Far from our first visit to The Art Institute, but every visit here is a wonder. It rivals The Met…read moreand MOMA in New York as a top American art museum. And it's so close to other attractions as well as hotels and restaurants downtown/in the Loop. You can even walk to Millennium Park across a bridge from the Modern Wing. The museum can get very crowded, and has 3 main levels, but note parts of the lower and 2nd level are not connected. We only had a few hours to spend here, so of course did some of the "greatest hits" by Seurat, van Gogh, O'Keefe, Wood, Hopper, Picasso, Monet, Renoir, Warhol, Pollock, etc. I am particularly fond of the Impressionists, and the Institute had quite a collection from this period. The biggest discovery for me were the Thorne Miniature Rooms on the lower level of the main building. These intricate miniature rooms were fascinating and impossibly detailed; I especially liked how there were other rooms/gardens visible beyond the main room, and how much attention was paid to the lighting, as if the sun was shining through a window or door. You can enter the museum off Michigan Ave or via the Modern Wing. There's a cafe and a snack bar, a seasonal garden bar, and a members-only rooftop bar in the Modern Wing. The bridge to Millennium Park is just outside the member's bar. Always a must visit in Chicago, continuously impressive.

The Art Institute of Chicago is a massive museum with really dope pieces all for the grand total of…read more$14 for general admission. In my opinion, this museum is way too vast to thoroughly experience it in one day. So, if you are short on time, like I was, map out your "must go to pieces" and hopefully, you would see some other gems on the way to your next "must see piece". This is definitely a museum that I would revisit. Thoroughly enjoyed.

Almost everyone you meet in Chicago who loves their city will ask when you tell them you are…read morevisiting from out of town, "Have you done the architectural boat tour?" People in Amsterdam will also ask if you have done a canal boat tour - and you have to do these when you visit these cities. Our docent volunteer guide, Steve, was excellent. He was very personable and extremely knowledgeable about the city's riverside buildings and its history. The boat staff was also hardworking and ready to help with any issues, from getting a drink at the boat's downstairs bar to handing out covers when the rain hit us. For what we paid, the 1.5 hour tour was more than worth it. I recommend sitting at the top towards the back, as you don't have to crane your neck as much when he points out places of interest. This was a truly wonderful experience and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Not what I expected overall but it was still a very educational experience. Scoring tickets to…read moreChicago's Architecture Center through our hotel, we used the tickets as a good time filler. Not a must see or do attraction but a great day filler activity as you explore the city. Loved the wealth of information they offer as it's valuable to understand Chicagos importance from the ground up! I thought it would be more about highlighting the amazing architectural buildings around the city but nothing like that. It's was more about the environmental impact the city has and the hurdles when designing buildings around town. The staff were friendly at check in and provided great service overall as they were kind and helpful. Small center that you may explore at your own pace and may or may not be worth the admission price. But scoring free tickets it allowed us to be selective in our day or day plans to include the activity to pay it a visit!

Statue Stories is a unique opportunity to learn more about the various public art on display in…read moreChicago via your cellular telephone. It was initiated in 2015 throughout the City of Chicago to engage the public in learning about all of the "public art" displayed throughout the city. Look for the sign(s) associated with the piece of public art then use your cellular telephone to scan the QR code which is a square box shaped black code...then answer your telephone when it rings and you can listen to the history and interesting and fun facts about the piece of public art on display....in this case statues! See the web site for the map and all of the public art with this audio tour... http://www.statuestorieschicago.com/statues.php FYI-other cities such as Philadelphia utilize this tool for the public as well.

From the owner: Using drama, humor and location technology, Statue Stories Chicago breathes new life into the…read morecity's marvelous public art collection. Swipe your smartphone on a nearby tag and get a 'call back' from the likes of Abe Lincoln, Paul Laurence Dunbar or a regal bronze lion.

I LOVE taking the subway. Easy to use. Helps with getting around town. You can take subway into…read moretown if you wish. Was a great time!

My boyfriend's company gets a lot of fancy fringe benefits and one of those is special tickets to…read moreshows, tours, and other fun things. On Friday we got to experience this fun tour with Margaret as our guide. The tour was about 90 minutes long as we weaved throughout the pedway system of Chicago covering about 1.5 miles. Everyone on our tour was local, some of us knew of the pedway, some had never been on it before others were quite familiar but wanted to know more, while still others had no idea about it! I was happy to venture down into the undergrounds of the city with some a well educated tour guide. I am a Chicago history mini-buff and she definitely knew her stuff about a lot of the famous architects of our town which pleased me. Our tour guide Margaret was full of energy and very enthusiastic in telling us all about the pedway. Once she told us she was a theater major, ah yes, it all clicked into place! She was a very thorough and clear guide though giving me a bit of information I haven't had prior. Once the tour is done, you'll know a bit about the paths under the city that connect some important government buildings to fancy department stores (and more!) and feel totally comfortable walking & navigating them yourself. There is virtually no crime on the Chicago pedway!!! Yay Chi Town! You will also come away loving the pedway for what it is! Nothing more, nothing less than an interesting walkway than can be beautiful at times - smelly at others - but like Margaret says, is it's own little Chicago neighborhood!

Such a fun boat ride just chilling riding going in and around all the buildings and learning about…read morethe architecture and history all while taking Chicago in The staff was great and it was a nice ride and break from walking Lovely time

Such a great city for architecture, the very oldest building sitting next to the newest…read moreskyscrapers. I loved this tour...even though it rained and we had to spend part of the tour inside to stay dry without much of a view, it was still a great tour for the cost. We were warned to make a reservation cause the tours do fill up, and this was a holiday weekend. Do not leave Chicago without doing this!

