Bridge Lifts

Would you like the see the DuSable Bridge lift from inside the museum? Fall lift viewing reservations are now available on 10/3 and 10/10.

McCormick Bridgehouse and Chicago River Museum
99 Chicago Riverwalk, Chicago, IL 60601
$15/person

This special event provides a close-up view of the DuSable Bridge in motion from inside the gear room at the Bridgehouse Museum. Guests can view the massive gears from several feet away in our gear room or climb to the top of the tower to see the bridge lift from above.

On select Saturdays, the museum will be open at 9:15 am and the lift is expected to happen between 9:30am and 10:00am. We cannot guarantee the timing of this as it depends on the efficiency of the bridge tenders, how many boats need to pass, and weather. Your ticket includes access to the entire Bridgehouse Museum and docent work during the lift from our staff.

The two Saturdays available for 2026 are October 3rd and October 10th.

Occasionally the city of Chicago will cancel a lift, or open the other side of the bridge. We cannot control this, but we will usually receive advance notice and will inform guests if we know of any disruptions.

FAQ:

Why aren’t we doing Wednesdays? On Wednesdays, the city only lifts the north leaf of the DuSable Bridge. Sometimes on older bridges, CDOT decides to only open one side, and this has been the case for the DuSable bridge for the past few years. Guests are still welcome to join us at the museum on Wednesday morning to watch the boats, and it is still quite fun to see the north leaf lifting from the top of our Bridgehouse Museum.

Why aren’t there more Saturdays available? Due to construction on Lake Street, CDOT has a limited schedule for Bridge Lifts this season. The only two dates that are available during our 2026 season are Saturday October 3rd and October 10th.

What about Saturday 10/17? The Bridgehouse Museum is a long standing participant in Open House Chicago, which is on October 17 & 18. While we will be open, we will not be taking reservations for lift-viewing this day. However, if you get to the museum at 10am, you still may be able to see it.

Will you do lift reservations for 10/31 or November? The Bridgehouse Museum closes for our 2026 season on Sunday October 25th. If you are interested in renting the museum for a private Bridge Lift Viewing on Saturday, October 31st or November 7th, please email jcoles@chicagoriver.org for details.

Why do the Bridges Lift?

To accommodate sail boats and other tall vessels traveling between the Chicago River and Lake Michigan, Chicago's bridges open approximately 25 times a year from April to November. Witnessing the Michigan Avenue Bridge opening from inside the McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum is quite a treat.

One spectator raved, “Watching the massive Michigan Avenue Bridge rise to the sky from inside the bridge is amazing. Powered by just a tiny 108 horsepower motor, the gears turn, the bridge rises - and you can’t help but be awed by the ingenuity of it all.”

We invite you to experience this engineering marvel up close and personal by attending a bridge lift at the museum.

Tickets details for a Bridge Lift vary per season. Please check our events page to get more details during the Spring and Fall. If interested in a private rental for a bridge lift, please contact Josh Coles at jcoles@chicagoriver.org

Please note that even though a bridge lift is scheduled, Friends cannot guarantee that it will take place. The City of Chicago Department of Transportation executes bridge lifts only if sail boats sign up for the run, and factors such as technical malfunctions may cancel a day’s lift.  Refunds can only be made up to three days prior to the event.

See the full lift schedule here. This does not mean the museum is open every one of these days.

Advance registration is required for Saturday bridge lifts. For more information or to reserve your spot, call the museum at (312) 977-0227.

Read about bridge lift details and cancellation policy (PDF)

Learn more about the Michigan Avenue Bridge (now DuSable Bridge) at ChicagoLoopBridges.com and  HistoricBridges.org

Photo credits: Main Branch bridges with sailboats © 2011 Patricia Armell, chicagoloopbridges.com; Main Strem near Clark Street © 2012 James S Phillips, chicagoloopbridges.com

Watch the Michigan Avenue (DuSable) Bridge Lift