Tour
Must-See Chicago
Must-See Chicago is a fast-paced, 90-minute introductory tour to Chicago featuring some of its most famous buildings, including the Wrigley Building, Tribune Tower, the Art Institute of Chicago, Willis (Sears) Tower, the Chicago Theatre and more!
Get a brief overview of more than a dozen buildings—as well as Chicago landmarks like Millennium Park, the Loop and the Chicago River—on this whirlwind tour. There are lots of photo opportunities along the way, so be sure to bring your camera!
Notes:
- Your safety is our priority. The itinerary of this tour may be altered in accordance with health and safety policies and considerations.
- This tour is not ADA accessible. Stairs are required.
- Ticket price includes entrance to the Chicago Architecture Center within 7 days of your tour. View the CAC's hours.
Photos From This Tour
Highlights of this Tour
Millennium Park
201 E. Randolph St.
“Let’s cover it with a park.”
Trump Tower
401 N. Wabash Ave.
When our docents explain that the Trump International Hotel & Tower reflects its surroundings, they aren’t…
875 N. Michigan Ave
875 N. Michigan Ave.
If you're looking for an example of Chicago's role in innovative skyscraper design, look no further than…
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Architect/Firm
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) was founded in 1936 by Louis Skidmore and Nathaniel Owings. Partner…
Mid-Century Modernism
Style
By the middle of the 20th century, architects trained in the tenets of Modernism began to experiment…
Carbide and Carbon Building
230 N. Michigan Ave.
Luxurious, exuberant and dramatic, the Carbide and Carbon Building is a metaphor for the sumptuous décor…
Willis Tower
233 S. Wacker Dr.
For nearly 25 years after its completion, the Willis Tower, formerly known as the Sears Tower, held the…
Marina City
300 N. State St.
“In our 'cities within cities' we shall turn our streets up into the air, and stack the daytime and…
Tribune Tower
435 N. Michigan Ave.
In 1922, on the occasion of its 75th anniversary, the Chicago Tribune announced an international competition…
Art Institute of Chicago
111 S. Michigan Ave.
The Art Institute of Chicago is an architectural artifact that represents Chicago’s rich history of…
bas-relief
Term
sculpture that projects only a short distance from the wall on which it is attached
pediment
Term
a large triangular form on top of a series of columns
column
Term
a vertical structural member that supports a load
load-bearing construction
Term
a method of building done by stacking one brick or stone on top of another; each brick or stone carries…
Wrigley Building
400-410 N. Michigan Ave.
The Wrigley Building is so recognizable, it hardly needs an introduction.
Aqua
225 N. Columbus Dr.
From the moment it appeared on the Chicago skyline, the Aqua Tower has earned numerous awards for design…
The Chicago L
The Chicago L is now 125 years old. This network of elevated trains and subways is how Chicagoans get…
111 East Wacker (One Illinois Center)
111 E. Wacker Dr.
One of Mies van der Rohe’s final designs rises above a former rail yard that many years earlier was…
Fort Dearborn
Milestone
How did Fort Dearborn impact Chicago?
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Architect/Firm
It’s difficult to imagine what the skyline of Chicago might look like without architect Ludwig Mies van…
Chicago Riverwalk
1 W. Lower Wacker Drive
Strolling along Chicago’s beautiful Riverwalk, it’s hard to imagine just how much things have changed…
trunnion bascule bridge
Term
trunnion is a French word for "stump" or pivot point; bascule is a French word for "see-saw"; a trunnion…
Aon Center
200 E. Randolph St.
Chicago’s third-tallest building stands out in Chicago’s skyline, distinctively different from its…
marble
Term
a medium-hard metamorphic rock of crystallized limestone
granite
Term
a very hard igneous rock with coarse bits of quartz and other minerals
bundled tube construction
Term
Bundled tube construction is an architectural and structural engineering technique used in the design…
Chicago Theatre
175 N. State St.
American cinema houses like Chicago Theatre evolved alongside new innovations in film.
terra cotta
Term
Latin words for "cooked earth"; a building material such as a tile piece; terra cotta is made from moist…
Similar Tours
Elevated Architecture: Downtown "L" Train
Explore Chicago’s amazing architecture from the unique perspective of elevated trains and station platforms…
Lights, Camera, Architecture!
Chicago’s unique architecture has co-starred in movies with Ferris Bueller, Batman and the Blues Brothers…
Mid-Century Modern Skyscrapers
Looking for iconic Mid-Century Modern architecture? What better place than Chicago with its triumvirate…