There’s a reason people from all over the world come to visit Chicago: this city, ranked the best for the past decade, is filled with architecturally beautiful gems. However, exploring all of them can be expensive!
Fortunately, Open House Chicago is returning for its 15th annual edition, offering exclusive access to over 200 architectural and historical gems across the city. Not to mention—it’s completely free!
Organized by the Chicago Architecture Center, Open House Chicago takes place this weekend across 25 neighborhoods.
According to Block Club Chicago, this year’s public festival features 170 returning sites and 30 new locations throughout the city. Some of the new sites include the newly opened Aspire Center in Austin, Chicago Magic Lounge in Andersonville, the late Steve Albini’s recording studio in Avondale, the Intuit Art Museum in West Town, and much more.
Returning sites include the Walt Disney Birthplace, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Money Museum in the Loop, and the Grand Ballroom in Hyde Park, among other prominent sites.
Here are all the new places coming to Open House Chicago this year:
- Aspire Center (Austin)
- Auditorium Building, Roosevelt University (Downtown)
- Center on Halsted (Lakeview)
- The Checkout (Uptown)
- Chicago Magic Lounge (Andersonville)
- Chicago Sukkah Design Festival at James Stone Freedom Square (North Lawndale)
- Chicago Theological Seminary (Hyde Park)
- David Rubenstein Forum, University of Chicago (Hyde Park)
- Electrical Audio (Avondale)
- First Unitarian Church of Chicago (Hyde Park)
- Four Star Mushrooms (Near West Side)
- Gerber/Hart LGBTQ+ Library and Archive (Rogers Park)
- Hilliard Tower Apartments (Chinatown)
- Home of Harmony, Vivekananda Vedanta Society of Chicago (Irving Park)
- Intuit Art Museum (West Town)
- Japanese American Service Committee (West Ridge)
- Judson and Moore Distillery (Avondale)
- Lathrop Apartments (Lakeview)
- Lucy Gonzalez Parsons Apartments (Logan Square)
- Marquette Building (Downtown)
- Morning Star Baptist Church (Bronzeville)
- Museum of Post-Punk and Industrial Music (Bridgeport)
- National Public Housing Museum (Near West Side)
- Sheridan Trust and Savings Building (Uptown)
- Smart Museum of Art, UChicago (Hyde Park)
- South Side Sanctuary (Bronzeville)
- Starling by Duo/ (North Lawndale)
- Swift Hall, University of Chicago Divinity School (Hyde Park)
- The Weaving Mill (Logan Square)
- Westtown Center (Logan Square)
When is Open House Chicago?
Open House Chicago is happening this weekend, October 18-19, 2025.
The event is completely free, and most sites are open from 10 AM to 5 PM.
For more information and a complete list of Open House Chicago sites, visit here.