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    Chicago Water Tower

    4.1 (92 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 6:30 pm

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    Jeremy J.

    The Chicago water tower is a cool thing to see while visiting. It has much history and is located is a popular part of town. We got some nice photos while visiting and learning about the history of it. Definitely check it out

    The Tower is insignificant from just a few blocks away, overwhelmed by the bigger and better buildings surrounding it
    Mark D.

    It's so towering and watery, so this place checks out. I'm going out on a limb and taking a very pro-water stance on this review. Disclaimer: I like water and I'm addicted to it, drinking it many times per day. I may or may not also use it to wash dishes and to take showers once a month. I mean, day. On the other hand, fire and smoke make my eyes water and you can't drink it. Boo! Bad fire, bad dog! So when I read about the so-called Great Fire, I get so mad, but then Ms. Water Tower enters the scene, surviving the fire like a champ with its stone facades and I'm like, "wow, that's so cool, I should take some pictures of it, because no one has ever done that before!" It looks nice, day or night. It IS nice, day or night. There's a gallery inside that I have yet to check out. One of these years, I will. That's about it for now. Thanks water! You're the best!

    Chicago Water Tower 9/2017
    Vivian C.

    The Chicago Water Tower is an outstanding structure from another time period located along the Magnificent Mile - it is sure to catch your attention. Behind it is a park where folk were relaxing or catching carriage rides drawn by horses and kids selling candy. Entrance to the small single story art gallery from the side facing the park was free. And the air was cool within.

    Tim S.

    It is one of those historic places in the city you should stop by and take a look. As one of the few remaining structures after the Chicago Fire it has it's place. I have popped in a few times, yes you can go in the building, to see the various small art exhibits they put up. Last time I stopped in they had photographs of various same locations separated by decades, neat to see the way the City has evolved yet stayed the same. My only complaint is the last time I was in there the security guard was loudly chatting away on a personal conversation... boo to you.

    Candace L.

    I can't even explain how excited I was when we hopped off the red line near Mag Mile and I spotted the Water Tower - this is a must see if you are in the area, super close to everything you will already probably be doing anyways so you might as well pass by to snap a photo and experience this site in person. Gorgeous building and might I add very close to Top Shop ;) Can't miss adding this one to your agenda.

    Cards Against Humanity exhibit
    Kathy V.

    Stopped in at the Historic Water Tower/City Gallery while walking along the Magnificent Mile. We saw people going inside and thought it was a nice opportunity to check it out. We were pleasantly and hilariously surprised to find a Cards Against Humanity "exhibit" on display. Very small, but a nice and interesting spot to have a "gallery". Worth checking out!

    Arlene M.

    I would often pass this small but beautiful piece of architecture as I traveled up the Magnificent Mile. I knew that it was perhaps one of the only buildings to survive the Great fire in the 1800s. My husband and I tried to visit it one morning. When we entered there was a lady at a desk telling us they weren't open yet. I asked when it would be open and she said she didn't know. Since it was closed I could only grab a picture of what I saw in front of me. It seems to be an art museum. We did learn about the pumping station across the street and went over to have a look at that. I learned there was a tunnel connecting the two buildings. We returned to this area late in the day but didn't bother to try to go in since we figured it must have closed for the day. It makes a great photo shot at different times of the day with the way the light casts on it. It seemed dwarfed between all the skyscrapers surrounding it but still is a lovely building to look at. Perhaps on some future visit I can attempt to go inside again.

    Christine W.

    I stumbled across the water tower while wandering around town. At first, I walked up to it just wanting to read a sign about the tower and then realized it was a reeeaaally tiny tiny museum (well, gallery is more like it) free and open to the public. I love cool random stuff, so of course I went in. It took me about 10-15 minutes to look at the photos and explanations. I think it's great that it's free. Otherwise I wouldn't pay for it (unless you could go up inside of it).

    Such a beautiful piece of history.
    Anthony M.

