Tour Details
- Duration
- 3 hours
- Product Type
- Tour
- Venues
- Art Institute of Chicago
Photos & Highlights
- Hosted by a local expert, you’ll enjoy a journey through the museum's vast Beaux-Arts complex, which houses over 260,000 works from all over the world
- Examine iconic works from renowned artists such as van Gogh, Picasso, Monet, Seurat, Hopper, Dali, O'Keeffe, Warhol, and more
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.
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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75 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.
Joe was a wonderful guide. So knowledgeable and friendly. Our group had diverse interests—but everyone was completely engaged. Afterwards we each had a favorite moment to share.
Alex
Dec 20, 2024
The finest way to experience to experience a museum is to have an expert right next to your right elbow. That Expert spent years training in art history and also has a deep commitment—believing that art is for the public and deeply appreciates the public’s experience of art.
So imagine a person with a PhD who cares as much about teaching as your favorite grade school teacher and then wrap that person up into one being, who will spend time with you interpreting what you see, widening your experience of the world, and literally building new ways to experience that museum, the artists, and the art. That is what Context Tour guides do—no matter in what country or city. And when it comes to the Chicago Institute of art, the Context Tour guides are fantastic. And at the top of the list for my family, is Sarah.
We spent three hours with Sarah as our guide. She was phenomenal—smart, completely well versed as an art historian, and also empathic, warm, delightful, and comfortable with all ages, Sarah is thrilled by any interest you showed in any painting and had more to add to your experience. I am absolutely certain that all Context Tour guides are terrific, because we have used them in cities and countries throughout Europe and the United States. But I would say that the finest Context Tour guide we have ever had is Sarah. Context Tour’s will never disappoint. And if you are fortunate enough to have Sarah as your guide at the Chicago Institute of Art, you are in for the experience of a lifetime.!! Bravo Context!
Sallie
Dec 15, 2024
Sarah was outstanding. She has extensive knowledge about the collection of art in the museum as well as the architecture of the building itself. She guided us through several key periods in art history while highlighting the artist life as well as talking in detail about the paintings and techniques used. She brought the art work and the artist to life for all us. I would highly recommend her.
Best
Debra Weninger
Debra
Dec 6, 2024
