I would have to double-check but I know I have been to the Hollyhock House in Hollywood and Taliesin West last year with the wife. I have been a fan of FLW for decades and have collected books and attended furniture/furnishings exhibits when available. The tour with guide Chris of the exterior and interior was exceptional. He pointed out the logic behind the design and things that could be missed by those not paying attention or in the FLW mindset. He gave us a lot of other interesting details that I was unaware of or forgot tied to this house. It is located right next to the University of Chicago campus which was cool. The area is very pretty. The house has been restored and is in very good shape overall. It is a must-see for FLW fans. The wife picked up a Craftsman pin, and I bought a Craftsman metal bookmark in the gift shop so I would have something to remember the time spent here. The cost is fair for what it is. read more

Loved the architecture and we had an excellent tour guide. I was disappointed by the lack of furniture as other houses and FLW buildings I have visited have at least been partially staged. The tour is mostly just for the building. I also wish there had also been more story about FLW himself and his involvement in the Robie house design. I understand that much of the house was not preserved as the Robie family lived in the house only for a year and then it moved on to multiple other owners so I can't be too critical, but part of what I love about FLW buildings is that he doesn't just design buildings, but living (or working) spaces. We loved the Laurent house, Taliesin/West and the SE Johnson buildings for that reason. I also would love to see the outdoor areas of the Robie house in better shape, with nicer landscaping to bring it back to where FLW would have imagined it. Hopefully with the foundation's involvement and continued patronage it will be what all FLW fans would wish for soon! Worth a visit for sure! read more

Frederick C Robie House - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I'm a Frank Lloyd Wright noob. Our docent did a great job of educating me and the rest. The building has more floors than you'd think... I think it had 4 or 5! We learned about the style, the materials, and the people who lived there over the years. My favorite fact was that it was a dormitory for a seminary for years. Funny to think of a bunch of past future ministers sitting on those cool chairs, practicing sermons in corners of every room... if that's even how it went down, and it probably didn't. read more

This was a wonderful tour of one of Wright's favorite works. We took the interior tour which lasted an hour. Tour sizes are small - about 10 people. Excellent guide that fully explained the history, unique aspects of the design and structure, and gave time for answering any questions in each room. They also have a nice gift shop with a number of items depicting Wright's iconic design. read more

Frederick C Robie House - Interior of living room and dining area - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The Robie House is amazing! One of the finest FLW properties we have toured. It has been lovingly cared for and restored by the foundation. The docent we had was simply incredible! His knowledge of the house, property and area was expert level. There was no question anyone asked that stumped him. He was such a good story teller. The tour here is complete, with access to most rooms except the kitchen. It's a great way to spend an hour if you can get in. read more

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I visited the Frederick C. Robie House as part of a weekend in Chicago for the Frank Llyod Wright Plus tour. Located on the campus of the University of Chicago the Robie House can be challenging to find parking, but I got lucky and found a street spot nearby. Check in for the tour was easy and I got some time to check out the gift shop which is nice. The tour started on time and proceeded around the side and front of the building with our guide doing a nice job of explaining the history and siting of the house. On proceeding inside we got to see most of the house which has been restored after having been converted into multiple apartments. The Robie House is a great example of FLW's Prairie Style; long horizontal lines, overhangs, stained glass and geometric designs. The architecture is well presented with a decent amount of FLW furnishings. The tour was good although it does not always present much detail. I did enjoy my visit to the Robie House, I do think that the Martin House in Buffalo is a bit more spectacular, still this was a great way to kick off a couple of days of Frank Llyod Wright architecture. read more

