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    Pullman National Historical Park

    4.3 (18 reviews)
    Closed • 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

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    Pullman area
    Marissa C.

    The visitor center here has an excellent exhibit. There is a very informative section about the Pullman car, with engaging set-up and a little film, along with the company and its company town. It then delves deeper into the darker underbelly hiding beneath the sleek decor - issues of class and race in the way the predominantly Black Pullman porters were treated, plus the struggle for labor rights - unions, strikes, and the eventual creation of Labor Day. The center is well located to be walkable with its neighborhood, and it made for a nice stroll until a heavy downpour chased us back to the center. The staff is very friendly and helpful. A small gift shop is located inside the visitor's center, and there is a good sized parking lot available.

    Jennifer S.

    Truly wonderful National Historic Site as part of the National Park Services. We arrived right when a guided tour of the property had started and so glad we did. The tour guide was wonderful, we walked a lot of the grounds as we learned about the Pullman family, the history of the town and how it revolved around the building of the Pullman Railroad Cars. There is a lot about labor relations, unionizing, and fighting unfair wage cuts that probably was far reaching, not just in the train industry but across the country. Very interesting. Beautiful surrounding area of historic buildings/homes that were all part of "Pullman's " town! Inside is a nice museum with a big focus on labor relations and some nice displays of how a Pullman car may have looked and the role of porters. Definitely worth a visit if you're int he area. They do have a NPS Passport Stamp in the gift shop.

    Market
    Steve A.

    Came here to check out this important place in Chicago. It has a lot of history about race and labor. Pullman National Historical Park is located on the former site of the first planned industrial community in the United States. Lots of railroad cars were manufactured here. This was also the site of a strike that got violent. A long and important history about it. In 1867 George Pullman built it for the manufacturing of railroad sleeping cars just outside the Chicago city limits. The area includes the administration buildings, the Hotel Florence, and the houses for the managers and workers. In 1893 the railroad industry was hurt by a panic. Pullman maintained profits by lowering employee wages. However the rents were not decreased. They tried to use the American Railway Union to get higher wages but were ignored. Soon they went on strike but the company had enough finances to be okay for a bit. The union led a boycott on Pullman. Other railway owners combated it by having them run the mail cars. The U.S. government said not allowing the mail cars through would violate anti-trust laws. Although the strike was ended, it was the beginning of the end for the company. The land was mostly sold off by 1907, and most of the employees moved to other close by neighborhoods. In 1937 there was an agreement between the African American workers and the Brotherhood Of Sleeping Car Porters, the first such one between an African American union and a company. The Pullman Company officially ceased operations in 1969, and the factory and erecting shops were used by several steel companies and others. Good place to check out a lot of history. It's kind of hard to get to but it's worth it for sure. This has a close by Metra station if using public transportation.

    Exhibit
    Shenise F.

    The exhibit in the visitor center walks you through the formation of the company and provides you with a detailed explanation of the workers strike that crumpled the company and the prestige that was associated with the Pullman name. The government found the company had violated labor laws and classified it as a monopoly. A judgment was given to the Pullman company that directed them to sell all their land holding properties. This strike is also one of the many reasons why we have Labor Day as a federal holiday. For most of us today, we recognize the name Pullman from the hardworking African American that worked as porters on the luxury train line. The museum is outside of the downtown city limits of Chicago. So if you drive, there is plenty of free parking. Taking a rideshare service? Be prepared to pay a hefty price.

    Main building
    Mark A.

    We're into the national parks and on a trip to Chicago we decided to check out Pullman NHS. I didn't know much about the place before we went, but I am interested in the Gilded Age, so I thought I would like Pullman NHS. Pullman consists of a main central building with some exhibits, ruins of the old factory, the historic hotel and some [private] houses across the street. In total, it covers a sliver of land like 20 blocks long, but most of that is inaccessible to visitors because people live there now. The exhibits tell you about Pullman the man, Pullman the company, the establishment of a company town and a strike in 1894. It was interesting, but I wish there had been more - I'd have liked to have seen a Pullman rail car (especially one of the luxurious ones they were known for), or the factory (which would be nice if they'd restored it a bit). Overall, I liked the place. I wish there had been more to it, but I'm still glad I went. I would recommend going.

