Top Experiences in Rookery Building

View Art Deco masterpieces built in the heart of Chicago’s financial district during the Roaring '20s. Learn how Art Deco reflected the era’s fun-loving optimism with lavish materials and geometric ornament.

Discover the origins of Art Deco and its hallmark motifs while admiring buildings like the Chicago Board of Trade, One LaSalle Street and the Field Building (now the Bank of America Building) -- all of which are designated Chicago landmarks.

As a certified nonprofit, all CAC ticket purchases directly support our education efforts and community engagement projects.

Explore the architectural extravaganza of Chicago downtown and discover the most amazing and captivating facts about the first high-rises, city planning, and construction history.

Get a unique chance to combine touring by foot and by L train, and see the city’s most iconic landmarks like The Rookery Building, Chicago Cultural Center, First Arts Building, and more 19th and early 20th-century masterpieces. Be ready to see the City by the Lake from a new perspective and get to know it even closer as you stroll down its streets and travel by train.

Enjoy the small-group experience and don’t miss a thing as you travel
Discover the downtown and historical building together with your local knowledgeable guide
Marvel at architectural landmarks of the City by the Lake and get to know the stories behind them
Combine a walking tour with a train to see more landmarks and iconic sights on one tour.

This short but sweet and unique adventure will take you on a 2-hour walking tour by the interiors of the most iconic buildings of Chicago downtown.
Dive into the extravaganza of splendid hidden gems of the city as you explore the details that no mainstream tours can offer. The itinerary is thoroughly designed by a professional local guide who knows every corner of the Chicago skyscrapers.

• Get beyond the famous facades to experience the surprising interiors of the neighborhood
• Follow your local guide to discover what’s hidden from most of the tourists
• Be provided with fun and surprising facts about the destinations
• The tour is interesting for the Chi guests as well as for the residents.

Enjoy Chicago’s famous sights and fabulous views on this award-winning small-group sightseeing tour of the city.
On this tour, you will travel through Chicago with an expert guide in a comfortable minibus, enjoy world renowned architecture including the world's first skyscrapers, Museum Campus (for the BEST skyline view in town), Millennium Park (Home of "The Bean"), Buckingham Fountain, The Magnificent Mile, Lincoln Park, Chicago River, The Gold Coast, Lake Shore Drive and more!
Along the way, your guide will provide historical, informational and at times humorous commentary about the area.
Four photo stops are a part of each tour. The small-group atmosphere with a maximum of 10 people ensures a more personal experience. 

You also have the option to upgrade to include THE most popular Architecture River Cruise in Chicago! For good reason, our partner Shoreline Sightseeing, has been the most booked tour on TripAdvisor for the last 5 years! And yes, there is a bar on the boat.

Enjoy Chicago’s famous sights and fabulous skyline views on this award-winning small-group sightseeing tour of the city. Travel through Chicago with an expert guide on a comfortable minibus, stopping at iconic locations like early skyscraper "The Rookery" (Frank Lloyd Wright architecture), Museum Campus (for the BEST skyline view in town) and The Buckingham Fountain. You'll also see The Magnificent Mile, Lincoln Park, The Chicago River, Millennium Park, The Gold Coast, Lake Shore Drive and more!

Along the way, your guide will provide historical and informational and at times humorous commentary about the area and its many attractions.
The small-group atmosphere with maximum of 10 people ensures a more personal experience.  

We start our tour at one of the most interesting buildings in the Loop — the Fine Arts Building.  Built in 1884 as a showroom and office complex, the building was converted later into its present-day use.

Then we're off to the Harold Washington Chicago Public Library, the design of which was the winner of a competition to design a new library for the city.  From there, we'll view three Chicago landmarks built in the late 1800s, then visit the beautiful Marquette Building, the Field Building (built on the site of the world's first modern skyscraper) and then see the amazing atrium lobby of the world-renowned Rookery Building.

