awesome place to learn about what makes Chicago so unique. Definitely a must see for locals and tourists alike.

Very cool. The storyline with the model city was great.

Cool models of all sorts of local and international structures. Great new location includes a lecture hall. Right on the river with gorgeous view!

Our guide, Margaret was exceptional. The sites were perfect. Margaret did a wonderful job of giving us insight on the buildings.she also gave us detail about persons involved with the building. It was not only a remarkable but it was an outstanding history tour

This is the first stop you should make..the tours are fantastic, whether they be boat, walking or just reading the literature. The store offers many wonderful things to purchase, and the staff are very helpful and friendly. The location of the shore now is great. Not very big, but very high quality, interactive exhibits. The guides were very friendly as well. Absolutely worth the money.

I went on the Art Deco Skyscrapers walking tour. Our docent was Pam. She was excellent! I will definitely do a different tour through the Chicago Architecture Center the next time I am visiting. What a great resource for visitors (and locals) to learn about this wonderful city. Another little tip, at the center where the tours start there is a gallery upstairs and downstairs with lots of interesting information...including a giant diorama of the city and a short film with Chicago history. I was glad I arrived 30 minutes early (by chance) to see the film and visit the upstairs and downstairs exhibitions.

Chicago Architecture Foundation river boat tour is fantastic. Brent, the tour guide, was very knowledgeable #chiarchitecture #brent #CFLcruises #CAFcruise

Great exhibition :) interesting facts on Chicago’s history and architecture in general.

Added this visit on with the Architectural Cruise and glad I did. Well laid out exhibit and models on Chicago and noteable international skyscrapers. If you are wanting to be an architect, this is an inspiring place to visit. Worth the additional $5.

If you are drawn to architecture in any way, you cant go wrong with a tour sponsored by this organization. And, be sure to take time to browse the 2nd floor of the Center!

Excellent boat tour! Completed as a local tourist and found it both entertaining and very interesting. Can avoid Ticketmaster fees if you buys tickets in person.

I love taking the Brown Line around the Loop then when proceeding northwest it’s like I’m on a low flying balloon ride that courses through gentrified neighborhoods passing schools, churches and shops.

ENGINEERING FEST the kiddos had a great time!

Dont miss the Chicago Model City by the Chicago Architecture Foundation. The CAF hosts tours and events all year including the narrated Chicago River Tour (See photos below).Also dont miss the one weekend a year in October when the Chicago Architectural Foundation hosts Open House Chicago. 200 buildings are often on the tour.

A must see while in Chicago! The Chicago Architecture Center (CAC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the awareness and appreciation of Chicago’s outstanding architectural legacy, boasts a year-round calendar filled with tours, exhibits, and programs.

The Center is a great introduction to Chicagos urban design and architectural heritage. The scale model of Chicagos downtown, with overlays you can play with to better understand the different facets of the city, reminds me of New London Architectures exhibit for London. Worth an hour of your time to absorb the whole Chicago context before doing some of the longer walking tours or river cruises.

So much history.....A great for any architect to visit

Interesting and informative about Chicagos great architecture. Make sure you go upstairs.

If you are in Chicago, the river cruise hosted by the Chicago Architecture Center is a must! We heard from so many people that the boat cruise was amazing but were a bit skeptical. But honestly, neither one of us are big into architecture or history but this was absolutely phenomenal. Loved the fact that they had a cash bar on the main level - that made the cruise so much more enjoyable. We could have a drink while listening to the tour guide explain each of the key buildings and the history of the city. We did the sunset cruise at 7:30pm and it was so amazing to see the buildings all light up. Highly highly recommend doing this!

Our son is an aspiring architect, and this stop by far was the highlight of his first visit to Chicago.

The Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF) was founded in 1966 to save the historic Glessner House. Since then, CAF has grown to become one of the largest cultural organizations in Chicago. For more than 50 years, our 450 volunteer docents and our educators have shared the stories of Chicago architecture with millions of Chicagoans and visitors. In 2016, CAF served more than 670,000 people.

