Ever find yourself gazing at a building, curious about its interior? This weekend, you can satisfy that curiosity with Open House Chicago (OHC), a free festival that celebrates Chicago’s rich architectural, historical, and cultural landscape. OHC offers exclusive, behind-the-scenes access to over 170 locations across 20+ diverse neighborhoods, highlighting the businesses, organizations, and creative leaders that shape the city. This year’s event takes place on October 19 and 20 and includes 25 exciting new sites.

By making architecture accessible to everyone, OHC plays a key role in the Chicago Architecture Center’s (CAC) mission to demonstrate the power of design. Modeled after a similar festival in the UK, which began in 1992, OHC invites the public to explore the hidden gems of the city, encouraging a deeper appreciation of Chicago’s iconic architecture. This year, OHC has teamed up with local artisans, including Starshaped Press in Ravenswood, which is crafting official OHC merchandise.

In addition to site tours, the weekend is packed with 40+ programs and activations across various locations. Highlights include:

• Growing Home Urban Street Farm in Englewood, offering a hands-on mosaic magnet-making workshop during its Harvestfest on October 19.
• The National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture in Humboldt Park, hosting drop-in salsa lessons and art-making activities.
• Historic Pullman Foundation, presenting mini-tours of the Pullman neighborhood in collaboration with the Illinois Labor Historical Society.
• Graceland Cemetery in Uptown, offering Dia de Los Muertos-themed art classes, including ofrenda and paper marigold crafting, in collaboration with the National Museum of Mexican Art.

More events will be announced as the OHC weekend approaches.

Those interested in attending or volunteering can explore the full event details on the Chicago Architecture Center’s new website

or through the CAC app, which helps visitors plan their weekend by neighborhood and building type. “With all the new developments happening in Chicago, it’s more important than ever to show how architecture shapes our city,” says Eleanor Gorski, CEO and President of the CAC. “We hope Open House Chicago sparks a conversation about design and motivates people to take an active role in shaping our built environment.”

Now in its 14th year, OHC attracts more than 25,000 visitors annually, making it one of the world’s largest architecture and urban exploration festivals. It provides rare access to locations that are typically off-limits to the public.

Among the new sites this year is the historic Ramova Theatre in Bridgeport. Originally opened in 1929 as a movie theater and closed in 1985, the venue has been redeveloped and reopened as a restaurant, brewery, and event space. The theater will also host CAC’s Designing Futures Gala on October 1 to raise funds for OHC and other CAC programming.

Attendees can also explore Willie Dixon’s Blues Heaven Foundation at the historic Chess Studio, where Chicago blues legends once performed, and Bronzeville’s Al-Sadiq Mosque, one of the oldest mosques in the United States. Additionally, for the first time, the Murphy Auditorium at The Driehaus Museum will open its doors, offering a glimpse into a stunning architectural treasure featuring bronze doors from Tiffany Studios and a Parisian-inspired limestone façade.

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