Well, folks, you/we did it. WE’VE SUCCESSFULLY MOVED!!!!
Congratulations to one and all for the successful move from one location to another. Truthfully, this is just the first stepping stone and we will again be “moving” the last week in August, when all the galleries should be finished, the model will open and everything will be off and running.
But, in the meantime, things have begun really well. Tours have been running smoothly from the new location, with many docents taking their groups outside to begin. The areas in front of the door, around the corner and along the Wacker Drive sidewalk are suitable for introductions. The new, huge box office is running smoothly, with four people able to serve our customers, leaving room for handing out stickers and headsets on the east side easily done by Guest Services Volunteers. The Discover Chicago bus has been leaving daily from the front door and all is running smoothly.
People are coming into the space to ask questions, to express delight in seeing the new space evolving and just to ask for directions. Members of the Move Task Force committee have been around to help guide all volunteers to the new space, explain traffic flow and show off the fabulous new washrooms. The response from everyone wandering in and out just to get the feel of this new home, our new CAC, is “this is great.”
Other issues involved with moving includes the new tour pricing. Caroline has sent this out to Neighborhood Tour Directors (see below), but to make sure everyone knows, here is the schedule for costs of the new tours. Please note that you can take money from walk-ups or not – you can more easily direct people to the architecture.org Web site and let them purchase tickets on the spot. Members who walk up can be taken with no problem. Just remember to add them to the report that needs to be filed for every neighborhood tour.
Thanks to staff, docents, volunteers and whomever else was involved in this massive operation – we have come, we have seen, we have conquered. Congratulations to us – and here’s a toast to the next 20 years at CAC.
We’ve made some updates to the FAQs so please review here: FAQs About the New CAC
The Move Task Force
Here’s the message from Caroline re tour costs and procedures:
If you attended one of the recent CAC orientations, you may have heard some information about walk-ups for our building and neighborhood tours. We understand that it can be bothersome to deal with cash transactions so we want to move away from accepting cash sales. These tours are free for members who make up the majority of the guests. However, if a non-member walks up wanting to join the tour and tickets are still available, docents should tell them to purchase tickets online at architecture.org.
We also understand that there still might be situations where you may have to accept cash (i.e. sold out tour but not everyone shows up) and in those instances follow the normal procedure of collecting cash/sending to Caroline.
The Neighborhood Tour Report form will still be filled out to account for any walk-up member tickets.
New walking tour pricing, as of August 1st, is below:
1) Building Tours (includes admission to CAC exhibit spaces)
a. $20 Standard Price
b. $17 Student Price (available by calling or box office only)
c. There is no longer a Senior Price
d. $0 Member Price
2) Core and Neighborhood Tours (includes admission to CAC exhibit spaces)
a. $26 Standard Price
b. $22 Student Price (available by calling or box office only)
c. There is no longer a Senior Price
d. $0 Member Price
3) Exceptions
a. FLW in Oak Park remains at: i. $15 Standard Price
ii. $12 Student and Senior Price (available by calling or box office only)
iii. $0 Member Price
b. Food & Architecture of 1893 (includes admission to CAC exhibit spaces)
i. $35 Standard Price
ii. $30 Student Price (available by calling or box office only
——————————————————————————————————————-
Here are step by step instructions on how to purchase tickets online.
1. Open a web browser (chrome, safari, etc.) and go to architecture.org
2. Click on the white MENU button in the upper right corner
3. When the expanded menu appears, click on CALENDAR. It’s towards the middle underneath ABOUT CAF. You may have to scroll slightly.
4. The calendar will automatically open to that day with tours listed chronologically – find your tour and click the red BUY TICKETS button
5. On the next screen, make sure they’re picking the right date & time (it’s most likely the first one listed), and click BUY TICKETS
6. On the next screen they can choose from the dropdown menu if they want more than 1 ticket, click NEXT and finish checkout
i. If they’re a member, on this screen they can click YES under “Are you a CAC member?” and once they log-in they’ll get their discounted/free ticket