This is a must-do when you visit Chicago. The architectural tour was very fascinating and…read moreinformative. While the tour is an architectural focus, Chicago's history is intertwined, and it was interesting to see how historical events influenced design and the planning of the area. Our tour guide, Jessica, was so knowledgeable and a great speaker. The tour lasted almost 90 minutes, and traverses the three branches of the Chicago River. The boat offers seating on the top deck and inside. For the best views, the top deck is better. We took the 10:00 tour, and there was ample seating in early June.

If you're in Chiago you have to do the Architecture tour at least once. If you're in Chicago…read moreduring the Summer as I was you can seek sanctuary in the air conditioned lower level. I wish the audio was a little bit louder on that level due to the sound of the fans and people talking. If you like my reviews, consider "following" my profile for reviews all across the SF Bay Area . Why "follow" someone? It causes the person you follow's reviews to tier to top when you pull up a business. I find this very handy when researching venues. Rod's Review grading scale explained. Essentially I personally base it on the likelihood of a return visit and I try to be stingy with 5 star reviews since they should be "special" in my eyes. Price/Value also play a role obviously but there are $ and $$$$ littered across my grading scale. 5 stars - "I'll go out of my way" (approx 6 % of my reviews) 4 stars- "If I was in the area I'd go here and would recommend", (approx 38% of my reviews) 3 stars "Maybe if was nearby", (approx 37% of my reviews) 2 stars -"Would likely not return, Only if you want to go", (approx 16% of my reviews) 1 star -"No thanks, even if I was hungry", (approx. 3 % of my reviews)

First time on the architecture boat tour on the recommendation of a bunch of friends who had…read morealready taken the tour in the past. Personally, I was pleasantly surprised. The words "architecture" and "boat tour" don't immediately spell a fun time in my mind. But this tour is 1) a pleasant way to see the center of Chicago from the water, 2) actually interestingly informational, as the tour guides are extremely on top of their game, 3) much more dense that you expect (these guys are talking non-stop), and 4) surprisingly good views, especially when you get all the way out into the edge of the harbor! Finding the place was a bit roundabout, but once we got there, staff were super friendly, and it was easy to get on the boat and off to our next stop afterwards. Parking suggestions on the site are solid too. I'm not sure whether I'd do it again, but I'd definitely recommend it as a must-do stop on any visit!

90 minute Architecture tour…read more It was a cloudy, windy, and cold day in June. Even with the clouds rolling in & out and blocking a lot of the views it was still interesting and our awesome guide, Bobby, was knowledgeable, funny, and kept it interesting and flowing for adults and kids. The tour starts on the river heading towards Lake Michigan. The ride into the lock was a little lengthy as we had to wait for them to fill it with boats first. Once we made it onto Lake Michigan it was very chilly, but I'd rather be freezing than sweating like crazy on a hot humid day. We were on a smaller boat which was nice. - upper deck: Seats long the outside and chairs in the middle. Only wish they had cushions. - lower deck: had some small seating outside and standing bar tables - lower deck: indoor restrooms and bar area - snacks, drinks available for purchase If rain is in the forecast bring paper towels to clean off your seats. I also saw some people with Wendella rain ponchos, but not sure where to get them? Really fun and beautiful way to see the city! Highly recommend!

Eric was a very good speaker and staff war very nice, the entire thing was very informative thank…read moreyou guys so much!

Jim was excellent on the Architecture Tour. We travelled from Sheffield, England, and this was our…read morefavourite activity of the week. Jim was passionate, funny, and knowledgeable. The route was stunning, a great way to see the city. Great value for money. He also let us know about the $7 tickets for the lake cruise that we wouldn't have done otherwise.

Our guide Victor was impressively knowledgeable and made this so enjoyable! We went at sunset and…read moreit was beautiful.

Our friend recommended going on one of the River Boat Architecture Tours during our weeklong stay…read morein Chicago. My husband booked us two tickets with the First Lady River Cruise. Highly recommended! Our guide Bill was great. He is also a docent at the Architecture Museum. With your boat tour ticket, you also get a discount to the museum. We sat on the upper level of the boat. You can take great pictures from the upper level of the boat. Warning - If you do this in the summer, make sure to put on sunscreen and/or hat. The sun is no joke.

Colleen was great during our Chicago interior architecture tour. We went to six different buildings…read moreand she had super interesting points to share during each stop. She was thoughtful in offering restroom breaks during the two hour tour. Would absolutely recommend this tour - I have been to Chicago multiple times and learned more on this tour than I ever did in my previous visits combined. Fun way to see the city and stay (mostly) warm since it's a tour of the interior of buildings :)

I have taken many tours in different cities at home and abroad. Chicago being the birthplace of the…read moremodern skyscraper has many stories to tell about the evolution of turn of the century architecture after the great Chicago fire. Locally we have a great city guide on our local PBS channel 11 who does a fantastic job at uncovering some of the best forgotten stories about our cities past. Of course, I am referring to Geoffrey Baer, whom I have watched on our local PBS many times over the years. So yes, I can say that I am a fan. But you know it's one thing to watch these architectural marvels on TV or in person. I decided to be a tourist in my own city by taking the Original Chicago Architecture Interiors Tour by Inside Chicago Walking Tours. How was it? I loved it. Many of the treasures we uncovered, I have walked by for many years without every going inside and seeing the marvelous interiors firsthand. We also went over the exterior of several buildings that I never stopped to think about the stories behind the buildings history. Yes, I took a lot of buildings for granted. On this tour we went over the timeline and historical evolution of some of some of the significant buildings in our downtown area. Of course, were not able to cover all of them because Chicago is blessed to have so many great buildings with a storied past. I highly, highly recommend this tour to tourists and locals alike. Some of the buildings that were covered were the Chicago Board of Trade, The Federal Building, The Marquette, The Palmer House, and the Chicago Cultural Center (and many more). If you decide to take this tour get ready to be wowed and enlightened about Chicago.

