Open House Chicago

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Open House Chicago logo 2018 OHC Logo.png
Open House Chicago logo

Open House Chicago (OHC) is a free weekend festival held annually in Chicago that allows participants to visit dozens of buildings that are not typically open to the public.

Contents

OHC is organized by the Chicago Architecture Foundation over a two-day period each year in mid-October. The event promotes appreciation of architecture by the general public.

OHC began in 2011 and it is part of a worldwide network of Open House events that started with Open House London in 1992. [1] Its organizers state that event objectives include enabling participants to “venture into new neighborhoods, learn the stories of Chicago’s architecture and experience the diversity and culture of each community.” [2] OHC is an important event for tourism in Chicago. [3] Funding for the event comes from the Chicago Architecture Center and from corporate sponsors, government agencies, foundations, and individual donors. The event relies on approximately 2,600 volunteers to staff participating buildings.

Dates and attendance

DatesNumber of sitesVisits to included sitesEstimated individual attendeessource
Oct 15–16, 201113184,00023,000 [4] [5]
Oct 13–14, 2012198142,00040,000 [6]
Oct 19–20, 2013157194,00055,000 [7]
Oct 18–19, 2014167285,00075,000 [8]
Oct 17–18, 2015204320,00085,000 [9]
Oct 15–16, 2016213380,000100,000 [10]
Oct 14–15, 2017257347,00091,000 [11]
Oct 13–14, 2018280366,000100,000 [12]
Oct 19–20, 2019"almost 350" ?? [13]
16 Oct–01 Nov 2020over 50000Virtual due to COVID-19 pandemic
Oct 16-17, 2021 ? ? ?
Oct 15-16, 2022over 150 ? ?
Oct 14-15, 2023170 sites ? ?
Oct 19-20, 2024 ? ? ?

Sites

A sign announces the participation of the Fine Arts Building in 2019's Open House Fine Arts Building, Open House Chicago.jpg
A sign announces the participation of the Fine Arts Building in 2019's Open House

Sites include spaces inside historic and architecturally significant buildings that aren't generally open to the public, including historic mansions, Frank Lloyd Wright homes, theaters, skyscrapers, exclusive private clubs, opulent hotel ballrooms and suites, rooftops, industrial sites and design and architecture offices. [14] [15]

Highlights include Tribune Tower, [16] Kemper Building, [17] Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Fine Arts Building, [18] Chicago Board of Trade Building, [18] The Rookery, Aon Center, Chicago Temple Building, Emil Bach House, [19] Elks National Memorial, [20] New Regal Theater [21] and more. [22] [23] [18]

See also

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References

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  19. "Inside The Frank Lloyd Wright Home People Line Up To See: PHOTOS". DNAinfo Chicago. Archived from the original on 11 October 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  20. "Touring the Elks National Memorial; Roof at theWit; More!". 23 October 2013.
  21. "South Side's Restoration on Full View for Open House Chicago". DNAinfo Chicago. Archived from the original on 22 February 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  22. "10 new places to visit during Open House Chicago".
  23. "Sites". Open House Chicago. Retrieved 11 October 2017.