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Art Institute of Chicago

Marvel at masterpieces from around the world including one of the largest Impressionist collections outside of France

Art Institute of Chicago: Our most recommended tours and activities

Chicago: Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off Open-Top Sightseeing Tour

1. Chicago: Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off Open-Top Sightseeing Tour

Experience the Windy City with our hop-on, hop-off double-decker sightseeing bus tour, or a panoramic sunset tour. Marvel at the stunning skyscrapers of Chicago, including the iconic John Hancock Center, the towering Willis Tower, and the historic Wrigley Building. Our engaging and professional digital commentary will provide you with fascinating facts and insights into Chicago's rich history as you explore the city's most impressive landmarks. Hop on and off as many times as you want to visit attractions such as the world-renowned Shedd Aquarium and Field Museum of Natural History. Marvel at stunning Lake Michigan, see the skyline from 360 CHICAGO, or take a stroll on the renovated Chicago Riverwalk. When you're ready, Big Bus will be back to pick you up. Download our free app for real-time bus tracking. Travel along the famous Magnificent Mile, considered one of the world's great avenues, to shop 'til you drop at the many flagship stores along the boulevard. Then cross over the Michigan Avenue Bridge, which offers breathtaking views of the Chicago River. With our convenient stops located throughout the city, it's easy to cruise through The Windy City without needing to navigate traffic or public transportation. Choose between a 24 or 48-hour ticket, and take your time discovering all that Chicago has to offer.

Chicago: CityPASS® Save 48% or More on 5 Top Attractions

2. Chicago: CityPASS® Save 48% or More on 5 Top Attractions

Make use of the Chicago CityPASS® on your next trip to Chicago. See amazing animals, incredible views, fascinating science, world-class art, and more with your Chicago CityPASS® tickets. CityPASS® tickets offer convenient instant delivery and are valid for 9 consecutive days, allowing ample time to experience each attraction. Save 48% on prepaid admission to 5 must-see attractions: • Shedd Aquarium – All-access admission • Skydeck Chicago – Expedited entry to Willis Tower’s 103rd Floor with admission to The Ledge Plus your choice of admission to 3 of the following attractions: • Field Museum – All-Access Pass, including admission to all permanent and regularly priced ticketed exhibitions, plus your choice of 1 digital 3D film. Movie selection is subject to availability and specially ticketed exhibitions outside the All-Access Pass may be subject to additional charges • Art Institute of Chicago – Fast Pass Admission to permanent collection and non-ticketed special exhibitions • Museum of Science and Industry– Museum entry to Science Storms, Numbers in Nature: A Mirror Maze, YOU! The Experience, and much more, plus 1 timed-entry experience for a Giant Dome Theater film or Motion Ride • 360 CHICAGO Observation Deck – Express entry admission • Adler Planetarium – All exhibitions and 2 Sky Shows • Shoreline Sightseeing Architecture River Tour

Chicago: Gangsters and Ghosts 2-Hour Walking Tour

3. Chicago: Gangsters and Ghosts 2-Hour Walking Tour

See a different side of Chicago on a family-friendly guided tour and hear the tales of the ghosts that haunt the city. Explore the famous Chicago Loop district with your historian guide revealing the many interesting stories hidden behind each turn. Explore the Chicago Loop, known as the vice district during the 1920s and 30s, once the home of speakeasies, secret tunnels and bootleggers. See the places where gangsters such as Al Capone used to party, make deals, and carry out business. Visit haunted locations and old crime scenes including Chicago Riverwalk, Death Alley, and the Chicago Theatre. Peak inside the haunted Palmer House. Finish up at the Congress Hotel, one of the most haunted places in Illinois. Enjoy frequent stops along the way, including a refreshment stop and a restroom break.

Chicago: Art Institute of Chicago Skip-the-Line Ticket

4. Chicago: Art Institute of Chicago Skip-the-Line Ticket

Pre-book and skip the lines to enter the world-renowned Art Institute of Chicago. Experience the museum’s vast collection spanning 5,000 years of art from around the world. See iconic works like Seurat's "A Sunday Afternoon on La Grand Jatte," Renoir's "Two Sisters (On the Terrace),” several works by Van Gogh, and more than 25 paintings by Claude Monet. Must-sees also include paintings like Edward Hopper's “Nighthawks'' and Grant Wood's “American Gothic,” as well as unforgettable works by Georgia O’Keeffe, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Salvador Dalí, Andy Warhol, Alma Thomas, Cindy Sherman, and Kerry James Marshall. Continue your museum journey around the world and through the centuries with the museum’s outstanding collection of works—from ancient Egyptian objects through 5,000 years of Asian art, a rich selection of works from across Africa, and onto the wide-ranging holdings of arts of Europe and the Americas. Families won’t want to miss favorites like the armored knights and armor collection or the wonders of our 68 Thorne Miniature Rooms. Plus, a stop in the museum’s Ryan Learning Center offers art-making activities and the chance to create your very own custom adventure-filled tour of the galleries with the interactive JourneyMaker. Enjoy an expertly guided experience of the museum at one of our free daily tours, or take it at your own pace with the engaging audio tours available on the museum’s free app.

