Hot Ticket: See the Bridge Go Up from Inside
Bridgehouse Museum Associates Aden Detres (right) and Hunter Ford will welcome you and guide you on tours of the museum this summer.
The most unique place in Chicago to watch a bridge go up when the sailboats head out to Lake Michigan is inside Friends’ McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum. It is the only place where you can get an up-close look at the massive gears and inner-workings of one of Chicago’s world famous moveable bridges in action.
The three remaining scheduled summer bridge lifts are Wednesday, June 22, Saturday, June 25 and Wednesday, June 29. Times for bridge lifts are not guaranteed but they have been happening between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. We recommend you call the museum before your visit to confirm that a lift will occur. Reservations for fall bridge lifts will open at the end of summer.
The five-story landmark Bridgehouse Museum, located on the Chicago Riverwalk, explores the complicated history of the river from glacial formation through modern revitalization and the work that brought the river back to life.
Guided tours of the Bridgehouse Museum are also available. Tours are limited to 12 people and cost $12 per person. Tours last 45 minutes and are offered on Fridays and Saturdays, and by reservation. Please call the Bridgehouse Museum to make reservations – 312-977-0227.
Click here to watch a WGN News interview with Josh Coles, director of the Bridgehouse Museum, and stay tuned for more information about summer programming at the museum.
The Bridgehouse Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday through October.
