Tour Details
- Duration
- 3 hours
- Product Type
- Tour
- Venues
- Art Institute of Chicago
Select a date
Tour Description
Experience the Art Institute of Chicago like never before with a guided tour. Our expert will lead you through the museum's remarkable history and architecture, introducing you to the diverse collections and their historical context. From the iconic works of the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist era to the stunning Asian and American collections, you'll discover a world of art that spans five millennia.
Explore lesser-known but equally impressive Medieval and Renaissance collections, and discover hidden gems in the Byzantine and Ancient Galleries. With personalized attention and tailored insights, this is the ultimate way to immerse yourself in the world-renowned Art Institute of Chicago.
Experts
Your tour begins with an orientation to this overwhelming labyrinth of collections; you'll learn about its founding patrons and deep ties to the history and culture of Chicago. After discussing your party’s unique interests and priorities, we set off into the galleries. During this 3-hour crash course, the identity of each artwork will be placed in context both geographically and thematically. Our route may take a number of twists and turns throughout the museum according to your group's interests.
Impressionists and Modern Art
The most popular collections within the museum are the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist pieces, so your expert will make sure to discuss a few works within this sphere in detail. With selections from Toulouse-Lautrec to Mary Cassatt, we will select carefully to enable a rich narrative within this era. A must-see in the Art Institute is A Sunday on La Grand Jatte by George Seurat, an example of what is now known as pointillism. If your group is interested, we will devote time to the works of van Gogh, Cézanne, Gaugin, and other famous artists within this collection. From there, we may continue onto the modern collections, picking out revered Picasso’s before studying Chagall’s stained glass.
Asian and American Art Collections
The Asian Collection, designed by Japanese architect Tado Ando, is another highlight of our tour. You’ll experience works spanning nearly five millennia from China, Korea, Japan, India, Southeast Asia, and the Near and Middle East. From there, venture into the American Art collection, which is home to iconic pieces like Hopper's Nighthawks and Grant Wood's American Gothic.
Medieval and Renaissance Art
Your journey continues through the Medieval and Renaissance Art collection, which has recently been restored and offers a beautiful contrast to the more popular styles on show. We may even venture into the Byzantine and Ancient Galleries to examine less familiar periods of art.
Take Aways
Our tour will leave you with an increased awareness of the Art Institute's importance for the city of Chicago and its place on the world stage. You'll gain a fuller appreciation of the museum's eclecticism, architecture, and the movements and eras of art contained therein. Join us for an unforgettable experience at the Art Institute of Chicago.
What are skip-the-line tickets?
For this tour, your tickets are pre-purchased which allows you to skip the ticket office line upon arrival at the venue. You may still have to wait in a security line or in a line to have your pre-purchased ticket scanned.
Where You'll Start
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72 Reviews
Reviews can only be left by Context customers after they have completed a tour. For more information about our reviews, please see our FAQ.
Sally was very knowledgeable about the art at the Chicago Institute of Art. She provided great history around art pieces for my son and I. We definitely got a lot more out of our visit by touring with Sally.
We learned Chicago history. Learned about the collectors who brought the pieces to the museum. We posed like people in the paintings. And better understood the world in which various pieces were produced. I would definitely recommend Sally and her tour to anyone on the fence.
Joe
Aug. 21, 2024
Tour for two. We are both Art History majors. I told this to him when we met. During the tour he was very art history 101. Very basic. We would have preferred a more in depth tour. We could have done this ourselves
Angela
Aug. 17, 2024
Sally was amazing! Her details of the art work and the stories behind the paintings brought it to life for our family! The time went quickly by for my teenagers and it was one of our favorite memories of our time in Chicago! I want to read her book now!
Stephanie
Aug. 13, 2024