INSIDE TOUR OF CHICAGO'S FINE ARTS BUILDING

The best place to book this tour is on my website doorwaysofchicago.com. You can see all the dates available there.

Step into the heart of Chicago's enchanting artist’s colony with this exclusive tour inside the Fine Arts Building. Nestled in the vibrant cultural landscape of downtown Chicago, this architectural gem has stood as a testament to creativity and craftsmanship since its inception in 1898.

As you traverse the ornate corridors, walk up and down the grand staircase, and ride some of the last manually operated elevators in the city, you'll be transported back in time to an era when the arts flourished. The Fine Arts Building, originally built in 1893, housed the Studebaker Carriage Company’s showroom and factory.

This guided tour will unravel the stories embedded in the building's exquisite architecture, highlighting its role in fostering creativity. Explore the studios that once hosted influential artists, musicians, and writers, immersing yourself in the same spaces that inspired the likes of Frank Lloyd Wright, Lorado Taft, and Sherwood Anderson.

Every corner of the Fine Arts Building whispers tales of the creative and enduring spirit of Chicago's artistic heritage. Designed by Solon S. Beman, the architect behind the Pullman Palace Car Company, the building served as a hub for Chicago's burgeoning arts scene in the late 19th century. Now, 125 years later, it continues to play the same pivotal role, preserving the old and perpetuating a new and exciting artistic colony within its historic walls.

The tour starts and ends in the Fine Arts Building, 410 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago 60605, Suite 424, the new home and studio of Fab Finds by Doorways Of Chicago!

See you at my studio where the tour will start! You are invited to come 15 - 20 minutes early or stay a bit after the tour if you would like to browse my DOC photography collections as well as the FAB FINDS shoppe, which houses a small assortment of fabulous vintage and home furnishings.

NOTE: This tour is all inside the building (except for a brief step outside to talk about a few of the building's exterior architectural features). Inside there will be a lot of stairs we climb or descend so, unfortunately, this tour is not good for those with accessibility needs. That being said there are elevators in the building that we will sometimes use. They are manually operated elevators (some of the last in the city!) and they can take a long time to come when called for. So we generally use the stairs to keep the tour moving.

LEGAL NOTICE

RF Universal Productions, LLC., assumes no responsibility and hereby disclaims any legal or other liability for any personal injury, death, property damage, error or omission, or any other loss, damage, accident, delay, inconvenience, or irregularity occasioned by any individual’s and/or entity’s contemplation of, or participation in, any of the walking tours offered by RF Universal Productions, LLC. This provision also applies to the cancellation or rescheduling of such tours by RF Universal Productions, LLC due to inclement weather or emergencies. RF Universal Productions, LLC takes every effort to ensure that the information contained in its promotional materials is correct. Please be aware that this information may unintentionally become out of date or inaccurate.

The Studebaker Theatre balcony.

The (very crooked) original elevator call buttons are still intact on the only manually operated elevators left in Chicago!

Original "up" & "down" indicator and floor indicator numbers

A Classic Greek Doric style doorway

Studebaker Theatre Box Office

Stunning backlit arched doorway into the Studebaker Theatre

Foyer of my new studio and shoppe, FAB FINDS. I really look forward to showing you my fabulous space here in the Fine Arts Building!

Murals and doorway into one of the building's fine musical instrument suites.

Host or Publisher Ronnie Frey, founder of @doorwaysofchicago