Super fun and easy way to spend a couple of hours. It's worth the extra $5 for the guided tour. I love history and architecture so if you don't you probably won't love this as much as I did, but the preservation and craftsmanship is as good as I've seen anywhere. read more

Driehaus Museum - Museums Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Suprising, stunning little jewel right off Michigan Avenue. Fabulous display of Tiffany glass. The building itself is a testament to the Gilded Age. Just fantastic! read more

Driehaus Museum - Tiffany nautilus lamp - Museums Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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My girlfriend recommended me this place since we wanted to try and do something new. This is by far the most beautiful place i've ever been too to visit a museum of such beautiful art and ornate craftsmanship. Definitely recommend if you're visiting or in the area. read more

The Driehaus Museum is a pure delight. Situated in the magnificent mile, this museum features the best of the beaux arts period. There is currently an exhibition of french poster art. If you are a fan of Mucha go here straight away. Aside from the exhibits, the building itself is probably the best restoration of a gilded age structure I have ever seen. This was clearly a labor of love by Mr. Driehous. The wood, marble, tile and other materials are meticulously restored and are kept in spotless condition. As much as this museum will delight you it should also awe you with its superb restoration. It serves well as an example of the highest expression of the conservationists art every bit as much as it celebrates the beaux arts movement. Double highly recommend. read more

We visited here after going to Chinatown for my wife's Kpop fix. The entrance actually winds to the back end to pay for admission. You have option to do the self tour, audio, and guided tours at selected hours. We just did the self tour and accidentally made it to basement where there are servants quarters. Staff instructed us to go back upstairs so we saw the other 2 floors which were very impressive. There is so much marble and decoration around the walls and ceilings. Plus, there is a fireplace in each of the rooms. Overall, this will take you probably good 30 minutes to hour to see everything. On the top floor, there is a gift shop as well too. Not to be missed and in the heart of the busy shopping area on Erie St. read more

What a hidden gem! I actually found out about this when a friend who's visiting from out of state mentioned that she wanted to see it, and it seems like a lot of locals aren't aware of it's existence either (Read: this is an awesome way to impress someone when they ask you for trip recommendations). This place is built as a "showcase mention" for a very rich family so without doubt everything is as grandiose and artistic as possible (and pictures do a way better job at conveying the house's beauty so I will save my words here). What's special about this place however is that everything is kept in excellent condition even though most of the items are originals to the house from a century ago, so it's all the glam without the "this is so dusty / dark / maybe haunted" feeling that comes with a lot of old mansions. They have rotating exhibits from time to time so if you have flexibility on when you come to visit it'd be worth checking out the schedule. The first time I came here there was a spectacular jewelry exhibit but the second time they were in between exhibits and the house felt really empty past the first floor. The ticket prices are definitely quite steep at $20 for such a small museum (just a 3 story house) and another $5 for the tour, but they do have discounts for students / seniors etc. read more

There are two things that I enjoy: history and architecture. Luckily, I live in a city that is rich in both. When a friend, who also enjoys these things, was visiting me for a weekend we decided to check out the Driehaus Museum. Formerly the Nickerson Mansion and built in the 1880's, the Driehaus Museum is three stories of fully restored gilded age splendor. My friend and I spent the entire tour with our jaws dropped, drooling over the gorgeous textiles and glass from Tiffany Studios. You could sense the presence of Mr. and Mrs. Nickerson and the love that they had for this house, which shows itself in all the little details and carefully designed architecture. The tour takes you through all of the floors from the sitting rooms to the private bedrooms and the third floor ballroom. We even got a small tour of the servants quarters. Our guide was informative and friendly throughout the tour. Once the tour was over we had a hard time leaving. We both decided that we could live there, but we're going to need a bigger ballroom. read more

This review is for the Driehaus afternoon tea service in the adjacent Murphy Auditorium. Don't do it. For $55 you get a choice of regular or decaf English Breakfast Tea - which was not steeped long enough, and very weak. The scones and sweets tasted store-bought and cheap and the savory sandwiches were either soggy or stale. Museum exhibit tickets are not included with the tea service. Just all bad. For the exact same price, go around the corner to the Peninsula hotel's Lobby restaurant and have a real, classy high tea experience. read more

