Useful Information
Starting Point: The tour begins in front of the Art Institute steps, next to the right (south) lion.
Opening Hours: The tour passes through three buildings. As of now (November 2018) the opening hours of these buildings are:
The Rookery: M-F 6-6, Sat 8-2, Sun closed
Marquette Building: M-Sun 7 AM – 10 PM
Chicago Cultural Center: M-F 10-7, Sat-Sun 10-5
Check online for the current hours. Of course, if you happen to do the tour when one of these buildings is closed, you can just walk around the exterior.
Map
Video Version of the Tour
Photo Gallery
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- The Art Institute
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- Another view of the Art Institute
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- The south lion on a snowy day
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- The Monadnock Building from across Dearborn
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- The Monadnock from Federal
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- Looking up the Jackson facade. Notice the tapering of the walls.
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- The Rookery from Adams
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- A closer view
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- The LaSalle facade of the Rookery on a snowy day
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- The light court of the Rookery
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- The Marquette Building
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- One of the bronze panels over the main doors of the Marquette Building. Each panel depicts a scene from the life of Father Marquette.
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- The second story of the Marquette Building’s lobby, decorated with Tiffany mosaics
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- Detail of one of the Tiffany mosaics, showing the death of Father Marquette
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- Detail of one of the bronze panels over the elevators. Each panel shows either a voyageur or a prominent Native American – in this case, Chief Black Hawk
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- Detail of the bronze tracery around the entrance of Louis Sullivan’s Carson, Pirie, Scott and Company Building
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- A light court in Macy’s (formerly Marshall Field’s)
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- A Tiffany mosaic ceiling in the former Marshall Field & Co. Building
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- The Chicago Cultural Center, formerly the city’s main public library
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- Preston Bradley Hall in the Cultural Center, formerly the library’s receiving room
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- Another view of Preston Bradley hall, with its famous Tiffany glass dome
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- The stairs leading up to Preston Bradley Hall from the Washington St. entrance
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- G. A. R. Memorial Hall in the Cultural Center
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- Another view of G. A. R. Memorial Hall