Enlarge Photo

For first-time visitors to the city, there is no better introduction to the marvels of the world-famous skyline than the ninety-minute boat tour given by the Chicago Architecture Foundation. While you cruise the Chicago River in an open-topped boat, a docent fills your head with a wealth of information about dozens of the city’s greatest hits, including the Sears Tower, the “corn cobs” (Marina City), the Wrigley and Tribune buildings and the influential skyscrapers that line Wacker Drive. Not only are the buildings easy to see and admire from this vantage point, but you’ll learn interesting tidbits about superstars (Mies van der Rohe; Skidmore, Owings & Merrill) and styles such as Art Deco and postmodernism (the latter “more a state of mind than a style of architecture,” our docent said). The Architecture Foundation also offers more than eighty tours, including bus and walking tours. The boat tours are popular, so it’s best to buy tickets online a week or two in advance.

More Photos (2)

Fans of the great architect may feel the need to make a pilgrimage to Wright’s home and studio, where he lived and worked from 1889 to 1909. You can take a guided tour of the buildings, which were renovated by the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust. Know, however, that some connoisseurs think they’re overrated, with too many reproductions and not enough original pieces. A better bet: Robie House, an uncontested masterpiece.

Enlarge Photo

Now in its seventh year, this annual event celebrates the city’s architectural heritage with talks and tours by experts, as well as special access to sites not usually open to the public. The 2008 festival will be held on the weekend of May 17–18. As always, there will be special programs for kids; last year’s included a treasure hunt in Millennium Park, building bingo and a scavenger hunt.

More Photos (2)

Designed in 1908 by Frank Lloyd Wright, Robie House is a—if not the—quintessential example of Prairie style architecture. Its sweeping horizontal structure, open layout and cantilevered roof influenced generations of designers. Note: The Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust has sponsored a major renovation that is still going on.