We are HUGE Frank Lloyd Wright fans--so much so that our son is currently getting his master's in architecture (we're practically living the dream). We were so pumped for this tour that we rushed from the train station, pushing our timeline to the edge, and arrived just as it was starting. Our oldest daughter, ever the professional multitasker, quietly stepped back to answer an email. Perfectly normal, right? But just as we were about to immerse ourselves in Wright's genius, Mary, the tour guide, sidled up to her like a caffeine-deprived librarian and said, "There's a cafe around the corner if this is boring you." Let's break this down: we just dropped $130 for five tickets, trekked across town, and we were all on the edge of our seats, ready for a deep dive into the mind of Frank Lloyd Wright. And in a blink, it was crushed by Mary's very questionable hospitality. Mary, you were a walking encyclopedia of knowledge--truly, your architectural facts were on point--but your manners? Let's just say they need a little renovation. We left the tour still big fans of FLW, but now, also major fans of the "cafe around the corner" for next time. read more

Frederick C Robie House - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This was one of the last major FLW houses that we had not toured. We made a reservation a week in advance and Ubered down to the University of Chicago campus to tour this house. Ray our docent was excellent. The hour long tour was just right and very educational and interesting. He really knew his stuff. Thank goodness this place was saved back in the day. The house is stunning but it is too bad that almost none of the original furniture exists. We also did the self guided audio tour of the neighborhood which was just OK but still worth the time. If you are a FLW this is a must. read more

As an architecture student, this house was the first architectural piece i've studied and have been osessed with it ever since. I finally got the chance to come and see it in person and was amazed by the level of detail and work that Mr Wright was able to accomplish. We did the tour with the guide for 24 dollars and it did not disappoint. the guide was super knowledgable and was always open to questions. The guide was more or less a totla of 25 minutes but it did not include the kitchen, or the maids quarters which is a different chunk of the house. All in all, the tour is worth it because he talks to you about so many things you wouldnt know otherwise. This house is a must when you come to chicago and since youre already on Campus of an astonishing university, you can walk around and explore! read more

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Touted as the quintessential example of the Frank Lloyd Wright prairie style home. Cost is 20-75 dollars. 20 for the house tour, 30 for the indoor tour and audio outdoor tour, and a 65 dollar 90 minute tour. The audio tour was fine, but mainly just tells you about six or seven sites on the University of Chicago campus that contrast with FLW's vision. For diehards, fine, but I wouldn't spend the extra 10 bucks next time. The home itself is almost empty, with a few FLW furniture pieces throughout. There are beautiful lines, leaded windows. Much like many other historical spots, this site changed hands many times and was allowed to fall into disrepair and was almost demolished. But the FLW foundation has done a fantastic job or restoring the site. Our docent (I think his name was Phillip) was great. Clear, concise, knowledgeable. The history about the few families who lived there were interesting. I wish we had learned a little more. Overall worthwhile. If you don't have a car with you, Lyft is easy and accessible and decently priced. read more

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My wife, two teenage sons, and I enjoyed the tour in July 2023. We were glad to have reserved tickets in advance as our group reached the maximum of 14 people. The Robie House is a key architectural milestone for Frank Lloyd Wright who completed it in 1909. Lots of pluses. First, Robie House was fully renovated in 2019 - so it looks great from the carpet to the brass fixtures. Second, our volunteer guide was knowledgable about the historical background of the house, which draws from Japanese influences (lack of clutter, open "Zen-like" upper floor, and wood interiors) and Native-American influences (Robie House has a pueblo-like structure that reminded me of Mary Colter's 1909 Hopi House in Grand Canyon NP). Third, you can take pictures inside of all the rooms (which is really nice). However, the tour did have some minuses. Finding street parking was difficult because we had a large SUV. I had to drive to the Campus North parking garage (15 minute walk away). Be sure to arrive 30 minutes before the tour starts if you drive a large car. Also, I was surprised that Frank Lloyd Wright did not formally acknowledge Japanese designers or Native-American designers in his Prairie-style home. But that's a minor quibble. The building is a key milestone in American architecture, which is now preserved on the National Register of Historical Places. read more

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Nice tour and beautiful grounds near campus. We enjoyed the short tour. It was around 20 minutes on train from Chicago. read more

