Accessibility & Safety
The Chicago Architecture Center welcomes all visitors and is committed to making its offerings accessible and safe to everyone.
Center Accessibility
Sign language interpretation is available. Please email tickets@architecture.org at least two weeks prior to the day of the event so arrangements may be made.
The Gand Lecture Hall is equipped with an FM Assistive Listening System. To request a receiver please inquire with a CAC staff member at the box office.
The Center has an elevator and a large family/gender neutral restroom.
River Cruise Accessibility
We work hard to ensure that everyone on Chicago's First Lady Cruises is able to access the beauty of our boats and enjoy a wonderful experience aboard. We can make your experience much more pleasant if you give us advance notice for any special boarding needs. Our crew is happy to help when you arrive at the dock level.
All our boats, except Chicago's First Lady & Chicago's Little Lady, are handicap accessible and offer a wheelchair-accessible restroom.
Tickets for tours on accessible boats can be purchased by selecting the 10:00 am, 11:00 am, 12:00 pm, 1:00 pm, 2:00 pm, 3:00 pm or 5:00 pm departure times.
For those requesting use of the company's manual wheelchair, please visit the ticket office first upon arrival.
For guests unable to use stairs, there is an ADA-compliant ramp available to access the Riverwalk at Wacker Drive and State Street.
Guests who are unable to climb stairs to the upper deck may choose to sit on the open-air bow deck of the vessel or the climate-controlled enclosed salon with large windows.
Staff members will gladly take table-side drink orders for passengers with limited mobility.
When boarding the ship, guests cross two ramps and enter through an opening (doorway) that is 36 inches wide. Crew members can assist you in guiding the wheelchair across the gangway. Motorized scooters and electric wheelchairs may not board the ship; guests may utilize our manual wheelchair (based upon availability).
Additional information can be found here. For questions, please contact Chicago's First Lady.
Bus/Walking Tour Accessibility
Guests unable to use stairs on bus tours should call 312.922.3432 at least two weeks in advance (when possible) to ensure an accessible bus is available. Mobility aids (walkers, wheelchairs, etc.) can be stored on buses. Please note, Frank Lloyd Wright properties have stairs and are not completely ADA accessible.
Please refer to this guide from the National Council on Aging for information on traveling with portable oxygen.
COVID Safety Information
As of February 2022, masks are no longer required for guests visiting the Chicago Architecture Center or on our walking tours. We do suggest guests carry a mask with them on Walking Tours as every interior visited has the option to require masks. Although masks are no longer required, guests are welcome to continue wearing them.
We are happy to answer any questions you might have. Please contact us via email at tickets@architecture.org or call the CAC Box Office at 312.922.8687.
Chicago Architecture Center
111 E. Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60601
Masks are not required for CAC guests. Proof of vaccination is also not required.
Those who visit the Center and attend CAC tours voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19. If you feel ill or suspect you may be experiencing symptoms of a COVID-19 infection, please do not enter the Center or attend any CAC tours. We will be happy to refund your reservation or welcome you to join us again at a later date.
CAC River Cruises
The Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise Aboard Chicago's First Lady does not require masks in the outdoor seating space, nor in the enclosed salon area onboard the vessels of Chicago's First Lady Cruises.
CAC Walking Tours
Masks are not required by the CAC on walking tours. However, the right to require masks and/or check vaccination statuses is at the discretion of the locations visited on each tour. If masking and/or proof of vaccination is required, it will be explicitly noted on the individual tour's description page.
The CAC will continue to follow the evolving COVID-19 city and state guidelines. The above information is subject to change due to the evolving nature of responses to COVID-19 (coronavirus). Please return to this page as you encounter questions; it will be updated as we learn more. To stay up to date on everything going on at the CAC, subscribe to our biweekly newsletter here.
Please let us know how we can help make your visit more enjoyable. Contact us below.