The Marquette Building is a beautiful example of the Chicago School of architecture. The early…read moresteel framed sixteen story skyscraper was built in 1895. The steel frame is what allowed long "Chicago windows" due to less pressure of the masonry. It was designed by Holabird and Roche. The skyscraper was named for Father Jacques Marquette, the first European settler who explored Chicago in 1674-1675. Mosaics, sculptures and bronzes honor this expedition in the Marquette's entry and lobby. The bronzes and sculptures show the trip and important historic figures that were met along the journey. The railing around the atrium features beautiful Tiffany designed mosaics. Louis Comfort Tiffany was commissioned to create a mosaic frieze to detail the story of Marquette's life, the exploration of Chicago and the Native Americans that he met. Art panels are made of lustered Tiffany glass, mother-of-Pearl and semi-precious stones. It is stunning! The building is free and open to explore. Ask the security guard for a brochure or if you are lucky, he may even share some history about the building. There is also a small exhibit behind the lobby that discusses Chicago skyscrapers and architecture.

Chicago September 2019…read more Walked into the Marquette Building in downtown Chicago to view the beautiful artwork in the lobby. No admission fee. Just walk in and enjoy the view. The lobby is not too big but filled with stain glass art work that is eye catching. One can view the art from the first or second floor. Many Yelpers have already posted photos with great historical commentary. I'll just add a #metoo. No where to park around here unless you want to spend $30.00 ... I just jump on the CTA and pay $2.50 one way (or $5.00 round trip). Many of the buildings in downtown Chicago have fantastic art work in their lobbies. Most are free to explore. Welcome to Chicago !

Art Deco elements you'll find in both the interior and exterior of buildings on this tour:…read more Sleek design Symmetry Layered shapes Intricate line art Geometric ornamentation Aerodynamic curves And metallic colors like gold and chrome Art Deco represents a celebration of progress. It's known for rich colors, bold geometric shapes and lavish ornamentation. The United States has a bad habit of knocking the old things down and building new, but several of these grand skyscrapers have been preserved in Chicago's loop. I've passed these buildings on La Salle countless times but had never gone inside. Never mind the fact that it was November and only 30° outside. I wanted to do it. Architectural boat tours are one of the top tourist activities in Chicago. Locals love them too. The views are undoubtedly amazing from the water, but boat tours don't take you inside. You're missing out on the amazing designs within. This tour lasts about 1.5 hrs and cost $30 a person. It's a very slow pace and we took zero stairs. We also only walked a couple of blocks at most. Anybody of any ability could do this tour. Our docent was well informed and offered great insight into the history of design and the city of Chicago. I loved it. I can't say I'd do that again on a cold day though.

I love eating. What's even better? Trying global street foods from 6 different spots in 2.5 hours…read more Phyllis is the founder & lead tour guide of Chicago food ways since 2014. She's a french-trained chef that showed me everything about the ingredients, argyle's history, music halls, restaurants. She knows every family business owner. Ive had some of these restaurants on my list and some I've never heard of before but WOW were they AMAZING Will be bringing my friends & family & coworkers on this nice & easy walking tour. Arepas @elrincondefabiollc Char Siu Pork Bun @lapatisseriep (imo better than Chiu Quon) Ba La Lot @haiyen_chicago Sambussa @demerachicago * Birria @birrieriazaragoza Mango Sticky Rice @immmchicago & It's Fridays at 5pm and Saturdays at 4:00pm only summers Price $75 per person. Private tours available for 6 or more people & @

I did the Argyle/Uptown/Andersonville tour with a huge group (around 100 people). They divided us…read moreup into 4 groups and all had a fabulous time! Our group leader Mandy was so fun and knew a lot about the area. The very best part was the food! Every stop was amazing. I highly recommend!

My husband and I as well as a friend had the pleasure to take Wendy's 1950s Nightlife in the Loop…read moretour this past week. Despite the rain Wendy maintains a sunny disposition and seems to have a genuine interest in learning about her guests. She is also open about her journey to how she started this tour company. Her knowledge and enthusiasm is maintained throughout the entire tour. The two stops during this tour were fascinating. My fav part is how she ends her tour.. A fun game if you will. Two things strictly coming from our recommendations and not at all from Wendy herself. First, offer to buy her a drink she may or may not accept but with all the talking and hosting a cocktail is well earned though I know she wouldn't be offended if you didn't . Also if you've never been on a city tour.. It's always customary to tip the guide at the end of a tour. She is worth every penny and more. So much so that this is the only tour (in addition to the river tours) you'll need to take bc we learned so much and much of the same info was repeated on other tours, yet this is the most affordable.

If you want to get to know Chicago better, Wendy is your girl! What a great way to bring the city…read moreyou love to live with great stories and visuals of the places and people that made Chicago what it is today! Wendy had us engaged throughout the tour with her knowledge and enthusiasm about the city. Next time you are in the city take a Wendy City tour, you'll love the experience!

First saw this brotha on IG, then at an event for Chicago United for Equity, and today I finally…read moregot to experience one of his tours (Bronzeville) myself!! Phenomenal! Just phenomenal!!! I could care LESS about an architecture tour downtown, or going to look at a dam bean, or over-priced stores on Michigan Ave - THATS NOT CHICAGO!! Chicago is about culture, and specifically Black culture that has shaped this city to this day! There's such a rich history here and I'm so so grateful that Dilla is blessing us with his extensive knowledge and storytelling about the legacy of greatness all around us in Chicago! GO EXPERIENCE A TOUR!! There are many options and you will not be disappointed! Have out of town friends coming in town- Mahogany Tours is a must! Forget downtown, this is where it's at!!

I ordered a t-shirt from Chicago Mahogany and while, it was late the order. They were courteous…read moreenough and they sent another t-shirt. That was unexpected. I was not expecting that. I appreciate it! i'm thankful