Art Institute of Chicago: Skip-the-Line Guided Tour
5.0
166 Ratings
Chicago
Experience the best of the Art Institute of Chicago on this skip-the-line guided tour. Explore famous artworks by Caillebotte, Seurat, O'Keefe, Hopper, Picasso, and more with an engaging guide.
Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • The Art Institute of Chicago - Only the highest quality guide is equipped to introduce you to one of the greatest museums on earth. the Art Institute, one of the world’s great art museums, houses a works that cover centuries of Art & History. Its is also known to have the worlds greatest collection of Impressionist artwork (Even rivaling the Musee D’Orsay in Paris). Your expert guide will help you explore the major artworks and hidden gems from this expansive collection and explain how this iconic American museum differs from its older European counterparts.
What's Included
  • Duration 2.5 Hours
  • Professional Tour Guide Exclusively For You
  • Wheelchair Friendly
  • Skip-the-Line Private Museum Tour
  • All Entrance Fees
What's Not Included
  • Tour price does NOT include hotel pickup or drop-off (we recommend UBER or Taxi)
  • Tour price does NOT include gratuities (optional)
Additional Information

The Art Institute of Chicago draws a crowd comparable to top-tier museums such as the Met, Louvre, and British Museum. On this special 2.5-hour guided tour, you get the advantage of bypassing the queue and exploring its most eminent displays under the guidance of a knowledgeable guide.

Typically Featured Works Include: (Subject to artworks’ availability)

Paris Street, Rainy Day by Gustave Caillebotte
Sunday on La Grande Jatte by Georges Seurat
Sky Above Clouds by Georgia O’Keefe
Nighthawks by Edward Hopper
A Picture of Dorian Gray by Ivan Albright
America Windows by Marc Chagall
The Old Guitarist by Pablo Picasso
Inventions of Monsters by Salvador Dali
Four Mona Lisas by Andy Warhol

  • A maximum of 8 people per booking
  • Notes: The museum may be subjected to occasional closures without previous warning from the museum management. When this occurs, we will provide guests with an appropriate alternative if the museum opening time is delayed more than 1h from the tour starting time. In these cases we are unable to provide refunds or discounts. Appropriate dress is required for entry into some sites on this tour. No large bags or suitcases are allowed inside the museum, only handbags or small thin bag packs are allowed through security. Due to increased security measures at many attractions some lines may form on tours with ‘Skip the Line’ or ‘No Wait’ access. Some specific rooms inside the museum are subjected to a very quiet or restricted right to speak inside, in this cases your guide will provide the information about this places before entering the specific rooms where this rule applies. Some collections may vary along the year.
Location
The Art Institute of Chicago
South Michigan Avenue
Meeting Point: “To The Lions Left”; next to the iconic lion statues (the lion on the left when facing the museum) outside the main Museum entrance on South Michigan Avenue.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(166 Ratings)
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Scott_d
Jul 28, 2024
Expert, Enriching Guidance (A Must!) - Ben was an incredible authority on both art overall and the Art Institute of Chicago. I cannot imagine navigating and getting so much out of what is one of the world’s largest, most important collections of art without his expert guidance. Truly made the experience enriching and highly recommend to anyone looking to truly come away from their visit with a greater understanding of and appreciation for art and art history!
Review provided by Viator
Jane_p
Jul 23, 2024
So Glad We Took the Tour! - We enjoyed the tour with Ben very much. He was knowledgeable, courteous and engaging. Thank you for the memorable visit!
Review provided by Viator
Doreenm380
Jul 22, 2024
Knowledgeable and Fun! - Mandy was full of stories about tons of pictures. She was very enthusiastic and showed us exhibits I’d never seen before. Highly recommend her!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Troy_c
Jul 13, 2024
Great tour of the Art Institute - I had a wonderful private tour of the Art Institute of Chicago. Ben, our guide, provided an insightful and detailed explanation of some of the museum's highlights. The private tour allowed for personalized attention and was paced to our needs. Highly recommended!
Review provided by Viator
Kenj621
Jul 6, 2024
Outstanding - Heath was an amazing guide with an incredible passion for art and this museum. Having him guide us through the artwork in different eras and styles was incredibly eye-opening. The museum itself is beautiful and quite extensive. I'd highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Scott_l
Jun 28, 2024
Joe is the best! - Joe was the best tour guide ever, knew what to say, let us choose the style that most interested us and could see other visitors intently listening when he was explaining the art to us, extremely impressed with his ability to conduct a tour to the satisfaction of his group. Clearly a professional!! Ask for Joe you won’t regret!!
Review provided by Viator
Kellylm1270if
Jun 27, 2024
BEST GUIDE EVER!!!! - Absolutely amazing. So knowledgeable and interesting. Joe really knows art and especially the Art Institute of Chicago. GO JOE! WE LOVE YOU!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Amyinaa
Jun 25, 2024
Excellent - highly recommended! - Sarah was amazing!! As an art historian she has amazing knowledge but also really listened to everyone in the group and responded to their individual interests. I have been to many many museums but this was more like a journey through art history, using each piece as a way to understand how art changed over time through both technique and culture. Such an amazing museum but I would have been totally overwhelmed without some guidance. Thank you Sarah!!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
O2041gqclaudiac
Jun 24, 2024
Great guide! Loved this tour - The tour guide was amazing. He did great a job showing us the masterpieces of the museum. It is a very comprehensive tour. He is very knowledgeable and he makes the tour fun. I will definitely recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gretchen_h
Jun 23, 2024
Great art history lesson for 2+ hour tour - Heath was knowledgeable and fun. Tour was fast paced and size was great - I wouldn’t recommend doing a tour with more than 8 people. Wish we’d had time afterwards to walk through museum ourselves but did not feel like we missed out.
Review provided by Viator
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1 Adult
August 2024
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