The 17 best sites to see during Open House Chicago 2024

If this is your first year going around during Open House Chicago weekend, the Central Standard Building needs to be at the top of your list. Plus, this place never gets old for architecture lovers, and you’ll always discover something new. 

Standing across the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, the Central Standard Building is an icon for neoclassical and Gothic Revival architecture, with a touch of Art Deco. The building recently restored the massive 88,000-square-foot grand banking hall on the second floor as Wintrust's Grand Banking Hall.

Opening hours: Oct. 19-20 from 10am-5pm

It's difficult to find a church more stunning than First United in Chicago. This 568-foot-tall skyscraper is a Neo-Gothic monument to the Methodists’ commitment to the Loop, standing against the pressure to move to the suburbs. Visitors can walk through the lobby and the Sanctuary during this year's Open House Chicago, admiring the church's massive stained glass windows and stone carvings. A virtual tour of the Sky Chapel on the top floor will also be available.

Opening hours: Oct. 19 from 10am-3pm, Oct. 20 from 1pm-4pm

Need a midday break from your Open House adventure? Stop by Ravinia Brewing in Avondale to check another site off your list and grab a good drink. Located in the former Maplewood station, Ravina salvaged the classic Brunswick Triple Arch bar in 2019 and brought it back home to Chicago from Wisconsin. The space is also a treat in itself with shipyard references and rustic interiors. Sit on the swing seats and enjoy a homemade brew, or chill with a few friends on the patio as you plan your route for the rest of the day!

Opening hours: Oct. 19-20 from 11am-5pm

Built between 1874 and 1877, the Ingersoll-Blackwelder house is one of the oldest historic homes in the Beverly/Morgan Park neighborhoods. The house greets its visitors with a magnificent Queen Ann style front and seamlessly transitions into an intricate Victorian main level. However, the best-kept secret of Ingersoll-Blackwelder House is the second floor, a rustic-filled art studio belonging to longtime owner Jack Simmerling. The house is also only two blocks away from the historic Morgan Park train station. 

Opening hours: Oct. 19-20 from 10am-5pm

The South Side Community Art Center is an architectural and cultural landmark in the heart of Bronzeville. Founded in 1940, it is the oldest Black American art center in the United States. The art center has a mission to conserve, preserve and promote the legacy and future of Black American art and artists. Don’t forget to take a photo of the iconic front entrance boasting classic Greek elements.

Opening hours: Oct. 19 from 10am-5pm

Bourdeau Griffin Design Center is the result of designer and artist couple Frantzie Bourdeau-Griffin and Gerald Griffin. The once deteriorating 46,000-square-foot Chatham warehouse is now a creative hub with a showroom, art gallery, classrooms and event space.

If you’ve had enough vintage and classic architecture, come to Bourdeau Griffin for a breath of contemporary beauty. Here, you will find Bourdeau-Griffin’s line of luxury interiors, including kitchen, bath, lighting, floor coverings and furniture. The gallery houses Griffin’s artwork about race, ethnicity and past societal attitudes.

Opening hours: Oct. 19-20 from 10am-5pm

Avalon Regal Theater is one of the last places in Chicago to indulge in Moorish Revival designs. Adopted by architects in the wake of Romanticist Orientalism, Moorish Revival, or neo-Moorish architecture, is known for its articulated decorative ornament drawn from historical sources, including Islamic architecture.

During Open House Chicago weekend, guests will have the opportunity to tour the theater’s 2,500-seat auditorium full of elements referring to Islamic temples and the extravagant main lobby with intricate carvings, archways, accents and mouldings. There will also be QR codes to provide visitors with more information on the theater’s history and its surrounding communities.

Opening hours: Oct. 19-20 from 10am-5pm

An ongoing discussion regarding urban agriculture and sustainable urban planning has been going on between Chicago architects, community leaders and organizations for a while now. If you’re curious about how our neighborhoods can function as self-sufficient units, come to Herban Produce during this year’s Open House Chicago. This two-acre production farm is one of the most diverse and specialized farms in the city. The farm partners with other local farmers and emerging food producers to give the public direct access to the farmer’s market. During the weekend, visitors will gain full access to the farm. Farmers and designers will also be present on site to answer questions.

