Brandon’s aunt and uncle were in town this weekend. His sister mentioned that they were going to tour the Frank Lloyd Wright home and studio, and we were invited on short notice to tag along. Revisiting it was on my Lovely Life List, so I said yes. I took Eleanor with while Brandon stayed home with a napping August.

I’d taken the tour before in high school, but I’d been meaning to go again. It only takes an hour and we live 10 minutes away, so there’s no good reason for me not to have gone already. $15 buys you a ticket. $20 gets you a ticket and a permit for photography (personal use only). Eleanor, being 3, was free.

She loves it when I drag her along to these things. Culture, kid! (She was well-behaved, I promise. And contrary to my photographic evidence, she did enjoy herself at least somewhat.)

There are more than two dozen homes and buildings designed by Wright in Oak Park, at least three of which are for sale right now. For a little under $1 million, you could buy the George Furbeck house. The Thomas Gale house is listed at $849,000, or for rent at $4500/month. Spend a little more ($1,248,500) and you can buy the Martin house. And outside of Oak Park, there are plenty of Frank Lloyd Wright homes for sale.

If you want to see the private residences (without bothering real estate agents when you have no intent to buy, ahem), there is an annual Wright Plus Housewalk in Oak Park with tours inside many of the homes. It falls on May 18 this year, and I’ll be going. Only photos of the exteriors will be allowed, but there will be spring greenery and I won’t be bringing my kids along, so I should be able to get at least a couple of decent shots. I plan to visit the Robie House that day too, leaving only Taliesin East and Fallingwater on my list to see, while crossing off extras I hadn’t even thought to add.

Have you been in any of Wright’s houses? I don’t think I could live in one (budget aside, living in a time capsule would be too limiting), but they’re inspiring.