I visited this museum last week to view the "Dressing Downton" exhibit where many of the costumes and fashions actually seen on the series, Downton Abbey, are on display in this stunningly gorgeous mansion from the "gilded age." The special "Dressing Downton" exhibit will end on May 8, 2016. My only regret is not having made the additional reservation for an authentic English-style tea. Allow at least one hour to view all three floors of the mansion. Reservations are required for both the exhibit and the tea. One can access a five-minute Youtube video from a "Chicago Tonight - Artbeat Chicago" news segment that was originally aired in 2008. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! read more

Really ornate, elaborate, beautiful house. I was impressed by all the fine detailing in the craftsmanship of the ceiling lamps, chandeliers, furniture, walls, ceilings, and floors. The first floor was the most interesting. read more

Really cool restored mansion! We came here for high tea followed by the exhibit of clothing worn during the filming of Downton Abbey! This mansion has be beautifully restored and contains many features that a joy to see. There is a fireplace surround on the second floor that is the most beautifully elaborate mixed media useful art piece I've seen in a long time. Definitely a fun place to see for a tourist visiting Chicago or a resident of the city. I recommend it! read more

Truly enjoyed stopping here to explore! We opted to do the self-guided tour due to the timing of when we arrived and when tours occurred. This ended up being an excellent decision (though I'm sure the tours are amazing) because there were staff members throughout the museum who were able to answer any questions we had and share pieces of the building's history with us. I simply can not get over how jaw-droppingly beautiful the stairway was! There were many unique pieces of architecture in every room to boot. Definitely worth a stop if you're nearby and are interested in history and/or architecture! Students, be sure to bring your ID for an admission discount! read more

Driehaus Museum - There are so many beautiful details everywhere. - Museums Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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What a wonderful, beautiful preservation! I've lived here my whole life and I never knew this place existed. Gorgeous woodwork, stunning furnishings and artwork..and some wonderful painting techniques on the walls and ceilings. I took the walking tour after this guided tour. I should have just done this museum... read more

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The house is an amazing example of turn of the 20th century decorative arts. Fabulous Tiffany beaux arts, aesthetic arts, art nouveau. Carvings, tilework, artwork, paintings, furniture, etc. If you take the guided tour, avoid tour guide Adele Freeman who represents the worst of high school teachers we all used to suffer through. read more

My family and I thoroughly enjoyed the guided museum tour. We were greeted warmly at the entrance and lead to the admissions area. There's a room to hang your coats as well as check your large bags and purses. General adult admission is $20 and the guided tour is an additional $5. We took the 1:30pm Tiffany and Museum Highlights tour, which took 60 minutes. It was a popular time, so they divided the group to two groups of 10, which is a good size in terms of being able to walk around and hear the tour guide. Our guide was very knowledgeable about the history and contents of the home. She tried to customize the tour based on the group's interests as well as encouraged questions. Photography is allowed, so definitely take advantage of that especially the beautiful Tiffany glass lamps, murals, and the beautiful glass dome in the Gallery Room (my favorite). The tour covers many of the rooms on all three levels, but definitely take the time to explore the house yourself before or after the tour to fully take in the ornate richness frozen in time. read more

Loved the house and learned a lot on the tour. This has been open as a museum for about 1 year. The criticisms: Staff was kind but the whole organization seems uptight. Schedule is limited to 10 people at a time. ONLY tues, weds and saturdays 10 am. 1 pm and 3 pm, as well as reservations for private and group tours. read more

This place is beautiful as a museum, but its too museum-y to be an event space. The museum itself has a very interesting, but small collection. Its basically a chance to tour a home of a very wealthy person from the 1800s and the home has been lovingly restored to its former glory. With decadent fabrics, incredible inlays and beautiful wood work. Some of the original furniture is still in the building while some had been replaced by pieces from the period. It is very small though and quite expensive, so I wouldn't quite say I'm a fan. I was there for a Recessionista Brides Event put on by a few local wedding vendors and the Driehaus was sponsoring as an event venue. As an event space - its a nightmare. Every time you move you're afraid you'll break something! Its awkwardly laid out (like a house would be!) and has VERY restrictive rules (ie: nothing red including wine, sauce, food of any kind, etc.). Its just an uncomfortable, uptight place that leaves you feeling like that kid who didn't wash his hands. Please don't do that to your guests. read more

