Chicago welcomed its newest cultural destination on August 31, as the Chicago Architecture Center opened its doors to the public. Previously known as the Chicago Architecture Foundation, CAC debuted a new name and a new riverfront home at 111 East Wacker Drive.
The 20,000-square-foot center is a destination for discovering the “first city of modern architecture,” inviting visitors to experience CAC’s exhibits, public programs, and tours. From worker’s cottages to skyscrapers, the Center explores Chicago’s contributions to architecture as well as the future of design around the world.
From Burnham to Mies
After spending 25 years in the Daniel Burnham-designed Railway Exchange Building, the Chicago Architecture Center moved to One Illinois Center, designed by Mies van der Rohe. Chicago-based Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture designed the space by enclosing what was formerly an outdoor plaza.
Visitors are drawn into the center by forty-foot windows that illuminate the space with natural light and offer a peek at the models inside. On the first floor, the Chicago Gallery tells the story of the city’s rise to become the epicenter of modern architecture. Exhibits highlight Chicago’s neighborhoods, vernacular architecture, and current developments.
Building Chicago
The Chicago Model Experience is the centerpiece of the gallery. The 3D-printed model Chicago has expanded from 1,300 to over 4,200 buildings. The interactive exhibit allows visitors to illuminate the model using a touch screen to illustrate the city’s growth, the reach of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, and the world’s first skyscrapers.
Supersized models of skyscrapers loom on the second floor as part of the Building Tall exhibit in the Drake Family Skyscraper Gallery. The exhibit explores how architects innovate to push boundaries and design super tall buildings. Visitors can examine models of 23 skyscrapers from around the world (including the Willis Tower and Jeddah Tower) while admiring the stunning views of Chicago icons outside like the Wrigley Building and Tribune Tower.
The Usher Lambe Rotating Gallery will feature new exhibits several times per year in a sunny second-floor space. Currently on display, From Me to We: Imagining the City of 2050 explores urban disrupters (including energy and technology) and how they will affect the city of the future.
The new Chicago Architecture Center also features a lecture hall, design studio, and award-winning store stocked with fun gifts for design enthusiasts. An orientation hall is the new launching pad for CAC’s 85 guided tours, which are led via walking, bike, bus, train, and boat. The new center is conveniently located above the dock for Chicago’s First Lady Cruises used for CAC boat tours.
The Chicago Architecture Center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week, 362 days a year (closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day). Admission is $12 and free to members.
A version of this article previously appeared on What Should We Do. 
Chicago Architecture Center
111 E. Wacker Dr.
Chicago, IL 60601
Jessica Mlinaric founded Urban Explorer in 2010 to inspire curious travelers by highlighting history, culture, and hidden gems in Chicago and beyond. She is the author of ‘Secret Chicago’ and ‘Chicago Scavenger.’ Jessica has visited 20+ countries and 30+ U.S. states. She has more than 16 years of experience as a marketing strategist and works as a freelance writer and photographer.