Chicago: Art Institute of Chicago Guided Tour

5. Chicago: Art Institute of Chicago Guided Tour

Getting to see famous artworks by true contemporary masters is a rare experience, but on a busy day at the art museum you might not even be able to enjoy what you’re seeing! On this exclusive, small group tour of the Art Institute of Chicago, your guide will show you the most famous pieces in a collection of 300,000, and you’ll actually get to enjoy them before the crowds. Meet your expert guide by the Lions on Michigan Avenue, then slip into the doors of the Art Institute for an exclusive guided tour. First, visit the gallery and take in George Seurat’s can’t-miss masterpiece A Sunday on La Grande Jatte. Then, wander over to enjoy alone time with three of Van Gogh’s pieces: The Bedroom, Self Portrait, and The Drinkers. Next, continue your journey into Impressionism with the Claude Monet’s mesmerizing artworks such as Stacks of Wheat, Water Lilies, and Water Lily Pond. Watch these pieces come to life as your guide shares the stories behind these iconic paintings. Visit galleries featuring works by American artists such as Georgia O'Keefe, Edward Hopper, and Jacob Lawrence. Here, you will even get to see the iconic American Gothic by Grant Wood! Finally, enjoy the intriguing works of Spanish artists Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí. Learn the story behind Picasso's The Old Guitarist before seeing Dalí’s Inventions of the Monsters and the head-scratching Venus de Milo With Drawers statue.

Chicago: Go City All-Inclusive Pass with 25+ Attractions

6. Chicago: Go City All-Inclusive Pass with 25+ Attractions

The Chicago All-Inclusive Pass by Go City provides free admission to the city’s top activities, attractions, and tours, offering the ultimate in convenience and savings. Choose durations of 1, 2, 3, or 5 days at a low, pre-paid price and save up to 50%* compared to buying individual attraction tickets. Take a trip up to SkyDeck Chicago, visit the Field Museum, have fun at Navy Pier, and enjoy a cruise. All these and more are included with your Chicago All-Inclusive Pass. The Chicago All-Inclusive Pass comes with a digital guide including useful attraction information. Use it to help you decide what to do, where to go, and how to get there. Activities, attractions, and tours included with the Chicago All-Inclusive Pass: • Shedd Aquarium (reservations required) • SkyDeck Chicago (reservations required) • Hop-On Hop-Off Big Bus Chicago: 1-Day Classic Tour • 360 CHICAGO • Adler Planetarium • Museum of Science and Industry • Field Museum • Architectural River and Lake Tour • Chicago Children's Museum • LEGOLAND Discovery Center • Bike and Roll Chicago: 2-Hour Bike Rental • Chicago History Museum • Lincoln Park Zoo Rides • Museum of Contemporary Art • Robie House • Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio Tour • Ernest Hemingway Birthplace Home • 10pin Chicago 90-minute Bowling & Pizza (reservations required) • American Writers Museum • Lakefront Speedboat Tour • Extreme Thrill Ride • Downtown Chicago TV & Movie Sites Walking Tour (reservations required) • Chicago Theatre Marquee Tour • Chicago Must-See Architecture Walking Tour (reservations required) • Mobsters and Haunted Mysteries Walking Tour (reservations required) • $20 Food and Drinks Credit at The Cauldron Chicago • The Forge Adventure Park • Chicago Pizza and Drink Combo Attractions and tours are subject to change. Check the digital guide included on your confirmation voucher for the full list of inclusions, opening times, and reservation instructions. *Savings based on itineraries on Go City website.

Chicago: Art Institute Skip-the-Line Tour with Guide

7. Chicago: Art Institute Skip-the-Line Tour with Guide

Experience a guided tour around some of the world’s greatest and most iconic art pieces at the Art Institute of Chicago. Avoid the crowds and lines and meet your expert guide at the Institute 30 minutes before opening time. Explore the expansive collection, learning more about both contemporary and classic pieces. Although the museum usually hosts 1.79 million people per year, you will be able to stroll among the pieces at leisure, getting up close and personal with works by famous and infamous artists like Edward Hopper, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, and Andy Warhol. The Art Institute of Chicago is home to the greatest collection of Impressionist artwork in the world. Your guide will provide expert information on the collection and the museum’s history and hidden gems.