Came to see the new Ohare airport models, well worth the visit. Havent been to rest of exhibits, but they seem cool.

This is a gem of a little museum if you want to understand why the city looks like it does. The introductory video is *really* good. I just wish the exhibits were larger.

A very nice center that seems to be quieter than most places downtown. It made for a nice relaxing learning experience for the family.

There were fun engineering activities this weekend. Fun for the kiddo, reasonably priced adult tickets. A small city adventure.

Very very very interesting time in Chicago!!!

Amazing and fairly extensive interpretive exhibit. The past and future of architecture in Chicago and worldwide. Especially like the extensive treatment of energy neutral methods and materials.

Very informative displays of all important architecture marvels in the world. Great to visit during winter times. I didnt do any tours but would do next time if possible.

Good overall experience. Learned a lot about the development of buildings and the city of Chicago in general. Helpful staff and educational exhibits.

Have to see all new architecture museum..

CAC hosts amazing tours and I highly recommend anyone interested in architecture to join their membership!

This feels like a must-see for any Chicagoan. Simple, accessible, and compelling.

Really cool exhibits on the history of skyscrapers... and its free!

Just an amazing way to start your trip in Chicago! Dive into its architecture and how it was created. The Architecture Center was a mind blowing experience for me with just enough information to get started and not overwhelm the visitors.

Well laid out center dedicated to the beautiful architecture of Chicago!

Good experience for the kids to learn about the great architecture of Chicago and history

Farnsworth House in Plano, Il. Fabulous tour guides, both on the bus and at Farnsworth House. Loved the whole program!

Best architectural river cruise ever! Totally worth the price. As great as our volunteer guide was, he refused tips; so be sure to give your guide a huge amount of appreciation, we did ours.

Whether you are new to Chicago or have lived here all of your life, CAC tours offers everyone new insight into this beautiful city. Each docent has their own take on the history of the architecture, so dont think if you have done a particular tour once, that you wont get something out of a second tour.

I just went on the River Tour with guide Adrienne. It was beyond anything I would have expected. You see so much beautiful architecture, many photo opportunities. The length of the tour was perfect and best of all our guide was incredibly knowledgeable about the history, construction, and architects. Lots of fun anecdotes dropped in as well. I know so much more about the city and architecture in general. I would probably do a second tour if I was here longer. Absolutely a highlight of my trip and so glad this tour was recommended to me.

Fantastic place, great tours

An adorable store that has a bit of everything. From coats, to cute books, ornaments, and art to kids toys. This is a shop for one and for all!

Excellent information on both Skyscraper development and the history of Building Tall in Chicago.

The museum was perhaps the best sight I had seen in the whole of Chicago during my stay. It truly is a marvelous city and its architecture is at the forefront of our modern country. It is easy to understand whether or not the customer has previous knowledge of architecture, so I would definitely recommend anyone to take a visit.

Perfect stop before going on the river cruise! Got here at 9:30am and got on the 11am river cruise. Could have stayed longer, but probably not >3 hr unless you’re an architect or civil engineer with deep fascination in buildings.

One of my favorite spots to take visitors from out of town. Their tours are also amazing!

Great shop for gifts but a little pricy.Go through the shop and in the center court of the building you can visit a full 3D model of Chicago with explanations of planned urban development and architecture ideas.Opposite of the shop through the court yard is an architecture lab where participants can use white Lego bricks to design buildings.

A very nice exhibit of Chicago on the first floor includes an interactive scaled model of the city. There is a frequent short video that gives a general history of the city and its construction. Upstairs has an exhibit consisting of scale models of some of the worlds skyscrapers.

Great film on the architectural history of Chicago with an interactive 3D map of Chicago. Upstairs has models of super tall and mega tall skyscrapers. Entry fee is an easy add-on for the Chicago’s first lady architecture cruise that leaves across the street.