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Stopped here on my never-ending quest to see all the Frank Lloyd Wright houses. There is street parking, and with this being right on the edge of the U of Chi campus, there may be other visitor parking with a walk available. We ubered here soon can't speak to it. Loved the look of the house - and the tour was pretty straightforward. What I liked about this one was they allowed pictures. In other houses we have toured they don't allow photography which is stupid so I appreciated being able to take pictures. The tour took about an hour and even though the guide tried to pop me for getting to close to the wall - which I didn't - I liked the tour. Weather didn't want to cooperate but this would rank in the top half of the locations we have been to. read more

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Amazing architectural gem. It was a bit of an ordeal to get there from the Loop but still doable for a pedestrian. The number six bus dropped me near the museum of science and industry and I walked the rest of the way. Take the tour, they offer a lot of facts and they're open to questions. The greatest thing though is to feel the space and the presence of this masterpiece. Worth a visit. Go. read more

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A really beautiful and interesting Frank Lloyd Wright home. Loved the details especially on the light fixtures. The outdoor self-guided tour was just okay - it really isn't about Robie house and more of a U of C tour - wouldn't do that again. read more

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Stunning architecture and Wayne's tour was really informative. Absolutely worth a visit!

The Robie house is located in the University of Chicago. The beautiful architecture of the house is well worth the tour. You can make a reservation for a tour ahead of time or you can purchase a ticket in the gift shop. Tickets are $20 and the tour is about an hour. They start you outside of the gift shop and tell you about the outside of the house. You enter through the house and they take you to the main rooms of the house. This was my first Frank Lloyd Wright visit and now I'm more curious to visit his other works. The docents were knowledgeable and the gift shop was good. Would definitely recommend this tour. read more

We had a wonderful tour guide named Chris. We was very knowledgeable and had a lot of insights into the design of the house. You learn a ton while you are there. BOOK AHEAD, showing up won't get you tickets, we saw so many people turned away for tours because tickets were sold out. But it is well worth it. read more

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This morning we toured the Robie at last! It was under renovation for our past few visits to Chicago. Considered the most accurate representation of the Prairie style, the Robie is an architectural gem. If you are a FLW fan, you cannot miss this house. Bonus is that it is literally on the University of Chicago campus so you have the option to walk around and see additional beautiful gothic architecture. The tour didn't have as much detail about the process of designing and building the house as other homes we've toured, but our guide did offer some interesting facts about the original owners and how they used the home. I think taking the 'extended' tour might satisfy the true architecture buffs needs better. If you are a fan of FLW art or furnishings then you will be disappointed with this house. It much more 'minimalist' compared to his residence in Oak Park and other homes he designed. If you are visiting on a weekend, street parking is a breeze. Not sure what it would be like on an official school day. Highly suggest getting tickets in advance since tour group sizes must be kept small. read more

Fantastic tour of an amazing house. We had a great tour guide, Joan who was a fountain of knowledge of not only the Robie house, but of Frank Lloyd Wright in general. She was patient with our two young kids, one of which asked a lot of questions. She was gracious and informative. We enjoyed seeing one of the Wright houses in Chicago, it didn't seem right to come here without seeing at least one of his buildings. read more

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As a lay person to architecture although an admitted fan of prairie style (I'm from Evanston, it's all over the midwest) I thought this was a very interesting, fun, and accessible architectural tour. The house is newly renovated and in great shape, staff is nice, and tour guides extremely informative with fun stories about the building, owners, and restoration. I highly recommend giving this a shot, even if your plans for the day do not include the southside. The cost of the tour indoors is $17 and an hour long, I think the cost is worth it and the length just right. They allow photography inside so great IG material. Located immediately next the UChicago you can wander there afterwards, do Museum of Science in Industry, or enjoy the southside's character in the Hyde Park neighborhood for lunch to make it either a half or complete day. read more

Absolutely stunning tour of this well-preserved FLW design from 1909. Incredible woodwork, gorgeous lighting, beautiful windows. Also has a great gift shop, and an informative tour guide (John). Well-worth the fee and a great rain-day activity. read more