Opening hours: Oct. 19-20 from 10am-4pm

The National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture found its home in Humboldt Park's 1896 stables building. Known for its steep pitched roofs and wooden ornamental details, the red brick stables are a nod to old German country house architecture. Currently, the museum has three exhibitions on view exploring Puerto Rican garment, culture and history.

Opening hours: Oct. 19-20 from 10am-2pm

Those interested in minimalistic modern design should add 800 Fulton to their visiting list. Its steel-and-brick structure resonates with the industrial history carried by the Fulton Market district, with steel cross-braces showcasing SOM’s trademark structural expressionism.

Furthermore, the new office building meets the nation’s highest standard for commercial office indoor air quality with fresh air intake on each floor, abundant green space and common outdoor decks. It's the perfect illustration of a sustainable modern skyscraper.

Opening hours: Oct. 19-20 from 11am-3pm

Starshaped Press is a well-kept secret among Chicago’s book lovers and printmakers as it's one of the only places in Chicago to take a closer look at 80- to 100-year-old printing presses. This letterpress and design studio is located inside the Moderne-style Bulldog Lock Co. Building. Continuing the print district’s tradition, Starshaped Press focuses on printed works created with 19th and 20th century antique metal and wood types. During Open House Chicago weekend, a working press will be set up and running to showcase the printing process. Guests can also take home a souvenir print.

Opening hours: Oct. 19-20 from 10am-5pm

Working Bikes, housed in an early 1900s former borax factory, is known to be a veritable bike museum with thousands of vintage bikes of unusual sizes, makes and models. You will even find pedal-powered contraptions with curious functions like water pumping and record playing.

Working Bikes also sell refurbished bikes they receive as donations at affordable prices to local community members in need. They ship these bikes to other countries that may need affordable bikes as transportation. During Open House Chicago weekend, guests can tour all three levels of Working Bikes, even the beehives on the rooftop!

Opening hours: Oct. 19 from 10am-5pm

Alliance Française de Chicago features architecture where modernity and classical influences coexist. On one side, we see the impressive greystone of Italian Row Homes built after the Great Chicago Fire. On the other side, linked through a courtyard, is a steel-and-glass addition inspired by the 1930s Modernist Maison de Verre in Paris. Founded in 1897, the Alliance is Chicago’s French cultural hub bridging between Americans and French-speaking populations. The Alliance will offer 30-minute tours allowing 15 to 20 people at a time during Open House Chicago.

Opening hours: Oct. 19 from 10am-5pm

Situated inside the historic Motor Row District, South Asia Institute is a registered landmark built in the Second Empire style. The Institute tells the cultural narrative of South Asia and its diaspora through curated exhibitions, innovative programs and educational initiatives. Now is the best time to visit South Asia Institute to adore the recently-restored terracotta façade. Guests can also explore the renovated interior with fresh exhibitions.

Opening hours: Oct. 19 from 10am-5pm

This quaint studio near Pilsen's iconic 18th street is packed with vibrance and history. Duarte, a Mexican-born muralist under the instruction of David Alfaro Siquieros, has more than 50 murals around Chicago and is a living legend in expressing the immigrant and Latino experience through muralism. The building that houses his studio is covered in his work, making it a popular stop for Pilsen art fans.

Opening hours: Oct. 19-20 from 10am-5pm

As one of the first planned industrial communities in the US, this National Park on the city's South Side still has the residences and facilities used by Pullman porters. Visitors can explore the original worker housing from the 1880s, Greenstone Church and Hotel Florence. The community is lauded for its urban design and signficance in labor history.

Opening hours: Oct. 19-20 from 10am-5pm 

A landmark building on Michigan Avenue houses this historic artist's haven, filled with visual artists, musicians, performers and dance instructors. Aside from private studios, the second floor of the Fine Arts Building features a gallery and a bookstore, while a trip up the last manually operated elevator in Chicago will take you to regular music or dance performances in Curtiss Hall. Artists working in the building typically open their doors to the public on the second Friday of each month.

Opening hours: Oct. 19-20 from 10am-5pm