    Jude T.

    This was a great museum and park. I loved many of the exhibits inside, especially the ones about organized labor and striking/strike busting. The groups get plenty of sun, so even on the right cool and windy day, you don't feel it that much. This is one of the better free things I've done in Chicago. I definitely recommend it to fans of trains, or organized labor.

    Annette B.

    The exhibit here is a little lacking but the staff are great and the surviving buildings are really fascinating to see.

    Jacqueline B.

    This was such a great idea to visit for the yearly Chicago Open House! It is a drive-friendly place but also accessible by Metra and CTA. It's a great way to experience 2 kinds of history: Chicago and African-American! It's educational but not boring. It is informative and interactive (safely, socially distanced). It does a great job focusing on the good (steady work, community)and bad (prices and rents made certain one was always in debt) parts of what it was like to live in Pullman. I really enjoyed sitting in the actual seats and looking out a window, to see what it was like riding a train in the old days. There is one level here so you can plan to spend a couple of hours but not the whole day here. The area nearby has a park that's nice for strolling.

    Walk up entrance on 111th and Cottage Grove
    Angela J.

    I'm so glad I had a chance to visit here. It would have been a shame not to go while I was off work. I always head to National Monuments and Parks when out of town, so why not visit what's near me? They opened this National Monument in 2015 and I'm so glad they did. Pullman was and is a magnificent area in it's heyday and even now. The National Park service has done a great job of preserving the stories and history of the Pullman Company and area. Even the residents are nice. I took a walk through the neighborhood to locate the market square and the stables. I spoke with two residents on my neighborhood walk who were pleasant and answered my questions as well as informing me about the history of the area. If you haven't had a chance to visit, I highly suggest you go. It's free to visit and they always have events going on. They also are continuing to build the area and will soon open the Florence Hotel. Don't miss out on some of Chicago's important history!

    Home of NPS Visitor center starting September 2021

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    Review Highlights - Pullman National Historical Park

    “I loved many of the exhibits inside, especially the ones about organized labor and striking/strike busting.”

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    Skydeck - NEVER FORGET (look closely)

    Skydeck

    3.5(958 reviews)
    12.9 mi•The Loop

    Skydeck Chicago was amazing! I went for my scheduled 2 PM visit and was actually surprised that it…read morewasn't too crazy busy. Once you check in, you go through a museum-like walkthrough that covers Chicago's history as well as the history of the Sears/Willis Tower. There are also plenty of opportunities to stop and take pictures along the way. Once you reach the end of the walkthrough, you head up 103 floors to the Skydeck. As soon as I walked in, I was honestly blown away. Even though the building was once the tallest in the world, it's still such an incredible experience to see the entire city of Chicago from that high up. The skyline is absolutely breathtaking, and you can even see Lake Michigan from the top. It also wasn't too crowded when I went, which made the experience even better. I was able to do the Ledge as well, where you can step out onto the glass and take pictures and videos. You get up to 90 seconds when it's your turn, and you can get back in line if you want to go again. Everything was exactly as described, and I'm so glad I got to visit again for the second time as an adult. I also got my ticket through CityPASS Chicago, and the whole process was super smooth with no hiccups. Definitely one of the highlights of my Chicago trip and a place I'd recommend checking out, especially if it's your first time in the city!

    We started our Chicago adventures by visiting the sky deck and Willis Tower. We had a great time…read morelearning about the history of Chicago. We purchased city pass tickets since we were visiting for a couple of days and chose the sky deck as one of our activities. They recommend making a reservation through the app so you can book the time you'd like to visit. Once we were in we went through the experience where we got to see exhibits and take fun pictures throughout. From there we took the elevator to the 103 floor to see the sky deck. The views of the city are super beautiful and of course we have to get our fun photos from the ledge!

    Photos
    Skydeck - Use your phone flash!

    Use your phone flash!

    Skydeck - Read sign if it's not obvious.

    Read sign if it's not obvious.