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I liked the tour of the interior. I did the audio self-guided tour of the block as well. It talked a bit about the college campus buildings over to the quad as well as the business school across the street (which mimics the design of Robie). I'd highly recommend both tours. It's a bit of an Uber ride outside of the Loop but definitely worth it. Masks were required inside on the tour. Photos are allowed too unlike in some FLW homes. read more

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Frank Lloyd Wright could have been describing his design of the Robie House when he said: "The architect must be a prophet...a prophet in the true sense of the term...if he can't see at least ten years ahead, don't call him an architect." T'is a beauty, it is, far ahead of its time in its contemporary lines, even if the Robie House has suffered for all the years of wear-and-tear since it was originally built in 1910. Wright's familiar prairie style is epitomized by the bare bones of the impeccable design. I have to admit what's missing for me is what complements the aesthetics of the house - specifically most of Wright's beautifully designed furniture, which made a perfect match to the house, and the natural elements that would have extended upon the design. Because the house has long since lost its uninterrupted view of the Midway Plaisance, its setting is less than ideal now. Imagine Fallingwater without the rushing water and you pretty much have the Robie. The $12 tour is educational and offers interesting tidbits like how the University of Chicago's new Graduate School of Business building across the street mirrors the Robie's continuous windows and long lines. The semi-hidden front door is an interesting touch. So are the famous circle-in-the square planters and lighting fixtures. Access is restricted from the bedrooms upstairs due to fire hazards, but you do get to see the long living room-dining room combination on the second floor. Less interesting is the children's playroom and billiards room in the basement area and the unfinished kitchen adjacent to the dining room. There is the obligatory gift shop in what was part of the expansive garage. If you're into Wright's individualistic architecture, this is a must-stop. Do yourself a favor and stop at the Smart Museum four blocks away to see the dining room set and fireplace facade that was originally in the house. Others may want to consider a trip out to Oak Park to get a fuller picture of his style in Wright's home and studio. read more

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we bought tickets online in advance because we couldn't risk coming to this heavily trafficked area without tickets. it was a Chicago miracle when we found a free parking space right in front. The house is fully renovated and a masterpiece. The tour was thorough and professional. We had been here 15 years ago before the renovation. What a difference. This is a must see in Chicago. read more

Really good tour of a famous house. Our guide seemed very knowledgeable with a good balance of anecdotes, history and highlighting of details. Only criticism being that when it's ice cold outside and there aren't many people milling about that gift shop/ starting point, please don't make people stand outside in the freezing cold for 15 minutes! There was no reason for that and it made it difficult to concentrate as I was losing communication with my frozen toes urging me to take them inside somewhere warmer. Nice you can take photos at this Wright house, since others don't allow it. read more

This is such an interesting house. It's located right on the University of Chicago campus. I would have never guessed it was a famous house if my friend (a FLW fan) told me about it. Admission is $15 if you're a student. The tour guide was a little strange though. She was rambling for long periods of time and seemed to be quite frazzled. I thought she was going to pass out a few times. I feel like she probably knows a lot about this house and FLW but her delivery was less than satisfactory since a lot of it was incoherent. That being said, you can still look at the interior of the house and be in awe of the designs. I find it cool to see the historical pictures and compare to what's in the room. Some of the stuff is reproductions but some of it is the actual thing from nearly 100 years ago. I find it cool that U. of Chicago turned this into a dorm/dining hall at one point. Can you imagine all these students trampling through the halls? read more

Came here for a tour on Easter Sunday. If you're a fan of architecture (especially Frank Lloyd Wright), you have to check out the Robie House. Found in the middle of the campus of Uni of Chicago, you're surrounded by beautiful architecture. The Robie House, however, sticks out due to its unique Japanese inspired design. There are 45 minute tours every hour for a reasonable price (all proceeds go into maintaining the house along with restoration). Our tour guide (a volunteer) was a little boring, but he most definitely knew his stuff. If you're in Chicago, spend an afternoon in Hyde Park with a visit to the Robie House. Good for: Sightseeing read more

