NEW ACROPOLIS
We are a school of Philosophy
We promote Culture
We practice Volunteering
SCHOOL OF PHILOSOPHY
Chicago/ USA
A Gym for the Mind in Ravenswood
Serving the Chicago community since 2005.
We are a non-profit school of philosophy. But we aren't a university. We don't hand out degrees, and we don't focus on memorizing dates. We exist to provide a space where busy Chicagoans can slow down, ask big questions, and find practical wisdom for modern living.
What is New Acropolis Chicago?
New Acropolis Chicago opened its doors in 2005. In a city that is always changing, we have stayed put. We are an all-volunteer organization, run by people who live and work right here, the kind of people you'd recognize from the neighborhood, because they are from the neighborhood.
We're in Ravenswood, and we believe in the power of a good local spot. We wanted a place where you can walk in off the street, have a cup of tea, and have a conversation that actually matters. No degrees, no grades, no one keeping score.
Here's how it works, plainly. Your first class for our Living Philosophy Course is free, and it always will be. Come once, see what you make of it, and decide for yourself. Plenty of people take the introductory course, get what they came for, and leave it there. That's a perfectly good outcome. Going further is always your call, never ours, and you can step back whenever you like. We'll still be here either way.
Our school is built on three pillars that guide everything we do:
Local Roots, Global Reach
New Acropolis Chicago is run by Chicagoans. The people who teach the classes, organize the events, and lock up the Ravenswood center at night are local volunteers, not staff sent from somewhere else. Decisions about what happens here are made here.
At the same time, we aren't alone. We are part of an international organization founded in 1957, which gives our students a connection to a wider community of people asking the same big questions.
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50+ Countries
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40,000+ Volunteers: A worldwide network of friends.
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60+ Years of Experience: We’ve been refining our method for decades.
This connects our students in Chicago to a global dialogue about the future of humanity.
Questions Are Welcome
New Acropolis has been around a long time, in a lot of countries, and if you go looking online you will find all kinds of opinions. Some warm, some skeptical, some that make us sound more mysterious than we are. We would rather you get to know us directly than wonder from a distance.
The truth is pretty simple. We are an all-volunteer school, run by locals, here in Chicago since 2005. There is nothing to sign and no beliefs you have to adopt. You can come to a free first class, take the whole course, or step away whenever you like, with no chasing and no hard feelings. We will be here either way.
However you come to us, come as you are. If something is on your mind, we would always rather you ask. Or just visit a class and see how it feels for yourself.
External Resources & Global Network
Explore More About New Acropolis
✅ New Acropolis USA Website – Explore our national initiatives.
✅ New Acropolis International Website – Learn about our global movement.
✅ New Acropolis News – Stay updated with philosophy in action.
✅ New Acropolis Schools Around the World – Discover our presence worldwide.
✅ Founder and International Directors – Meet the leadership that guides us.
✅ New Acropolis International Photo Contest – PhiloPhoto – See philosophy expressed through photography.