Bahá'í House of Worship

About this place

 

Few buildings in the Chicago area stop people the way this one does. The Bahá'í House of Worship rises above Sheridan Road in Wilmette, its nine-sided dome covered in intricate, lace-like ornament designed by architect Louis Bourgeois. It was dedicated in 1953 and is the only Bahá'í House of Worship in North America. Inside is a quiet, light-filled auditorium; outside, nine formal gardens and fountains circle the temple, at their best from late spring through fall.

Visitors of every faith are welcome, and admission is always free. The auditorium is open daily from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., the Welcome Center from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and the gardens close at 8 p.m. Short devotional programs of readings and a cappella music are held daily at 12:30 and 5:30 p.m. A free architecture tour usually runs on the third Saturday of the month at 2 p.m. (register ahead online), and groups of ten or more can request a tour.

Good to know: shoes and shirts are required and modest dress is suggested. Photos are welcome in the gardens but not inside the auditorium. There is free on-site parking (the lot closes at 7 p.m.), and the CTA Purple Line's Linden station is a few blocks away. From Schaumburg it is roughly 35 to 45 minutes by car - pair it with a walk along the lakefront at nearby Gillson Park.

 

What you will find

Free admissionNine gardensDaily devotionsArchitecture toursWelcome CenterFree parkingNear CTA Purple Line

 

Good for

VisitorsCouplesFamiliesPhotographers

 

Verified Nov 3, 2026. Hours, prices and opening arrangements change — check the official site before you travel. Check now.

 

Photo: HourlierAdrien, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons