What’s New at Navy Pier?
For our outing this month, the Chicago Detours team decided to head out to see what’s new at Navy Pier. Much like our Segway tour adventure in September, we wanted to change gears for a Chicago experience more frequented by tourists than locals. I’ll admit that my interest was also piqued because 2016 marks the centennial celebrations for Navy […]
Seven Off the Beaten Path Chicago Museums
Chicago has some massively impressive museums. TripAdvisor named the Art Institute of Chicago the world’s top museum. The world-renowned trifecta down on Museum Campus draws huge crowds. History nerds, like myself, also have the Chicago History Museum and the Museum of Science and Industry. Unfortunately, those museums tend to suck up all the attention from […]
The History of Four Chicago Lighthouses
When one thinks of architecture in Chicago, lighthouses might not come to mind. But Chicago, long a preeminent American port, has an extended history with these vital, vertical structures. We research stories from Chicago history, architecture and culture like this while developing our live virtual tours, in-person private tours, and custom content for corporate events. You can join […]
Chicago Native American History for Thanksgiving
Our national holiday, Thanksgiving, reminds me of the Native American history in Chicago. Native Americans, of course, were the first settlers in this region. In school we don’t learn much about Native American history beyond Thanksgiving. But in Chicago there is much more to Native American influence on the city, beginning with its name. What’s in a Name? […]
Chicago Loves New Picasso Exhibit
You might think that we’ve had our fill of Picasso here at Chicago Detours with our discussion of the Chicago sculpture on our Loop Interior Architecture Tour. This is definitely not the case, even for a Paris-ophile like me. Paris is practically exploding with his work. When I was at grad school at the Sorbonne, aka […]
Architecture of Private Club Buildings in Chicago
A while ago I dug into the architecture of private club buildings in Chicago for a class. I had previously been inside of the opulent University Club for a special lunchtime talk. To be honest, I also just loved having an excuse to see the rest of these buildings. So I chose to focus my studies […]
A History of Hugh Hefner in Chicago
Most locals remember that, like Hugh Hefner himself, the myth and image of Playboy was born here in Chicago. But standard trivia like that is never enough for us! So let’s take a moment to talk a little more about the story behind the man and his club. You can learn a bit more by […]
Mixing It Up: Chicago House Music History
Chicago house music history may not spring to mind when you think of famous Chicago creations. Maybe you think of deep dish pizza, the Sears Tower, the Ferris Wheel, or Cracker Jacks. Perhaps even blues music or organized crime. But sweaty bodies dancing to relentless 4-4 beats in the darkness of warehouses in the 1980’s? […]
New Chicago Detours Artist-in-Residence Program
Chicago Detours is not just a tour company but a cultural organization. We are dedicated to creating culturally enriching, educational experiences that integrate architecture, history and culture. So we are very excited to announce our new Chicago Detours Artist-in-Residence Program. We are welcoming artists of various media to make and show a project that demonstrates […]
Chicago’s Flag: More than Stars and Stripes
Walking throughout Chicago’s Loop you see the Chicago flag flying high upon flagpoles, hanging from buildings, printed on t-shirts and stamped as arm tattoos on hipsters. The city of Chicago however did not always have a municipal flag. In 1917 the Chicago Flag Commission hosted a contest for the best design for a municipal flag […]