All About Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise Docents

During a typical season, the CAC has roughly 150 active volunteer river cruise docents. Many of the volunteers are retirees and have experience as lawyers or teachers, but their backgrounds also vary greatly from person to person.

“When we interview people, we are looking for different backgrounds,” says Duda. “As they're developing their tour we ask them to create a theme to be threaded throughout their tour. There’s a natural inclination to use what interests you, and that's what makes each CAC River Cruise exciting and unique.”

Becoming a CAC River Cruise docent is no small feat. The application process typically begins in the fall and lasts through early winter, when hopeful volunteers are notified and sign up for 6 weeks of intensive architectural and river cruise training.

Every Saturday, the group gathers together for in-person seminars and classes. Mornings are spent on the fundamentals of architecture, and often feature professors and special guests from the design and architecture community. Tom Leslie, Anne Thompson, Brian Lee, Lee Bay, Gordon Gill have all presented and provided insight for the docent-led tours. 

“Our involvement with the larger academic community is very unique,” says Duda. “The design community wants to be a part of this. That's how high our standards are.”

After architectural fundamentals in the morning, docent trainees research and do homework and fieldwork on their own, developing their own unique tour that speaks to both Chicago and their personal interests. The CAC provides reliable sources to continue their research and also organizes mentorships with veteran river cruise docents. 

“That’s where the magic happens,” says Duda. “They're using what they learned during the lecture, putting to use that architecture knowledge that they're gaining and building on.”

There is also an amazing environment of camaraderie and support between volunteers. 

“From day one, docents have someone who helps them. They become their best friend, someone to deliver honest feedback. That mentor is really helping them through that process, because they were trainees once as well, and those mentorships form into really strong bonds and friendships.” 

After studying, training, and giving practice tours both on and off the boat, docents go through a certification process to prove their prowess and test their knowledge. The challenges don’t stop after the exam, though. Every tour brings something new, and cruising down the Chicago River can have unexpected and surprising hurdles. 

“To me, the hardest part of the river cruise is timing,” says Duda. “You're on a moving vessel and the river is busy. You’re at the whim of other vessels, your ship’s captain, the weather, and any other events that are taking place that day. You have basically 90 seconds to pitch a building, share some fun facts, and inspire your audience. And our docents cover so many buildings in one tour.”

It’s clear how much the CAC docents love the experience. While docents have a minimum quota of 10 tours they have to lead per season, most perform 20, and some give upwards of 70! Many docents love getting to spend their summers out on the water, sharing their passion for Chicago and architecture with locals and tourists alike.

While many docents live in Chicago, there are a few exceptions. “We even have people who live out of the state, who used to live in Chicago, and they come in just to meet their river cruise quota.”

With such a sincere passion for what they do and a culture of camaraderie and support, it’s no surprise that there’s a high retention rate for docents year-over-year. Laughing, Duda says, “I always joke, once people get to five years, I have them for a lifetime.”

Experience the unscripted tours of CAC docents on the Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise aboard First Lady. Click here to get started!