Open House Chicago

Each October, the Chicago Architecture Center (CAC) hosts Open House Chicago (OHC), a free public festival that offers rare behind-the-scenes access to sites of architectural, historical and cultural significance. The event also spotlights businesses, organizations and creative leaders contributing to the vitality of Chicago’s diverse neighborhoods.

OHC is one of the largest events of its kind in the world. This festival is a part of Open House Worldwide, a network of almost 60 organizations hosting festivals and conversations about architecture, design and cities across the globe.

Subscribe to our newsletter for updates on the festival, photo competition, and the featured sites and neighborhoods, which will be announced as the event dates approach.We look forward to seeing you out there!

Man wearing a backwards baseball cap taking a photo of a building with a cameraMan wearing a backwards baseball cap taking a photo of a building with a camera

Photo Competition

Whether you’re a seasoned photographer or a hobbyist with a camera phone, this is your chance to show off your best photos taken while exploring Open House Chicago sites around the city.

See competition details