Frederick C Robie House - View from across the street - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I went on the Chicago Architecture Foundation's Highlights By Bus Tour and we stopped by the Frederick C. Robie House in Hyde Park for a Tour. I am not sure if we had a shortened version of the tour or not as we did not have access to the entire house. The Robie House is a Prairie Style Home that is now owned by the University of Chicago. The house was built in 1910 by famous American Architect Frank Lloyd Wright for the Robie Family ...the entrance to the home is on the side of the home and upon entry into the home I noticed that the ceiling was close to my head and I am 5'2 and when questioning whether Mr. Wright was of short stature...our guide Mr.. Fitzgerald stated, "Mr. Wright uses a manipulation of space" in which the lower level or entry-way has a unusually low ceiling....and the home opens up on the second floor using wide open spaces, hand crafted furniture, and an abundance of sunlight which radiates throughout each space. I love the details..even the original door knob in the kitchen!!! Truly a must see whether you are a native or tourist! read more

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I was most impressed with the exterior of the building and you can view that without the tour. The interior is bare bones and has a ways to go in terms of restoration. Besides the layout, you get very little historical sense of how the house once was. All these 4 and 5 star ratings - makes me think you people will get your minds blown if you visit Taliesin West. read more

This is definitely a must stopon any architecture/art lovers visit to Chicago. Try to buy your ticket in advance on the website if possible. Our guide Claire was very knowledgeable and I could tell she had done lots of research on Wright and it made the tour more interesting. Definitely one of the highlights of my trip to Chicago. read more

A masterpiece of the great American Architect Frank Lloyd Wright. As an architect I have studied this house and many other houses built by Frank Lloyd Wright and many other architects like mies van der Rohe for example. A house rich in history and teory. If you are in Chicago and you like the Architecture you should visit this house. read more

Frederick C Robie House - Frank Lloyd Wright - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Came here on Open House (the one weekend a year where a bunch of Chicago buildings open up to the public for few tours). The line was long but moved quickly which unfortunately meant that they shuffled you through the house so you can't spend much time in one place. Not too worry, I don't think the house is that impressive to the point where you'd need to spend hours inside. Note every first Monday of the month they offer free tours to UChicago students and staff which would be worth it! Tours are normally $18. I guess I'm not super into the prairie house style architecture but it was interesting learning about the roots of frank Lloyd wright. read more

Frederick C Robie House - Fancy ceiling - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Compared to the other FLW properties I've been to there is simply something lacking at the Robie House - the tour is too short, the experience not at all immersive, and the tourguide not nearly as knowledgable of the property or the architect himself. Combine the above with a tour that spends ~20 minutes outside and ~25 minutes inside for $15 because half the place is being rennovated (of course, if you choose the more expensive tour you can see those areas too) and I just can't say it was worth the hype - not when the home and studio is so close and the Rookery is free. read more

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We went to Frank Loyd Wright's Robie House on a tour $15pp. It's an overpriced tour, but the money goes back to the FLW Foundation for restoration so I guess it's ok. We got there for the 3pm tour, but they said they were having a special event at 3pm. They offered us a 4pm tour so we did that. Buy tickets in the gift shop which was once a 3-car garage. The tour is 1hr. We got to see it from the street & across the street. There was history being told from the guide. The first owner was some kind of rich business man. Sold many times. Pictures are allowed of the outside, NONE inside. Not much furniture inside. You don't get to see the 3rd floor - that's not cool. Worth it if you're a fan of FLW or in the area. read more

