Chicago Walking Tour: Modern Architecture

4.9 (73 reviews) 1 h 30 min Free cancellation

out of 5

73 reviews

4.9

111 E Wacker Drive — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

Prudential Plaza — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

Looking for iconic Mid-Century Modern architecture? What better place than Chicago with its triumvirate of modern architects (Mies van der Rohe, Bertrand Goldberg and SOM) and a city ready and willing to accept them. Find out what set these buildings apart from their predecessors and how they helped set the stage for the future.

If you’re interested in iconic buildings, public art, urban planning or government this is your tour. Find out the stories behind inland steel, Marina city, the IBM building and other "Mad Men" worthy skyscrapers.

As a certified nonprofit, all CAC ticket purchases directly support our education efforts and community engagement projects.

Private and Luxury Architecture Tours Historical Tours Walking Tours City Tours Excellent Quality Short term availability Weather Dependent - Low

At a glance

Duration: 1 h 30 min
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Up to 15 people
People per booking: 1–10
Guide: English
Operated by: Chicago Architecture Center

Ages: Adults (5–100 years)

What is included

Included

Included: Admission to the Galleries of the Chicago Architecture Center
Included: Walking tour of Chicago's modern and postmodern architecture
Included: Narration by a professional and certified guide

Not included

Not included: Hotel pickup and drop-off
Not included: Storage for luggage or strollers
Not included: Coat check

Itinerary

Chicago Architecture Center

10 min

Your tour begins at the Chicago Architecture Center (CAC), formerly the Chicago Architecture Foundation. Visit the CAC to view a 4,000-building scale model of Chicago or shop in the award-winning store.
Stop 2

Passing by

View the Prudential Building.
Stop 3

Passing by

View the Aon Center.
Stop 4

Passing by

View the Inland Steel Building.
Daley Center

15 min

Marvel at Richard J. Daley Center, one of the first buildings to be covered in an unpainted steel called Cor-Ten. The docent will also discuss the famous "Chicago Picasso" artwork in the plaza.
Stop 6

Passing by

Discuss the AMA Plaza, formerly home to the office of Mies van der Rohe.
Marina City

15 min

Highlights include Marina City, a mixed-use residential-commercial building designed by architect Bertrand Goldberg, envisioned as an urban experiment designed to draw middle-class Chicagoans back to the city after more than a decade of suburban migration.
Stop 8

Passing by

View the Apple Store on Michigan Avenue.