Starting in September, Jim Phillips, museum bridge docent and founder of chicagoloopbridges.com , will lead two separate bridge tours that allow visitors to discover the McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum and take some time to appreciate Chicago’s downtown bridges. All proceeds benefit the Bridgehouse Museum and Friends of the Chicago River.

To reserve your spot for either tour, please call (312) 939-0490, ext. 23. Friends of the Chicago River members receive a $2 discount and Insider Club members receive a $3 discount on each tour.

Loop Bridges Walking Tour - $12
Saturdays in September and October at 12 noon
(tour lasts until approx. 2 pm)

The tour starts at the Bridgehouse Museum, where guests will get an appreciation for how the Chicago-type bascule works. Then the group walks west along the Main Stem of the Chicago River, turning into the South branch, ending at the W. Madison St. (Lyric Opera) bridge. This will give guests the opportunity to see 11 of the 18 downtown bascules ranging in age from 27 to 98 years old. The tour will conclude with a water taxi ride back to Michigan Avenue.

The walk from the museum to Madison St. is about 1.5 miles and lasts about 2 hours. Bridgehouse Museum admission and the water taxi fare is included in the $12 admission charge. Tours are limited to 10.

Fall “Meet the Bridge Lift” Tour - $10
Saturdays in September and October at 8:45 am
(tour lasts until approx. 10:00 am)

This is the Fall version of this spring’s popular “Meet the Lift” tour and includes admission to the Bridgehouse Museum during the bridge lift. The tour begins at the Civil Engineering Monument of the Millennium located east of Lake Shore Drive on the Riverwalk level, at the mouth of the Chicago River. Guided by Jim Phillips, the group will walk the 0.6 mile distance along the river watching the Lake Shore Drive and Columbus Drive bridges rise - maintaining pace to arrive at the Bridgehouse Museum in time for everyone to be in their favorite spot. You can choose either the gear room or the top of the bridge tower to watch the DuSable Bridge (formerly Michigan Avenue Bridge) lift.

The tour will begin at 8:45 am on Lift Saturdays throughout the bridge lift season (9/17 - 10/29).