Chicago’s Sacred Spaces: WTTW program host Geoffrey Baer looks at the architecture and history of some of Chicagoland’s most inspiring churches, synagogues, mosques, Buddhist and Hindu temples, and other spiritual sites.
Luncheon tickets for Geoffrey Baer go on sale Friday, December 5th! Click below to register.
$65 Nonmember* | $55 Member* | $650 Table* (10 seats) | All tickets include three course meal + presentation (*additional processing fee added on at checkout)
Online reservations close Tuesday, January 6, 2026 @ 5pm. For any questions or reservations after January 6th, please call Judy Murphy at 312-466-9610
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Chicago’s Sacred Spaces
There is no denying the feeling you get when you enter a house of worship: a sense of mystery, peace, awe, and delight. Whether majestic or modest, sacred spaces are carefully designed to transport us to a spiritual place for quiet mediation as well as bold contemplation about the meaning of life. In this talk, WTTW program host Geoffrey Baer looks at the architecture and history of some of Chicagoland’s most inspiring churches, synagogues, mosques, Buddhist and Hindu temples, and other spiritual sites. From humble storefronts to buildings designed by world-famous architects. He’ll show how sacred spaces shaped communities and decode the dazzling stained glass, iconography and other beautiful elements that adorn these marvelous places.
Geoffrey Baer is a nine-time Emmy-winning Public Television writer, producer, and program host. He has been a fixture on Chicago’s PBS station WTTW for 30 years, best known as the host and writer of WTTW’s popular specials about the architecture and history of Chicago and its suburban areas. His work includes more than 25 feature-length “television tours” including Chicago by ‘L’, The Chicago River Tour, and Chicago on Vacation. Geoffrey hosted the WTTW series The Great Chicago Quiz Show and appeared for years on WTTW’s flagship nightly public affairs program Chicago Tonight answering viewers’ questions about Chicago architecture and history in a segment called “Ask Geoffrey.” Nationally he hosted the PBS primetime series 10 that Changed America about the built environment across the country. He also hosted and co-wrote the PBS primetime special Weekend in Havana.
Geoffrey has been a docent for the Chicago Architecture Center since 1987. In addition to his Emmy Awards, he has been honored by the American Institute of Architects Chicago, the Society of Architectural Historians, the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and the Chicago Headline Club.
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