    REVIEW #900 & STILL STANDING Chicago is known as the second city & it has nothing to do with NY. After Chicago burned to the ground in 1871, the great citizens of Chicago had a second chance to rebuild the city & this is where the name second city came from. Technically the Chicago Water Tower was part of the First City. It was built in 1869 & still stands today. It is a tribute to those who help shape and build this city over the years. The tower still stands tall today. To me, it's a memorial for our great city. In the midst of a great tragedy, our water tower braved the flames and stood tall. It gave everyone hope that we could rebuild and rise from the ashes. It also told our politicians that they should pass a law stating all structures must be brick & mortar instead of wood. As we all learned that wood buildings will burn really fast with the wind blowing. Oops! The Water Tower was not the only building to survive the great fire. There were a few other buildings including the pumping station directly across the street. And yes the pumping station is made of brick too. Today the water tower stands 154 feet tall on Michigan Avenue in the Gold Coast. It is in the middle of one of the greatest shopping streets in the world called the Magnificent Mile. Tourists are always snapping photos of this historical landmark, in fact it looks like a giant castle. I told my little one that it was Rapunzels Tower. She still calls it that today. I think it's cute. Many cities wreck there old buildings to make way for new taller structures. The Water Tower deserves to stand forever because the flames of one of the greatest fires in the world could not destroy it. This makes the water tower special & a statement for our city. Next time you are in Chicago make sure you check out this amazing historical structure. It's worth a photo or two. There is also an art museum inside but I've never gone in to check it out. Maybe one of these days I will. I also love to throw out a little movie trivia on my tour but today it's going to have to be TV trivia. In 2004, the water tower was featured in the finale of The Amazing Race 6. How cool is that? I love that show and just knowing that Phil (the host) was nearby makes me happy. I will say that I am proud to share my 900th Yelp review with the Chicago Water Tower. Great things go together and here's to another 900 for me. As long as the tower keeps standing and my thumbs keep working then I'll keep pounding out reviews on my iPhone. The water tower is standing strong and showing the world that Chicago may be the second city but its really number one if you've ever been here. It is places like the Water Tower that highlight our architecture & willingness to stand in the face of adversity and to keep standing even when the odds are against you. I'm proud to see the water tower & show my out of town friends this great structure when they visit. I could not imagine a more amazing building in the city. It has a great story by surviving the Great Chicago Fire. It stands as an icon on Michigan Ave. This is the place where you can start your day shopping. So stop for a moment to take in the tower & think about those that lost there lives during this terrible tragedy. They would be proud to know the tower still stands, people are still shopping & I'm still writing reviews.

    PatrickJ T.

    The Chicago Water Tower is a landmark on the Magnificent Mile. It certainly stands out amongst all the modern buildings. When I first spotted it, I had no idea what it was. Looked like a medieval castle from Europe and not a water tower. As other Yelpers mentioned, the Chicago Water Tower and the Pumping Station building close by were the only two buildings in Downtown Chicago that survived the Great Chicago Fire of 1781. Very impressive and historical!! Overall, a fine iconic landmark in downtown Chicago.

    Julie K.

    my first time seeing uncle.. he'd driven through the whole Chicago downtown for us.. and led to this Gothic style Water Tower.. He told us it's the only one that survived the Chicago Great Fire in 1871 and one of Chicago main symbol now.. it's respectably beautiful and strong.. and the visitor information center was helpful for tourists..

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    Very awesome & historic place, a survivor of the great Chicago architect era

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    Skydeck - NEVER FORGET (look closely)

    Skydeck

    3.5(956 reviews)
    1.4 miThe Loop

    Skydeck Chicago was amazing! I went for my scheduled 2 PM visit and was actually surprised that it…read morewasn't too crazy busy. Once you check in, you go through a museum-like walkthrough that covers Chicago's history as well as the history of the Sears/Willis Tower. There are also plenty of opportunities to stop and take pictures along the way. Once you reach the end of the walkthrough, you head up 103 floors to the Skydeck. As soon as I walked in, I was honestly blown away. Even though the building was once the tallest in the world, it's still such an incredible experience to see the entire city of Chicago from that high up. The skyline is absolutely breathtaking, and you can even see Lake Michigan from the top. It also wasn't too crowded when I went, which made the experience even better. I was able to do the Ledge as well, where you can step out onto the glass and take pictures and videos. You get up to 90 seconds when it's your turn, and you can get back in line if you want to go again. Everything was exactly as described, and I'm so glad I got to visit again for the second time as an adult. I also got my ticket through CityPASS Chicago, and the whole process was super smooth with no hiccups. Definitely one of the highlights of my Chicago trip and a place I'd recommend checking out, especially if it's your first time in the city!

    We started our Chicago adventures by visiting the sky deck and Willis Tower. We had a great time…read morelearning about the history of Chicago. We purchased city pass tickets since we were visiting for a couple of days and chose the sky deck as one of our activities. They recommend making a reservation through the app so you can book the time you'd like to visit. Once we were in we went through the experience where we got to see exhibits and take fun pictures throughout. From there we took the elevator to the 103 floor to see the sky deck. The views of the city are super beautiful and of course we have to get our fun photos from the ledge!

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    Chicago Water Tower - galleries - Updated September 2026

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