Join Explore Chicago for a behind the scenes tour of the Auditorium Theater!
The Auditorium Theatre, designed by famed architects Louis Sullivan and Dankmar Adler, opened on December 9, 1889, and was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1975. Join us for a private, behind the scenes tour, to view it as few do. The tour includes legendary accounts of how and why the theatre was built; stories of the many artists who graced our historic stage; and a closer look at the brilliant 24-karat gold-leafed ceiling arches, hundreds of Sullivan’s beautifully restored intricate stencil patterns, the stained glass muses at the entrance, and murals by Charles Holloway and Albert Fleury.
Known as the Theatre for the People, it aims to make the arts accessible to all, by bringing people from all across the city together to celebrate the performing arts and continuing to present and produce programming that reflects the rich diversity of the great city of Chicago.
The Chicago Auditorium Theatre has hosted numerous famous performers across various genres, including rock icons like Jimi Hendrix, Aretha Franklin and Bruce Springsteen and jazz legends such as Duke Ellington and Miles Davis plus classical artists Philip Sousa and Anna Pavlova.
Tours are approximately 80-90 minutes in length.