Otherwise exemplary museum & collection ruined by two particularly rude staff members. (Everyone else there was wonderful). I took my mother there as a birthday excursion and she was so upset by the interaction she kept trying to pay me back for it. It was caused by the Great Bags in Art Museums Question. While it apparently was no problem for me to be carrying around a water bottle and a precarious to-go food container, it was unnacceptable for me to have a very small drawstring backpack on my back. Two separate employees made a point to run up to me and insist I destabilize the bag by wearing it on a part of my body it was not designed for. (I understand museums don't want bulky backpacks knocking into things, but this drawstring protrudes less from my back than wearing a coat would. Furthermore, if I move it from my back, it swings around off my shoulder and is honestly much more likely to swing into something hanging awkwardly off my side. Whoever decided this wear-backpacks-in-the-front-or-side-thing does not spend much of their time actually using backpacks, otherwise they would know this). The alternative offered was to check the backpack. I'd be fine with this if there wasn't a giant sign in the (unattended) check room saying not to leave valuables in the check room and the museum's not responsible for lost/stolen items. So my choices were to walk around the restored mansion carrying not just the food container but also the water bottle, my phone, my wallet, and keys, in the four hands I am apparently supposed to have to be welcome here. The first time I let it go, unhooked one of the drawstrings, waited for the employee to disappear. I didn't go near any of the art objects because I was afraid the destabilized bag would hit them. So eventually I reslung it on my shoulder, seeing it as the best option. Went through the rest of the floors passing a number of other staff, all of whom seemed to agree with me, and did not see my tiny bag as some Great Threat To The Art (though I really don't think they should have let me in there with that food bag!) Finally went to the gift shop at my mother's request; I was intending to buy her a gift there if she saw something she liked. I got about 3 feet into the space when another staff member started at me about the drawstring bag again, saying I was "near valuable objects" (I was standing 5 feet from some, like, keychains?) and the bag had to be worn in the preferred unstable way. I told her I understood the reasoning, but showed her that because it's a drawstring it's actually much more likely to thwack something once it's destabalized and off my back. She refused to understand this, and jumped up from around the counter to try to take my bag away. This was in the gift shop, y'all. Keychains. Valuable objects. I simply walked out; my mother was so upset at the tone the staff member used with me that she keeps trying to pay me back for the ticket value. Either way, it was very clear that at least for these two staff members, preservation of the art or the guest experience was unimportant; what was important was to make myself (and my mother) feel small and stupid. Truly a shame since I was thinking about donating to the museum's mission before this. If taking care of the art is truly of import, either don't allow ANY bags and secure the checkrooms--y'all can certainly pay for it, there's 3 security guards pacing each floor--or teach your staff to be reasonable and use logic, and be respectful to potential donors. read more

Really small and underwhelming, would only recommend if you are completely out of things to do or need to be inside. Probably won't go back.

Stunning! It's $20 to get in and that gives you access to the entirety of the mansion. For an extra $5 you can have someone guide you through the mansion and give a more personal tour. The mansion is fully refurbished with some of the original furniture. Every room has such beautiful details and intricacy. For example, there are 17 different types of marble in the house. 17. Just gorgeous and totally worth a stop. Protip: all of the staff are incredibly knowledgable and excited to share what they know! If you don't want the guided tour, go in by yourself and ask questions at will. read more

What a magical place! I could spend hours, even days walking through this house and still discover new, amazing details. The amount of beauty and amazing craftsmanship put into this house is unmatched. Doors that weigh over 100 pounds and are 3 plus inches thick, handcarved details and inlays, on and on.....so glad I found this jewel in tje heart of Chicago. read more

