Guided Tours

Highlights of the Museum Tour

Visitors are invited to participate in an immersive experience of late 19th- and early 20th-century art and design. Expert Museum guides lend insight into the magnificent interiors of the Samuel M. Nickerson Mansion, stunning pieces from the Driehaus Collection of Fine and Decorative Arts, and the five-year restoration project that returned the building to its original splendor. This tour includes all three floors of the Museum and an opportunity to view the servants’ quarters.

Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Sunday, 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Tour Length: 60 minutes
Cost: $5 with admission

Advance reservations are not required. Please arrive 15 minutes before the tour begins.

Twilight Tour

As day turns to dusk, step back in time to the 1890s to discover how the Nickerson family lived and socialized during the evening hours. The mansion glows with warm lamplight as a Museum guide shares stories about life during the Gilded Age, long before the arrival of television and computers. This special tour includes a behind-the-scenes visit to Mr. Nickerson’s billiards room on the lower level.

First and third Tuesday of each month, 6:30 p.m. (through June 19, 2012)

Tour Length: 60 minutes
Cost: $15

Advance reservations are required. Please call 312 482 8933, ext. 21 or purchase tickets online by visiting our Programs page.

McCormickville Walking Tour

Spend an afternoon exploring the rich and varied history of the neighborhood once known as McCormickville. Through visits to sites that still exist, historic photographs, and contemporary anecdotes, Chicago historian Sally Sexton Kalmbach recaptures a time when magnificent mansions lined the streets surrounding the Driehaus Museum.

First and third Saturday of each month (April 7 through November 17, 2012),
1 p.m. Rain or shine.

Please note: There will be no McCormickville Walking Tour on Saturday, May 19, 2012.

Tour Length: 75 minutes
Cost: $20 McCormickville Walking Tour only; $30 McCormickville Walking Tour with Driehaus Museum admission

While not required, advance reservations are highly recommended. Please call 312 482 8933, ext. 21 or visit our Programs page.

Help Wanted: The Summer Servants Tour

Discover how the servants in the Nickerson household lived and cared for their employers and this unique residence. During an ‘interview’ for a position in domestic service with one of the Nickersons’ trusted servants, guests will discover the true historic inspiration for a shocking “incident” at the Nickerson mansion, explore behind-the-scenes doors and staircases, and learn about the lives of domestic servants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (July 2 through September 14, 2012),
5:30 p.m.

Please note: There will be no Summer Servants tour on the following dates: Wednesday, July 4, Wednesday, August 1, and Monday, September 3.

Tour Length: 60 minutes
Cost: $15

As space is limited, advance reservations are required. Please call 312 482 8933, ext. 21 or purchase tickets online by visiting our Programs page.