Blog

By Chuck Eiden, Exhibit Host

“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

Since completing our move to 111 East Wacker, the role of an exhibit host has expanded, with several exhibits on two levels to engage our visitors. An exhibit host is an interpreter who encourages our visitors to be curious, ask questions, and have fun.

One way I do this is by sharing personal stories about living and working in Chicago. I am starting my fifth year as an exhibit host and have opened many conversations by relating where my wife and I used to live (Rogers Park and Lakeview), where I went to college (De Paul’s Uptown and Downtown Campuses), and the neighborhoods where our children have lived (Uptown and Ukraine Village). In the new CAC, I use both the model and the map in the Chicago Gallery to do this. There can sometimes be a risk with this approach if the visitors are not from Chicago, but hopefully it gets them to start a conversation with you.

When I see a visitor looking carefully at the Chicago model, I ask if they are looking for something specific. I then point it out or walk with them to the map on the wall in the Chicago Gallery to help find it. Sometimes other guests follow, and we have engaging discussions about various buildings and locations.

Sometimes our visitors tell us stories. I once saw a gentleman watch the video several times and 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 have often used this story when speaking with other visitors.

Exhibit hosts need to be prepared to answer questions. One that I often get is: What does Chicago do with its old buildings? There are about a dozen buildings that have been re purposed 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 walk to. For example: the London Guarantee Building (1923), the Chicago Athletic Association (1893), and the Chicago Motor Club (1928) have all be re-purposed as hotels.

When visitors want to know what’s new in Chicago, I like to talk about the 49 high-rises (100 feet) currently under construction and point to the model of the Vista Towers in the Drake Skyscraper Gallery. I tell them they can see the actual building under construction by exiting the CAC, turning left and walking a few blocks.

Exhibit hosts must stay current on the changing exhibits at the CAC and the new buildings under constructions in Chicago. We can do this by reviewing The Bridge for updates each Friday and reading sources like Curbed Chicago and Blair Kamin’s column in the Chicago Tribune.
This helps me build on my interest in the history of Chicago and its many types of architecture. I have completed courses on Chicago History and Architecture at the College of Lake County. In addition, I have attended lectures at the College of Lake County on specific segments of Chicago history and gone on field trips to view the site and learn about the Columbian Exposition. I’ve also taken the very popular CAC River Cruises and toured South Side neighborhoods including Pullman, Bronzeville, and the IIT campus.

To wrap up a visit to the CAC, I suggest our guests pause for a few minutes on the second stair landing and look out the windows to see many examples of Chicago’s great architecture – the Tribune Tower, the Wrigley Building, the Apple store, the NBC Tower and in the distance … 875 North Michigan.

Our visitors arrive curious, and we want them to leave wanting to know more about architecture in Chicago and the world and to see these amazing structures in a new and exciting way.