Driehaus Museum - Museums Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This house is amazing! I can't believe I have lived in this city for 10 years and just recently learned about this place. I was told it was spectacular and I was just blown away once I walked in the door. I want to visit this museum everyday because I love it so much. If you love Chicago's large, opulent old homes and buildings, then this is a must see because it's Chicago's crown jewel! It's 24,000 square feet of hand crafted beauty. The marble, the wood inlaid floors, the wainscoting, the marble carvings, the fire places, the ceiling height, the stair case, the ballroom, the doors - yes that's right even THE DOORS in this place are amazing! Everything is on a scale unlike anything I've ever seen or imagined a house could be. DEFINITELY GO next time you're downtown. I did the Tiffany tour which was interesting but if you're not into antique Tiffany lamps and glass, then skip it and focus on the house. It takes a while to appreciate the beauty of each room. I need to go back because I know there are many details that I missed. Well worth the $20 entry fee. Don't listen to those who say it's overpriced or the staff is uptight. The staff was friendly and would answer questions if you ask them. read more

This museum is amazingly beautiful. I could spend hours there looking at all of the artful details. There is so much to see and learn about this historic mansion. I took my family here on black Friday and it was an absolutely wonderful tour. They even have a cute little area with gifts/souvenirs. I purchased a Christmas ornament replica of the mansion. The staff is very knowledgeable. It was money well spent and I highly recommend! read more

I was kind of unsure if this small museum would be worth the admission price, but with the Yinka Shonibare exhibit, I was blown away. Looking at these other reviews, I wish we had done the tour and seen the courtyard. read more

Magnificent small museum/restored private mansion. Recommend taking the tour to get the full scoop on all the details of this meticulously restored and maintained mansion right in midst of downtown. A definite must-see! read more

Meh. Unless your dying to look at carved wood and boring marble, save your money. There's not enough 'there' there. I was expecting to see an actual bedroom, and an old kitchen, and picture what it was like to live there. That's not what this is. It gave verbose descriptions of the rooms as they used to be (wordy, over described boring paragraphs) with teeny tiny pictures, and all of the rooms are just small walk through areas. In the meantime, the staff are parading around with walkie talkies acting as if they are guarding the queen. Settle down staff, there's nothing there that anyone would want to take. Just kind of a pretentious dud. read more

Design + Architecture at its best! This 1hr. tour of a home built by a banker is a shining example of the Guided Age where "more is more" instead of today's "less is more" mentality... The home has many Tiffany pieces too. 17 different kinds of marble as well as onyx and alabaster. Only open since 2008! The tour gives you a glimpse into how the wealthy lived in the late 1800's. Just two blocks off Michigan Ave., you can imagine their lakefront home and its views so long ago. read more

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An amazing and unique place! Step back in time and enjoy the silence and beautiful sights. Well worth the admission! read more

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The beauty and world history at this museum is captivating. Be sure to talk to the staff or any of the volunteers, they are happy to share the hidden treasures and stories of you ask. Students-you get a heck of a deal, just bring your id read more

The Driehaus museum has been on my to visit list for several months now. When I saw they were having the Dressing Downton exhibit there this spring I knew it was finally time to get to the Driehaus. I am definitely a lover of museums and I love that this one is still owned by original family members. The house was beautifully decorated and it was interesting to learn how people (well, some of them) lived in the olden days. read more

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Opulent old home that was once the most expensive home built in Chicago. It then passed to another private family, and then to a physician organization. Back to a private owner, who has converted it to a wonderful museum with a fantastic display of Tiffany glass, and ornamentation. It has a small museum store if you want some momentos. Loved it. read more

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My company has hosted two events now here and they both have gone over very well. The ambiance is great- we do a cocktail hour on the main level and host our event on the 3rd floor. It's great because our attendees can walk around the museum before/after our event so it's a win/win for everyone! read more

Got here in a free day so whoopee! Paid for the guided tour ($5) and it was well worth it. Excellent example of turn of the century good living. Every floor in every room is different and even the "back of the house" (servants quarters) were way more comfortable and appointed than what I would've imagined. Perfect dventure for a chilly Chicago day. read more

This one sure caught me by surprise. Other museums could take a lesson from these folks. From the moment you walk in, you're greeted, given an overview and can join a walking tour. As others have stated, this museum is full of treasures, including one-of-a-kind Tiffany objects. You'll often walk around with your jaw dropped. Our tour guide, Scarlett, provided a gracious and detailed tour of both the house and the current exhibit. You'll also get free time to wander and imagine living in this gem of the Guilded Age. Don't miss this one. read more