Chicago: Treasures of the Golden Age Walking Tour

8. Chicago: Treasures of the Golden Age Walking Tour

This Historic Treasures of Chicago tour covers the most significant historic architectural landmarks in Chicago’s Loop. Your expert guide, trained by the Chicago Architecture Center, will focus on great cultural buildings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which harkened back to earlier time periods and were designed in revival styles such as Beaux Arts, neo-Georgian and neo-Gothic. Marvel at exteriors and interiors of dazzling beauty and startling originality, and get a glimpse inside some of the city's most beloved buildings.    The highlights of this walking tour will include the Chicago Cultural Center, home to the world's largest Tiffany dome; the iconic Marshall Field's department store, now Macy's on State; and the Palmer House, a beautifully restored hotel from the 1920s.  Tickets purchased for experiences run by the Chicago Architecture Center help build the greater Chicago community. When you hit the pavement on a walking tour, set sail on an award-winning river cruise (Chicago's First Lady), or visit the Center, you’re helping fund Chicago Architecture Center education initiatives like Girls Build!, Teen Fellows and the Newhouse Architecture + Design Competition. Or you may be helping to keep programs like Open House Chicago free for participants for years to come. As a certified nonprofit, all Chicago Architecture Center ticket purchases directly support local education efforts and community engagement projects.

Chicago: Beautiful Lakefront and Museum Campus Segway Tour

9. Chicago: Beautiful Lakefront and Museum Campus Segway Tour

Segways are amazingly fun and there is no better way to tour a world-class city like Chicago than on your own personal set of wheels--a Segway! Our eight-mile Lakefront Chicago Segway tour lets you learn about and view and many Chicago's attractions in a highly unique way. As you glide effortlessly and enjoy the lakefront, you can learn the history of our city from your friendly and professional tour guide. Immerse yourself in the area's countless attractions, gorgeous parks and gardens, and stunning photo opportunities. See sights like Grant Park, the BP Bridge, the Bean, and the Buckingham Fountain, as well as generous views of Lake Michigan and the majestic skyline. Segways are safe to use, easy to learn, and fun to ride. We offer a thorough training session from our certified guides before we begin the tour.

Art Institute of Chicago Ticket & In-App Audio Tour (ENG)

10. Art Institute of Chicago Ticket & In-App Audio Tour (ENG)

Discover the world's most remarkable art pieces at the Art Institute of Chicago through a personal self-guided audio tour. This iconic institute, established in 1879 and situated in a magnificent Beaux-Arts structure on Michigan Avenue, functions as both a school and a museum dedicated to the fine arts. Among its extensive collection are masterpieces by renowned artists such as Vincent Van Gogh, Edward Hopper, Pablo Picasso, and many others. Embark on the tour on the 1st floor, where you'll encounter diverse art from cultures like China, Japan, India, and Africa. Here, ancient pieces dating back to the Neolithic period await your discovery. Additionally, you'll find captivating artworks from Ancient Rome and Greece, forming the foundation of Western civilization. Pause to admire the monumental female nude sculpture, Aphrodite of Knidos, a gem of classical art. Moving on to the 2nd floor, immerse yourself in the world of Modern American Art and European Decorative Arts. Delight in the exceptional collection of Impressionist masterpieces while receiving guided insights into the must-see paintings. Finally, the tour concludes on the 3rd floor, where an impressive exhibition of Modern Art and renowned objects awaits your exploration. Don't forget to visit the outdoor Bluhm Family Terrace, offering breathtaking views of the Chicago skyline, allowing you to appreciate and immerse yourself in this new art experience. Note! This tour is not affiliated with the AIC but is provided by an independent creator. The ticket is included for the customer's convenience at no charge. HOW IS THE TOUR GOING — Stay flexible: explore the sights as long as you like. — Enjoy the tour even offline: all audio tours are tested for high quality and easy navigation. — Skip the lines to the Art Institute of Chicago with included entry e-ticket available offline

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What people are saying about Art Institute of Chicago

Overall rating

4.5 / 5

based on 1,770 reviews

Awesome tour with an awesome guide ! Baylor’s enthusiasm and friendliness really sold it and she even managed to give me goosebumps with the way she told some of the stories! :)

I found really helpful to get the city pass, you skip the long queues everywhere and the process of getting the tickets is really fast

Our guide Ty was super cool and handled the whole tour well. I'll definitely tell all my friends who visit Chicago to take this tour.

Conor was very knowledgeable and the tour was a great pace with lots of info!

Our docent was extremely knowledgeable and the tour was well worth it.