By Chuck Eiden, Exhibit Host
Editor’s Note: Visitors to the CAC arrive curious, and our Exhibit Hosts serve as interpreters who encourage that curiosity, ask questions, and have fun. The following story is an excerpt of previous article highlighting how Exhibit Host Chuck Eiden engages guests at the CAC.
“We want to be the first stop for visitors to Chicago and a return destination for locals looking to better understand and appreciate their city, through our programs and exhibitions.” – Lynn Osmond, President and CEO, Chicago Architecture Center
As an Exhibit Host, I want our guests to see our city in new and exciting ways and to leave wanting to know more. One way I do this is by sharing personal stories about living, working, or going to college in Chicago. The Chicago model is a great entry point for doing this as people often connect with these stories and relate them with their own experience. You sometimes take a risk with this approach if the visitors are not from Chicago, but hopefully it gets them or other visitors to start a conversation with you.
Sometimes, our visitors tell us stories. I once met a gentleman who watched our video several times, and I asked him what he liked best. He explained that his great grandfather had been a stone mason from Germany and came to Chicago after the 1871 fire because of the many opportunities to build with stone. I often used this story when speaking with other visitors.
As exhibit hosts, we need to be prepared to answer questions. One question I often get is “What does Chicago do with its old buildings?” There are about a dozen buildings that have been repurposed in the last few years. So, I open a dialogue on this subject by siting examples close to the CAC that the visitor can see on the model or take a short walk to visit. For example: the London Guarantee Building (1923), Chicago Athletic Association (1893) and Chicago Motor Club (1928) have all be re-purposed as hotels.
When visitors want to know what’s new in Chicago, I talk about the new skyscrapers currently under construction and the many new projects highlighted in the current projects section of the Chicago Gallery, and sometimes I point out new St. Regis Hotel.
Of course, Exhibit Hosts need to stay current on changing exhibits at the CAC and new buildings under construction in Chicago. Just before our reopening, there was a special presentation in May to refresh Exhibit Hosts and tell them about all the new exhibits in the galleries. We also keep abreast by regularly reviewing The Bridge and reading sources like Curbed Chicago and columns in the Chicago Tribune.
To wrap up a visit to the CAC, I suggest that our guests pause for a few minutes on the second floor landing and look out the windows to see many examples of Chicago’s great architecture – the Tribune Tower Rsidences, the Wrigley Building, the Apple store, the NBC Tower and in the distance … 875 North Michigan.
After a visit to the CAC, we hope visitors begin to see Chicago and its architecture in new and exciting ways.