It was named for the city’s first African American Mayor, who served from 1983-87 and opened in 1991. Chicago’s known for having some of the finest architecture in the world.

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

centered on LaSalle Street in the Loop, is the fulcrum of the heartland’s economic engines. Looming skyscrapers form a canyon-like effect down LaSalle, which ends abruptly with the Art Deco masterpiece of the Board of Trade on Jackson. Floridly-dressed commodity traders at the Board of Trade, regulators at the Chicago Fed, and bankers of all pinstripes know this power corridor very well.

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

53-foot tall stabile located in the Federal Plaza in front of the Kluczynski Federal Building. It was commissioned by the United States General Services Administration and was unveiled in 1974, although Calder’s signature on the sculpture indicates it was constructed in 1973.

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

For nearly 25 years after its completion, the Willis Tower, formerly known as the SearsTower, held the title of tallest building in the world. Standing 110 stories tall, its black aluminum and bronze-tinted glass exterior has become emblematic of Chicago, a city crazy about its architecture.

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

The Rookery building in the heart of Chicago’s financial district stands testimony to the resilience and creative spirit of late-nineteenth century Chicago. The rebirth of the city in the wake of the Great Fire of 1871 gave rise to the multi-storied office building that would transform the landscape of America’s cities.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

The story of downtown Chicago’s Palmer House Hilton is one of romance and undeniable charm. Potter Palmer was a Chicago business magnate—well-known for a variety of endeavors, including his significant role in the development of downtown Chicago’s iconic State Street.

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free