Behind the Facades
An interior architecture tour takes you inside Chicago’s most significant buildings — the lobbies, the atriums, the public spaces, and the occasionally accessible private floors that the river cruise and the walking tour only show from outside. Chicago’s architectural interior spaces are as significant as its exteriors: the soaring light courts of the Rookery Building, the Tiffany mosaics of the Marquette Building, the world’s largest Tiffany glass dome in the Chicago Cultural Center, the Mies van der Rohe-designed Illinois Institute of Technology campus, and the modernist interiors of the Federal Center.
Key Interiors
The Rookery Building lobby — originally designed by Burnham and Root (1888), redesigned by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1905 with gold-leaf ornamentation and a glass-roofed light court. The lobby is one of the most beautiful interior spaces in American architecture — a two-storey atrium with a sweeping central staircase.
The Chicago Cultural Center — the former Chicago Public Library (1897), with two spectacular stained-glass domes. The Preston Bradley Hall dome (38 feet in diameter) is the world’s largest Tiffany glass dome. The building is free to enter and one of the most significant Beaux-Arts interiors in the United States.
The Marquette Building — Holabird and Roche (1895), with a lobby featuring Tiffany mosaic panels depicting the explorations of Father Jacques Marquette. The bronze elevator grilles and the mosaic floor are original.
The Auditorium Building — Adler and Sullivan (1889), with an interior auditorium of extraordinary acoustic design and ornamental plasterwork. The building now houses Roosevelt University, and the auditorium is accessible on guided tours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see these interiors without a tour?
Some (the Chicago Cultural Center, the Rookery lobby) are open to the public during business hours. Others require guided-tour access or appointment. A guided interior architecture tour accesses spaces that independent visitors may not reach and adds the architectural narration.
How long is an interior architecture tour?
Typically 2–3 hours covering 4–6 building interiors. The walking distances are short (the buildings are concentrated in the Loop) but the interior viewing at each stop is detailed.