Chicago Loop: Architecture Interiors Tour & Art Deco

The Rooms Nobody Sees: Chicago's Hidden Interior Masterpieces

You'll walk through the Loop with a local guide who knows which doors to open, starting with the Art Deco Board of Trade Building and moving through several hidden interior spaces before finishing at the Chicago Cultural Center. The tour takes around two hours, includes access to all the buildings, and works in any weather as long as you dress for it.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Chicago Board of Trade Building20m · entry included
2. Chicago Cultural Center15m

Explore stunning Chicago interiors

• Visit Chicago Board of Trade Building
• See other beautiful interiors surprise
• End tour at Chicago Cultural Center

The experience

You walk past these buildings every day and have no idea what's inside. That's the whole point of this tour: the guide stops you in front of something that looks ordinary from the street, then opens a door and you're standing in an Art Deco lobby with soaring ceilings and brass railings that cost more than a house. The Chicago Board of Trade Building is the first real stop, and yeah, it's as good as the photos suggest, but the thing that stays with you is the stuff in between: the stained glass mosaics from the turn of the century, the details you'd miss if you were just walking through the Loop on your own.

This is the original Chicago architecture interiors tour, not one of the copies that popped up after it got popular. The guide actually knows the buildings, which doors open, which ones don't, why certain spaces were designed the way they were. You're not just looking at pretty ceilings. You're learning why a bank needed a lobby that made you feel small, or how Art Deco was supposed to make you believe in progress. The group stays small enough that you can actually hear what's being said and move through the spaces without feeling like you're in a crowd.

The tour ends inside the Chicago Cultural Center, which is the kind of place that makes you want to sit down for twenty minutes and just look around. By then you've seen maybe five or six interiors, and your sense of what's actually in this city has completely shifted. It's the kind of tour where you leave and immediately start noticing buildings you never paid attention to before.

What’s included

Your tour includes a local guide who leads you through the Loop, entry to all interior spaces visited (the Chicago Board of Trade Building, the Chicago Cultural Center, and several other stunning interiors), and the full two-hour experience in all weather conditions. Public transportation is available nearby if you need it.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 10:00, 11:00, 13:00 and 15:00

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (11 to 64 years) · Senior (65 and older) · Child (5 to 10 years) · Under 5: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 20 · max 9 per booking

Live guideEnglish

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

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

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Inside Chicago Walking Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you already know Chicago's skyline and want to see what's actually inside those buildings. The guide does the research and the door-opening, so you just show up and look around.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 10 years). Under 5: they can't be included in the booking.

How long is the Chicago architecture interiors tour?

Around two hours, moving between several buildings in the Loop.

What's included in the tour?

Entry to all interior spaces visited, including the Board of Trade Building and Chicago Cultural Center, plus a local guide who leads the whole route.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes. All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible, and public transportation options are available nearby.

Can I bring a stroller or pram?

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

Does the tour run in bad weather?

Yes, it operates in all weather conditions. Dress appropriately for the season.

Are there other interior spaces besides the Board of Trade and Cultural Center?

Yes. The tour includes several other stunning interiors in the Loop that aren't listed in advance. They're part of the surprise.

Is this tour suitable for people with low fitness levels?

Yes, it's suitable for all physical fitness levels.

How many people are usually on the tour?

Groups are kept small so you can move through spaces comfortably and hear the guide clearly.