Great architectural boat tour down the Chicago river! Really glad I decided to do this last minute!read more

The tour was everything which was advertised. Our 90 minute Chicago river architectural cruise…read moredeparted from the Ogden slip (465 N McClurg Ct). The boat staff were all helpful and very friendly. I selected this cruise for my wife and I because it was led by someone with some real architecture knowledge. Our guide, Bryan, had a degree in architectural history and was from the Chicago area. He was very friendly and knowledgeable about all the buildings along our path on the main branch as well as north and south branches of the Chicago river. We found the tour very informative and fun. Bryan was not someone who was just trained to be a guide but we found him to be an expert in this field. I appreciated that they did not push the sale of drinks, but told us where on the boat to purchase them if you wanted anything to drink. They also politely asked that if you wanted to talk to your friends, spouse, etc, to please go below deck so others could listen to the presentation. I'd highly recommend this company and our guide, Bryan.

The Marquette Building is a beautiful example of the Chicago School of architecture. The early…read moresteel framed sixteen story skyscraper was built in 1895. The steel frame is what allowed long "Chicago windows" due to less pressure of the masonry. It was designed by Holabird and Roche. The skyscraper was named for Father Jacques Marquette, the first European settler who explored Chicago in 1674-1675. Mosaics, sculptures and bronzes honor this expedition in the Marquette's entry and lobby. The bronzes and sculptures show the trip and important historic figures that were met along the journey. The railing around the atrium features beautiful Tiffany designed mosaics. Louis Comfort Tiffany was commissioned to create a mosaic frieze to detail the story of Marquette's life, the exploration of Chicago and the Native Americans that he met. Art panels are made of lustered Tiffany glass, mother-of-Pearl and semi-precious stones. It is stunning! The building is free and open to explore. Ask the security guard for a brochure or if you are lucky, he may even share some history about the building. There is also a small exhibit behind the lobby that discusses Chicago skyscrapers and architecture.

Chicago September 2019…read more Walked into the Marquette Building in downtown Chicago to view the beautiful artwork in the lobby. No admission fee. Just walk in and enjoy the view. The lobby is not too big but filled with stain glass art work that is eye catching. One can view the art from the first or second floor. Many Yelpers have already posted photos with great historical commentary. I'll just add a #metoo. No where to park around here unless you want to spend $30.00 ... I just jump on the CTA and pay $2.50 one way (or $5.00 round trip). Many of the buildings in downtown Chicago have fantastic art work in their lobbies. Most are free to explore. Welcome to Chicago !

Great experience !!! 4 stars only because would like more…read moreoptions for the price & a professional photographer would be ideal. Service was amazing Ambiance was phenomenal I love the music request option!! Nice people great workers.

I was extremely disappointed with my experience on the Odyssey Chicago River cruise. My group and I…read morewere racially profiled by an employee who approached us accusing us of not paying for our dinner. We had paid in full. The employee never apologized and instead continued to question us, even though it was actually an Asian group nearby who had not paid. Being singled out, embarrassed, and treated as if we didn't belong was hurtful and unprofessional. No guest should ever be made to feel disrespected or targeted because of their race. This experience overshadowed what should have been a relaxing evening, and it left a lasting negative impression. I hope the company takes this seriously, provides proper staff training, and ensures that no other guests have to go through this.

Mike was amazing. We had an absolutely incredible experience with him! From the very start, he was…read moreengaging, knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate about sharing the history and culture of the Chicago. He was happy to answer questions or tailor parts of the tour based on our interests. You can tell he truly care about making sure everyone has a memorable experience. If you're looking for a tour that's informative, fun, and personal, I can't recommend Mike enough. This was easily one of the highlights of our trip!

Mike, who owns an operates the tours is extremely knowledgeable in Chicago history and…read morearchitecture. It's also extremely friendly and personable. Despite having lived in Chicago before decades, I have never taken a tour or I don't learn new and interesting information. Highly recommend.

A neat small place to learn about Chicago architecture and it's development, with short…read more timelines on the walls and miniature model of the city and another ofWrigley Field. I bought a perfect, sturdy canvas bag labeled Chicago Architecture Center.

Entry to the museum is only five dollars if you show them your ticket from the First Lady boat…read moretour. The ground floor has a short eight minute clip with information about the city. There is also a great display of the city as well as a Wrigley ballpark exhibit. Unfortunately, the upstairs is currently being renovated, so there was not a lot to see this trip. They have a great gift shop.