Next, we're off to the beautifully-restored Quincy L stop (authentic 1897 design) to take the train to our last stops.  We visit the iconic Macy's to see the beautiful Tiffany mosaic then we wrap up the tour at the Cultural Center to experience the world's largest Tiffany dome.

Make a day of it and book our Pedway or Historic Pubs tour for the afternoon!

Chicago is home to some of the world’s earliest skyscrapers. Get an up-close look at these 19th Century marvels, learn about innovations used to build them and discover how they transformed Chicago into a center of skyscraper design and engineering.

Highlights on this walking tour include Burnham and Root’s Rookery (1888), a transitional building with a Moorish and Romanesque exterior and a stunning interior atrium re-designed by Frank Lloyd Wright; Adler and Sullivan’s Auditorium Building (1889), a masterpiece of acoustical and structural engineering; and Holabird and Roche’s Marquette Building (1895), an outstanding example of the metal frame expression with traditional details and decorations.

As a certified nonprofit, all CAC ticket purchases directly support our education efforts and community engagement projects.

Dive into the center of the architectural boom of the roaring 1920s and take a chance to enjoy the grand facades of the Art Deco skyscrapers on this guided walking tour.

Go back in history while admiring one of the epicenters of the style’s birth. Immerse yourself into the life of the Windy City between World War I and World War II, the time when the design evolved and turned into neo archaic Mesoamerican grandeur, which can’t leave anyone indifferent. Be delighted with the variety of decorations and geometrical shapes which distinguish Art-Deco from Neoclassicism.

Uncover the stories behind the famous Loop district of Chicago. Delve into the atmosphere of the 1920s as you listen to more insights and facts from your enthusiastic local guide. Overview the history and pay attention to the details you wouldn’t notice without a tour. Grab the chance to get inside famous buildings and revel in the Art Deco interiors.

On this tour your guide will take you on a walk around Chicago’s historic Loop District where you will get to see some of the oldest skyscrapers in the world and we'll take you inside some of the city’s most influential and iconic buildings.Your guide will share the history of Chicago and explain the multiple architectural influences that helped shape the city's incredible skyline!

Schedule:

10:00 AM
Meet your guide at The Fine Arts Building

10:15 AM
Visit the Marquette Building

10:30 AM
Visit The Rookery

11:00 AM
Visit The Palmer House

11:15 AM
Visit The Sullivan Center

11:30 AM
Lunch time!

12:00 PM
Visit The Chicago Athletic Association hotel

12:15 PM
Visit The Chicago Cultural Center

12:30 PM
Visit the Wrigley Building and the Tribune Tower

1:00 PM
End tour around the Wrigley Building

Embark on a unique journey with our Chicago architecture tour, where we unveil the city's exterior marvels and its lesser-known, stunning interior wonders. Led by experts, you'll explore hidden treasures such as intricate domes, dazzling mosaics, and exquisite craftsmanship seldom seen by the public eye.

Discover the ingenious solutions architects and engineers devised to overcome structural and lighting challenges, aiming to leave an indelible mark on the city's skyline. As we navigate through the iconic edifices of Chicago's Loop, immerse yourself in the rich narratives of magnates, miscreants, and stars who frequented these spaces in the Gilded Age and Roaring Twenties. Join us for an unparalleled architectural adventure.

Discover Chicago's best on our Big Bus tour. Board our open-top, double-decker bus and see the city's iconic landmarks, from the Magnificent Mile to Millennium Park. Utilize our convenient stops to explore vibrant neighborhoods and attractions, including Willis Tower, the Chicago Riverwalk, and more.

Spend your day shopping on Magnificent Mile, enjoying Navy Pier's Ferris Wheel, or tasting authentic Chicago Deep Dish Pizza. Our flexible tour lets you create your own itinerary, with a free app to track bus arrivals.

Listen to digital commentary in multiple languages, offering expert insight into Chicago's history and culture, while recommending the best places to eat, drink, and shop. Offering comfortable seating and panoramic views, our Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Tour is an ideal way to explore the city. Hop off as often as you like within your ticket's validity period, and simply hop on again when ready to continue.