This tour turned out to be quite worth it! For $15, you get a 45 min - 1 hr tour of the house. I expected it to cover the architecture of the building itself but I didn't realize the tour would be so detailed so I was pleasantly surprised. The tour started off with a brief video in the basement and then the tour guide brought us from room to room and explained Frank Llyod Wright's design concept and how he achieved it. The details that he planned - from to the designs of the light fixtures and the carpets to the custom-designed furniture - was amazing. The Robie house is currently under renovation to restore it to how it originally looked. I think the tour will be even more worth it (and be a 5 star tour) when the furniture pieces are returned to the house and the repainting is completed. The top floor (with the bedrooms) was not shown - perhaps because they are still completing the remodeling - but that would also be very interesting I'm sure. I was trying to be very selective with the tours I went on during my trip to Chicago since the admission prices are quite high and can really add up. This is one tour that I felt really was worth it - it was entertaining and I learned a lot! read more

Coming to the Robie house for the tour as a hard-core Wright aficionado, I thought I knew everything there was about it from all the books I've read and the pictures that I've studied. Boy, was I wrong... the tour showed me much more. The 1-hr tour started off with the front exterior of the house, where the tour guide told about the house's history: its site and surrounding neighborhood prior to construction; the original client's background, their aspiration for their dream home, and their interactions with Wright during the design process; as well as the subsequent owners of the house. He then continued to discuss the architectural design aspects of the house: its eccentricities, Wright's intentions for the viewers' interactions and perspectives with the house, how it optimized its location in the neighborhood. Some of the design info was obvious (the wide roof overhangs); however, I learned there were details that were quite subtle (pipeless gutter drains that allowed water to cascade during storms). The tour proceeded into the house through the front door - which is at the BACK of the house, the guide explained the design intention for this! - and entered into the foyer. On the first floor, we visited the billiard room and children's playroom. We then proceeded up the stairway onto the second floor, where we visited the living room, dining room, breakfast nook, kitchen, and a small bedroom. While we were in each room, the guide told about the history of how the room was used, highlighted peculiar details of the house's design (aesthetics, structural, lighting), and pointed out how the occupants interacted with the house's architecture and furnishings. We then exited the house along a stairway to the courtyard - where a few more architectural and historical details about the exterior were pointed out, the tour group asked the guide final questions, and were left at the entrance of the gift shop to spend money to fund the continuing restoration of the house. After the tour, many of us simply wandered onto the elevated patio outside the living room to marvel the architectural brilliance of Wright's early masterpiece. Unfortunately, the house is missing many of its original furniture; thus, we couldn't fully appreciate Wright's original interior. The restoration of the house is on-going and one day I may visit again to see it as it was intended. In addition, the tour did not venture onto the third level (where most of the bedrooms were) since the city's fire code prevented it; although, they said one day this restriction may be rescinded. Nevertheless, I still learned a lot about about this peculiar house and was quite dazzled to see this place firsthand. All the book photos I've seen of this house could not re-create the experience of interacting with this architectural masterpiece. read more

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An icon of American architecture. Restored beautifully. I first saw this in the early 90s and it was a heap. So glad they saved it. I've been in several FLW houses and this is one of the best. read more

The venerable Robie House is one of the masterworks of architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Located in Hyde Park next to the University of Chicago campus, the Robie House is a prime example of Wright's maturing Prairie Style. It is a very elongated, low-lying building that emphasizes its horizontality even further with the use of noticeably thin and long red bricks. read more

Frederick C Robie House - Frederick C. Robie House - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The Robie House was the first Frank Lloyd Wright home that my wife and I toured. Our 45 minute tour led by Chris was great. She clearly articulated the prairie style design that made Wright's famous and helped us picture what it would be like to live in Chicago during the early 1900's. The home featured numerous "horizontal lines" on wood panels and beautiful windows. We learned that in the living and dining area, Wright purposely designed the roof, elevation of windows to allow the right or less amount of sunlight in a given season to allow rooms to be warmed in the winter and cooled in the summer. Adult tickets are $17 but we purchased a Groupon deal via Goldstar events that lowered the price to $12. Some guests purchased a "photo pass" that allowed you to take pictures inside. We didn't have a pass but still snapped a few pics. :) If you're a fan of Wright, architecture or Chicago history, make your way to Hyde Park and visit the Robie House. read more

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