What a hidden gem in northern Chicago! We toured briefly last week, Cameron was our tour guide for the 11:30 or so tour. He was excellent and his knowledge of French and the current French poster exhibition added to our visit. We will definitely be back when we have even more time. read more

So they call themselves a decorative arts museum, but half the rooms are empty. There was no printed guide, sign, or labels for the first floor- disappointing. On top of that, half the time you can't even see things decently because it's so dark. Their excuse was "it's lighting similar to the period." Great- are you a museum of period lighting or decorative arts? Whoever made the decision to put things on display but exhibit them so poorly has a thing or two to learn about what constitutes a good museum exhibit! The Driehaus Museum seems more like a historic home type museum that can't make up it's mind what it wants to be. On the positive side, the building was excellently preserved- at least from what you could see given the lighting. Maybe a little expensive, but plenty of staff on hand to answer questions. read more

DRIEHAUS MUSEUM - 40 East Erie Street, Chicago, IL, 312 482 8933, ext. 21 or email info@driehausmuseum.org. Q-Tips say: Loved it. Go see it, you will be awed by the beauty and splendor of the exhibit. Mrs Q has only one word to say, which is rare for her: AWESOME! We did our own walking tour with the audio cassette which is an additional $5.00 pp. Lots of walking and some stairs but there is an elevator. $20 Adult, $12.50 Senior (65+), $10 Student with valid I.D., $10 Youth (6-12 years) Children five years and younger are free. The daily tour schedule with a docent is: Best of Both: Tiffany & Museum Highlights - 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The Richard H. Driehaus Museum immerses visitors in one of the grandest residential buildings of 19th-century Chicago, the Gilded Age home of banker Samuel Mayo Nickerson. Philanthropist Richard H. Driehaus founded the museum on April 1, 2003 with a vision to influence today's built environment by preserving and promoting architecture and design of the past. To realize his vision, Mr. Driehaus commissioned a five-year restoration effort to preserve the structure and its magnificent interiors. Today the galleries feature surviving furnishings paired with elegant, historically-appropriate pieces from the Driehaus Collection of Fine and Decorative Arts, including important works by such celebrated designers as Herter Brothers and Louis Comfort Tiffany. Today, the Museum is a premier example of historic preservation, offering visitors an opportunity to experience through its architecture, interiors, collection, and exhibitions how the prevailing design philosophies of the period were interpreted by artists, architects, and designers at the waning of the 19th-century and the dawn of the 20th-century. Alice 60660 and 34203 read more

Very cool museum. I always like small museums converted from people's home, especially rich people's homes haha. Went for the guided tour on a Saturday afternoon, admission is halved for students and the guided tour is $5 plus. Everyone is greeting you and being nice, even the coat room staffs are super friendly and they held my starbucks drink for me separately from my bag to avoid spilling. The guided tour is about one hour, and the lady walked us through all the rooms. I cannot say how much I loved the decorations especially the stained glass dome and all the Tiffany lamps and mosaics! I am also amazed how well the furnitures in the house have been preserved while its owner has been changing all the time... The second and third floor temporary exhibits are amazing too, the French posters are so beautiful and I guess that's why I bought a notebook in the giftshop... But even if you are on your own without guided tour, I would say you can still enjoy the museum since everything is illustrated very well on the labels and captions, nothing too long or overwhelming, it's just the right amount of words. I greatly enjoyed my visit, hope you will as well. read more

Driehaus Museum - Sculpture in the room with dome, reminds me of Rome... - Museums Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Took the tour. Interesting history. Beautiful Gilded Age home. The tour spent too much time on the current art exhibition thus the 3 stars. It's great that they have contemporary artist work on display but that's not why we visited the house. Tour guide was knowledgeable and friendly. read more

Fantastic "museum" for those interested in Gilded Age decorative arts and architecture. Splendid craftsmanship is on display in every corner. My favorite place is the smoking room. It feels like you stepped into a jewel box covered in the most beautiful tile work. Thank you to Mr. Dreihaus for preserving this gem. This is the museum I suggest to all our out of town guests. It's little known and something quite different from the city's larger institutions. read more