The Chicago Architecture Foundation is a fantastic organisation which has the most brilliant guides who sell the architecture of Chicago to visitors in the most brilliant ways. I have been on nearly all of their tours over the years and can not possibly recommend them any more highly.

Great place and very informative. Take the tour and the river tour as well!

Very nice exhibit! Everything is well thought out (they even tell you the directions to get to certain buildings), logically organized and well explained. The volunteers are very knowledgeable.

Wonderful tour of various buildings along the Chicago river. The tour guide is a volunteer and gave a very nice talk through during our river cruise.The bar makes a good Bloody Mary and decent Moscow Mule. We took the 10am tour on Memorial Day and the weather was perfect. I recommend getting in line 20 minutes before so you can get the seats you want. Beautiful morning for a tour along the Chicago river.

Good place to see the huge model of Chicago city and to heard about the history of Chicago, the walks that start from here are very interesting also.

Very nice exhibit of Chicago on the first floor includes an interactive scaled model of the city. There is a frequent short video that gives a general history of the city and its construction. Upstairs has an exhibit consisting of scale models of some of the worlds skyscrapers. Very interesting. Well worth the $5 add on price to the architectural river boat tour, which was a great tour and well worth the money.

Took the CAI river cruise and found it fascinating with a narrative that tells a story about the birth of tall buildings, the economy of the river, and the politics of the characters that built Chicago into what it is today. Also fascinating is the CAI museum/foundation and center that tells the story of Chicagos architectural influence that can be found around the world. Begin with the foundation museum exhibits and then take the river cruise. Both are highly recommended!!

Just got off the River Cruise. What a great tour, very friendly, great service. Very clean boat and a great experience. Our tour guide was outstanding! I HIGHLY recommend this tour.

A good overview of Chicago buildings/history plus a comparison to contemporary buildings around the world.

A good stop when in Chicago hanging out at the BEAN off S Michigan Ave. Every thing you need to know about architecture of this wonderful city.

Wow! Amazing displays of the history of architecture in Chicago. Starting with a video on the first floor and then displays on the second. Just an amazing place to learn some of the basics about really tall buildings.

Whether or not you consider yourself an architectural aficionado, this museum/center/foundation is a must, if you live in Chicago or are visiting the city. Chicago is the architectural beacon for the world. The skyline, the buildings, the urban scape, is without a rival, in my immodest opinion.The center provides a historical, economic, and lifestyle context for the fabulous architecture that surrounds you in the city of big shoulders. The tours provided by the foundation are amazing. Even with my uncontrollable A.D.D., I was devouring every word from my engaging and intellectually knowledgeable docent John. I think I know everything, as evidenced by my arrogant reviews. However, I received an education from John that no school has been able to provide, and I went to some good ones.I am hoping to take a different tour each day Im in Chicago. It was that good. The museum itself is designed well, as expected from an architecturally based foundation. There are highlights, such as the model city, but everything, including the gift shop, was worthwhile and interesting.Hey, Im not a museum/class/tour kind of person. Between my A.D.D. and need to be the center of attention at all times, I have an extinction rate of about 10 minutes. But I loved everything about both the tour and the museum. Tomorrow, I hope to take the architectural river cruise. I want to thank the Chicago Architectural Center for providing a great service, not only for Chicago, but for every visitor. Bravo!

We took the walking tour about the Gilded Age and it was fantastic. Our guide was very knowledgeable, sharing many interesting facts about the history of the buildings and Chicago in general. She was friendly and very interactive, which I like. We visited several best buildings and she also pointed out interesting things about places along the way as well. I have lived in the Western suburbs for nearly twenty years and we visit the city often and watch a lot of PBS programs about the city, so we are well versed about Chicago. I still found this very informative, would definitely recommend this tour.

Great tour, highly recommend. A wonderful way to experience Chicago and its history. Our guide, Jessica was fantastic!