Hundreds Of Historic Chicago Buildings To Open Their Doors This Weekend

By Char Daston
Open House Chicago
The Wintrust Building in the loop features a historic banking hall with murals depicting the 1893 World's Fair. Eric Rogers/Open House Chicago
Open House Chicago
The Wintrust Building in the loop features a historic banking hall with murals depicting the 1893 World's Fair. Eric Rogers/Open House Chicago

Hundreds Of Historic Chicago Buildings To Open Their Doors This Weekend

By Char Daston
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Want to see the inside of Frank Lloyd Wright’s home in Oak Park? Or look out at the Chicago river from the Civic Opera House’s rooftop deck?

This weekend, the Chicago Architecture Center presents Open House Chicago, a festival that grants free admission to historic buildings all over the city, some of which aren’t open to the public. Now in its eighth year, Open House Chicago includes more than 250 sites.

Giving you the inside scoop on the buildings you shouldn’t miss is Eric Rogers, manager of Open House Chicago and community outreach manager at the Chicago Architecture center.

New Neighborhoods in the Mix

The historic Town Hall in the Austin neighborhood is modeled after Independence Hall in Philadelphia. (Eric Rogers/Open House Chicago)

This year, the Austin neighborhood joins ranks of neighborhoods included in the festival. Come see its town hall, modeled after Independence Hall in Philadelphia.

This former firehouse in Beverly is now the Optimo hat factory. (Eric Rogers/Open House Chicago)

Also new this year is the Morgan Park neighborhood, plus Beverly, where a renovated fire station is now the Optimo hat factory!

Artists and Architects

Artist Hector Duarte's studio in Pilsen is adorned with a mural depicting Gulliver's Travels. (Eric Rogers/Open House Chicago)

The iconic Gulliver mural graces the outside of Hector Duarte’s art studio in Pilsen. Take a tour of the studio led by the artist himself.

Frank Lloyd Wright's home and studio in Oak Park is a must-see for first-timers at Open House Chicago. (Eric Rogers/Open House Chicago)

And don’t miss the iconic Frank Lloyd Wright home and studio in Oak Park, especially if this is your first Open House Chicago.

GUEST: Eric Rogers, manager of Open House Chicago and community outreach manager at the Chicago Architecture center

LEARN MORE: Open House Chicago