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Beyond Chicago

Original Chicago Architecture Interiors Tour: Dazzling Interiors

Recommended by 100% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Chicago, USA
High interest
Booked 5+ times today.
  • 2 hours (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

5.0
·
· Jean_C ·
May 2026
Wonderful tour of indoor architecture; some walking between buildings, so be prepared for weather. Our enthusiastic guide Adam was very knowledgeable and passionate about the places we visited. We learned a LOT about the history of Chicago! He made the tour really fun. The buildings were stunningly gorgeous inside.
· sarah_c ·
Jun 2026
Spencer was a great tour guide! Showed us some amazing foyers and buildings. The walk was very interesting and he made the tour very interesting with some movie spots as well. Highly recommend this tour.

Overview

Discover the hidden gems of Chicago’s Loop area on a walking tour that showcases the best of the neighborhood’s stunning interiors and architectural must-sees. Step behind the facades to explore beautifully designed interiors—from art deco spaces to stained glass mosaics—as you follow a carefully curated route led by a guide. Along the way, learn about the city’s architecture, art, and history, and experience a side of Chicago often missed by travelers, all from a local’s perspective.
  • See the district's most fascinating interiors and architectural gems
  • Explore the hidden side of Chicago with a local guide
  • Get a unique view of the city that many travelers miss
  • Fun experience for locals and visitors alike

What's Included

  • Local guide
  • Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

  • 425 S Financial Pl, Chicago, IL 60605, USA

    Meet in the plaza in front of 425 S. Financial Place, near the large metal horse sculpture.

End point

  • Chicago Cultural Center
    78 E Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602, USA

    NOTE: THIS IS THE ****ENDING POINT**** of the tour, NOT THE BEGINNING!

Itinerary

1

Chicago Board Of Trade Building

20 minutesAdmission Ticket Included

2

Downtown / The Loop

20 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

3

Chicago Cultural Center

15 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Near public transportation
  • Transportation is wheelchair accessible
  • Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
  • Most travelers can participate
  • Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

5.0
based on 1,668 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Interesting tour, highly recommend!

Blaesm, Jun 2026
Excellent tour with Colleen. She took us into 5 interesting buildings and taught us a bit about the history and architectural features.

Remarkable, Informative!

Dana_K, Jun 2026
My mother is 77 and managed the standing and walking just fine. All our questions were politely answered. It was definitely worthwhile!

Chicago interior architectural tour

Joan_A, Jun 2026
Worthwhile 2-hour experience in the heart of downtown Chicago. Our guide, Heath, was knowledgeable and energetic as he told us about the exteriors and beautiful interiors of some major Chicago structures.

He was very knowledgeable...

Sandra_L, Jun 2026
He was very knowledgeable and was speaking very fast. He was also very time conscious. And made sure he finished in the exact minute. So if you weren’t right with him you missed some things. Places were fascinating.

Great architectural tour

Larry_G, Jun 2026
Very knowledgeable guide who was very lively and informative. Would definitely recommend the tour tothose interested in interiors

From a swamp to the greatest city on earth

Linda_W, Jun 2026
Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and went in depth on many subjects. So this tour is for people who especially are interested in the history behind the buildings.

Good but could be better

Mike_S, Jun 2026
2 hrs walking and standing. We hit 5 buildings and Heath was knowledgeable about each. Board of Trade, Rookery, the 190, Marquette, and finish at Library/Cultural center. Honestly I had expected at least 6 stops but Heath would have had to cut his lectures a bit. I was also surprised that the Palmer House was not included. The main hall and lobby there is magnificent. Oh well.

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Mike, thanks for your feedback, and sorry you were a bit disappointed with your experience. Over 12 years of running this tour, we find that 5 buildings -- sometimes 6, depending on group pacing -- is the perfect amount of content for most guests. It's a leisurely though steady pace, and we find that quality of content at deliberately chosen stops is better than less content at more stops. And we do visit the Palmer House on Sundays when we don't visit the Rookery. That said, please consider editing your review to NOT give away our whole itinerary. We have had major issues the last couple years with copycat companies offering shameless copies of my interior architecture tours, and it doesn't help to have a review unnecessarily listing out our itinerary. Please consider editing your review. Thanks.

Chicago behind closed doors

Alastair_D, Jun 2026
Adam was a knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide; he made this a wonderful tour. I learned so much about Chicago and I am happy to recommend it to others.

Value for money. Very...

Valerie_M, Jun 2026
Value for money. Very interesting insight into Chicago architecture. Knowledgeable guide who put in a-lot of effort and answered all our questions.

Henry was my guide and he...

