Chicago: Art Deco Skyscrapers Loop Walking Tour

Five Art Deco masterpieces in one afternoon, starting at street level

You walk past five Art Deco landmarks in downtown Chicago's financial district with a certified guide who explains the style's origins and geometric details. The ninety-minute tour includes admission to the Chicago Architecture Center galleries, where you can review what you've seen. All stops are wheelchair accessible and the route stays on flat, urban streets.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each2 stops

1. Rookery Building10m
2. Chicago Board of Trade Building10m

Explore Chicago Art Deco buildings

• View 30 N LaSalle St building
• Discover Rookery lobby design
• View 135 S LaSalle St building
• Discuss 1 N LaSalle St building
• Conclude at Chicago Board of Trade
• Visit Chicago Architecture Center galleries

The experience

Hands trace the geometric patterns carved into limestone facades, fingers finding the grooves where 1920s craftsmen left their mark. That's where the walking tour of Chicago's Art Deco architecture begins, not with a lecture, but with the buildings themselves, the ones that defined the Roaring '20s financial district. Your certified guide meets you downtown and walks you through five stops, each one a different take on the style: the Chicago Board of Trade Building with its pyramid crown, the Rookery's Art Deco lobby redesigned by William Drummond, the austere geometry of 135 S LaSalle, and others that line the Loop. It's about ninety minutes on foot, and the pace lets you actually look up instead of just passing through.

The tour doesn't assume you know anything about Art Deco or why it mattered. Your guide explains how the style reflected the era's optimism: all those lavish materials, the sunburst motifs, the vertical lines that made buildings feel like they were reaching. You stop in front of the Board of Trade, the anchor of the walk, and see how its setbacks and ornament create this sense of upward momentum. The Rookery's interior lobby, redesigned in the Art Deco style, shows you how the movement touched not just exteriors but the spaces people actually moved through. These aren't abstract concepts. They're details you can see and touch as you walk.

The walk ends at the Chicago Architecture Center galleries, which your admission covers. It's a natural place to sit down after being on your feet, and the galleries give you context for what you've just seen: drawings, photographs, and explanations of how Art Deco fit into Chicago's architectural story. The tour itself is accessible. All the buildings are in the Loop, the route is flat, and strollers and wheelchairs work fine on these streets. If you're traveling with young kids or need to move slowly, that works here.

What’s included

Your tour includes admission to the Chicago Architecture Center galleries, narration by a professional and certified guide, and a walking tour of downtown Chicago's Art Deco architecture. The route covers five designated Chicago landmarks in the financial district and takes approximately ninety minutes.

Information

Lasts 1h 30m, runs Tuesday, Friday and Sunday at 10:00 and 14:00, from US$ 35 per person, with a live guide in English, in groups of up to 10 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesTuesday and Friday: 10:00Sunday: 14:00Another time? ›

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (5 and older) · Under 5: can't be booked

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Chicago Architecture Center

Is this one for you?Right for anyone who wants to understand Chicago's 1920s architecture without arranging their own research or navigation. The guide handles the history and the route, so you just show up and look up.

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Top questions

How long is the Art Deco walking tour in Chicago?

The tour takes approximately ninety minutes and covers five buildings in the Loop.

What buildings are included in the Chicago Art Deco walking tour?

The tour visits the Chicago Board of Trade Building, the Rookery Building, 30 N LaSalle Street, 135 S LaSalle Street, and 1 N LaSalle Street.

Is the Art Deco tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes. All areas and surfaces on the route are wheelchair accessible, and the tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels.

What does admission include?

Your ticket includes the guided walking tour and admission to the galleries at the Chicago Architecture Center.

Can I bring a stroller or pram on the tour?

Yes, infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller throughout the tour.

Are service animals allowed?

Yes, service animals are allowed on the tour.

Can building interiors be accessed during the tour?

Access to building interiors may be subject to change due to weekend and holiday schedules or unforeseen closures.

Is public transportation available near the tour?

Yes, public transportation options are available nearby, and all transportation options in the area are wheelchair accessible.