The Chicago Architecture Center revealed this year’s Open House Chicago sites on Wednesday, and it includes 30 new spots on a list of more than 200.
Marking its 15th year in Chicago, the annual free event is intended to highlight the city’s well-known architecture by showcasing culturally, historically and architecturally significant sites. Many of the places are rarely open to the public and range from museums to mansions and schools, the news release said.
The event will take place Oct. 18-19, and it’s expected to draw tens of thousands of visitors.
Some of the new sites include Morning Star Baptist Church in Grand Boulevard, Chicago Magic Lounge in Andersonville and the Near West Side’s Four Star Mushrooms, a company that grows gourmet mushrooms and aims to boost the development of sustainable food systems.
The event is also launching a pilot program for “neighborhood headquarters” that are designed to help people gather throughout the city. Participants can stop by the locations to pick up materials, ask Chicago Architecture Center officials questions, and access restrooms and free Wi-Fi. The headquarters will be Starling by Duo in North Lawndale, a new Open House site; Koval Distillery in Ravenswood and Ramova Theatre in Bridgeport.
“It’s a natural fit for Chicago, the city of architecture,” Eleanor Gorski, CEO and president of the Chicago Architecture Center, said in a news release. “Whether you’re learning more about your own neighborhood or discovering a part of Chicago you’ve never visited before, Open House is the ultimate way to get to know Chicago.”
This year includes approximately 210 locations spanning 25 Chicago neighborhoods. Open House puts on events in numerous locations worldwide.
Open House Chicago will also host more than 40 programs throughout the weekend, including activities for families and musical performances at The Checkout, a former 7-Eleven turned concert venue in Uptown.
Here’s the list of the 30 new locations:
- Aspire Center in Austin
- Auditorium Building at Roosevelt University in the Loop
- Center on Halsted in Lake View
- The Checkout in Uptown
- Chicago Magic Lounge in Andersonville
- Chicago Sukkah Design Festival at James Stone Freedom Square in North Lawndale
- Chicago Theological Seminary in Hyde Park
- David Rubenstein Forum at the University of Chicago in Hyde Park
- Electrical Audio in Avondale
- First Unitarian Church of Chicago in Hyde Park
- Four Star Mushrooms in the Near West Side
- Gerber/Hart LGBTQ+ Library & Archive in Rogers Park
- Hilliard Tower Apartments in Chinatown
- Home of Harmony, Vivekananda Vedanta Society of Chicago in Irving Park
- Intuit Art Museum in West Town
- Japanese American Service Committee in West Ridge
- Judson & Moore Distillery in Avondale
- Lathrop Apartments in Lake View
- Lucy Gonzalez Parsons Apartments in Logan Square
- Marquette Building in the Loop
- Morning Star Baptist Church in Grand Boulevard
- Museum of Post-Punk & Industrial Music in Bridgeport
- National Public Housing Museum in the Near West Side
- Sheridan Trust & Savings Building in Uptown
- SMART Museum at the University of Chicago in Hyde Park
- South Side Sanctuary in Grand Boulevard
- Starling by Duo in North Lawndale
- Swift Hall at the University of Chicago Divinity School in Hyde Park
- The Weaving Mill in Logan Square
- Westtown Center in Logan Square
To see a full list of the 2025 Open House sites, visit openhousechicago.org.