Barbara_Z, Jun 2026
Henry was my guide and he had deep knowledge of Chicago architecture. I have a higher appreciation for Chicago's history and beauty.

Knowledgeable and entertaining

Amy_D, Jun 2026
Henry was so knowledgeable and you can tell that he has such a passion for the subject matter. He was able to answer every question, and our group had a lot! He also managed to keep us out of the rain as much as possible.

Highly recommend this tour

sarah_c, Jun 2026
Spencer was a great tour guide! Showed us some amazing foyers and buildings. The walk was very interesting and he made the tour very interesting with some movie spots as well. Highly recommend this tour.

Great tour

Darlene_H, May 2026
Our guide Adam was personable and knowledgeable and we learned a lot and were throughly entertained. Great tour and worth the time!!

An outstanding...

JeanChristophe_M, May 2026
An outstanding experience. Spencer, who us passionate about his city, is very knowledgeable and made this 2 hours walking tour such an interesting and content-rich tour. And how rich architecturally and historically are these buildings!

Adam did a great job to...

Yuhui_H, May 2026
Adam did a great job to share the history and story behind those architecture designs. A highlight for our visit to Chicago. Highly recommended

Gorgeous interiors and...

Joy_O, May 2026
Gorgeous interiors and pretty highlights. The weather was great (not cold or too hot) so walking outside was a breeze...no pun intended.

Great architecture tour!...

Caitlin_N, May 2026
Great architecture tour! Our guide Henry was very knowledgeable and the sites were beautiful, highly recommend!

Architectural walking tour

Barbara_C, May 2026
Very interesting and informative walking tour Henry was so knowledgeable and the 2 hour tour just flew by.

fantastic indoor architecture tour

Jean_C, May 2026
Wonderful tour of indoor architecture; some walking between buildings, so be prepared for weather. Our enthusiastic guide Adam was very knowledgeable and passionate about the places we visited. We learned a LOT about the history of Chicago! He made the tour really fun. The buildings were stunningly gorgeous inside.

Wonderful in Every Way

Kristine_K, May 2026
My family members and I were very impressed with Henry, our tour guide and the actual tour itself. We visited the interiors of five incredible buildings with excellent back stories and got details about others in the area. Henry was extremely knowledgeable, personable and punctual. He spoke clearly, had good explanations and we learned a lot.

Fantastic introduction to...

Abby_H, May 2026
Fantastic introduction to the city and history of Chicago. Heath was an engaging and thoughtful guide.

Marquette Building is beautiful!

Erin_K, May 2026
The spaces toured were lovely, especially the Rookery and Marquette building. We were not able to access the Cultural Center due to a private party, but the tour guide had some alternative location that were equally interesting.

Great tour!

Rachel_W, May 2026
It was a great walking tour. Our tour guide Spencer had so much information about the city and the buildings we were walking through. He gave recommendations on places to eat, drink and explore outside of our tour as well!

Adam

C_J, May 2026
Our guide, Adam, was absolutely phenomenal. His passion for Chicago’s history and architecture is great, and he kept everyone engaged from start to finish. He didn't just rattle off about facts and odd/new world literature; but he told incredible stories about the buildings and the people who shaped them. I was impressed he knew. Adam is knowledgeable, engaging, and well-paced. If you’re taking a Chicago architecture tour, do yourself a favor and ask for Adam. Truly an unforgettable experience!

Amazing and really well done tour

Sarah_S, May 2026
We had a wonderful experience, our tour guide Spencer was amazing! It was a great value and really amazing guide to Chicago! 10 out of 10! Better than the boat tour by far!

Chicago architecture walking tour

Valerie_B, May 2026
Spencer was an amazing guide! Very fun and knowledgeable and enthusiastic. We saw and learned so much that never would’ve on our own. Highly recommend!

Fun tour, great selection...

Stuart_S, May 2026
Fun tour, great selection of buildings wonderful and knowledgeable leader, very cool buildings with spectacular interiors.

Fun, informative tour

88q2gtbbhk, May 2026
Learned a lot about Chicago history and saw some really beautiful buildings and interiors. Our guide was funny, informative and kept everything moving really nicely. Highly recommend!

Henry made the...

joanie_k, May 2026
Henry made the information very approachable for our group of non architects. His delivery was great and we learned do much. The pace of the tour was perfect.

Hidden Treasures

Shireen_M, May 2026
Thoroughly enjoyed the history and context behind the beautiful interiors that we saw. Some of the buildings, we would definitely just walk by, ordinarily.

From $35.00

per person

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

Book ahead!
On average, this is booked 13 days in advance.

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