    Skydeck - Our friend living his best life

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    Our friend living his best life

    Chicago Riverwalk - PS. Chicago I love you.

    Chicago Riverwalk

    4.6(272 reviews)
    13.4 mi•The Loop

    The Chicago Riverwalk was one of our favorite things to do in Chicago. It was also very convenient…read moreto reach from our hotel because we were on the Loop and our room faced the Riverwalk. We got some great photos! Be sure to put this fabulous and popular activity on your List of Things to Do. There are many wonderful restaurants, bars, shops, great architecture buildings, great views, as well as the river cruise boats to see as you walk along. There are benches along the way as well as people sitting stairs to rest. It is about a mile + to walk. The Chicago Riverwalk starts at Lake Michigan (near Lake Shore Drive) on the east and ends at Lake Street on the west. It takes between 20 to 30 minutes to walk it without any stopping.

    The Chicago Riverwalk is a beautiful place to walk along the river, and it would be easy to spend a…read morefew hours stopping for tapas snacks and bar hopping from one place to the next. We visited around 1:00 p.m. on a Saturday, and it was already becoming very crowded. The walkway was easy to navigate, but the number of people made it feel much less peaceful. Even the river itself was busy with tour boats and other traffic. We stopped at The Northman but skipped trying anywhere else because of the crowds. I would visit earlier in the day or on a weekday for a more relaxed experience. After seeing how busy it was, I also decided I would rather rent a boat and cruise along the river than fight the weekend crowds on foot. The Riverwalk is worth experiencing, but your timing will significantly affect how much you enjoy it.

    Photos
    Chicago Riverwalk - 07.04.25 view of the Chicago River and the RiverWalk from Michigan Avenue Bridge

    07.04.25 view of the Chicago River and the RiverWalk from Michigan Avenue Bridge

    Chicago Riverwalk - Rainy day today

    Rainy day today

    Chicago Riverwalk - Wrigley and Tribune buildings.

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    Wrigley and Tribune buildings.

    Landmark Theatres - Inside theatre 5

    Landmark Theatres

    3.4(27 reviews)
    29.5 mi

    Can you turn the freaking air on? Maybe at least the fan to circulate air. If you want to watch a…read moremovie in great seats but hot stuffy air and warm and musty this is your place. I get times are tough but it makes for a miserable experience

    When we were looking for a local cinema to see Ne Zha 2 for the second time, this time with English…read moredubbing, we were happy to find Landmark at the Glen! It replaced Arclight which was in a decline. The cinema had been renovated 2 years ago. It was a Thursday afternoon, and the cinema was pretty quiet. There were big kiosks for ticket purchases, and the process was quick and easy. We got a small bag (which was not too small) for $10 plus tax, a little pricy for popcorn, but it was good. The popcorn guy was friendly, and he also doubled as the guy to collect our ticket stubs, and informed us which cinema room to go to. We were there for the preview of the movie, and we got the entire cinema #5 to the 3 of us! While the lobby and hallways of the cinema was nice and cool, this room was a little too warm. We totally understood that they would not cool down an entire room when there was no audience inside. I went to talk to the popcorn guy about the air temperature issue, and he promised to have it adjusted. As I went back to the cinema room. We could feel that cool air started to come out, and it was comfortable for the rest of the showing. The chairs were big, clean, and comfortable. Sound and picture were great. The movie itself was enjoyable just like the first time, and the English dubbing was perfect. The entire cinema was very clean. I was especially pleased with their restrooms being spotless clean. There is a bar in the lobby, and across from it was the biggest poster I've ever seen in a cinema lobby, it was a colorful digital poster of Ne Zha 2, very appropriate for such a spectacular movie. When we left the cinema after seeing the movie, there was another guy at the hallway collecting ticket stubs, and there was obviously more audience coming in. We enjoyed this cinema experience very much, and would definitely return to see other movies in the future.

    Photos
    Landmark Theatres - Kiosks in the lobby

    Kiosks in the lobby

    Landmark Theatres - Inside theatre 5

    Inside theatre 5

    Landmark Theatres - Front doors

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    Front doors

    Pullman National Historical Park - landmarks - Updated September 2026

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