Visit The Rookery

Set in the heart of Chicago’s financial district, at 209 South LaSalle Street, Daniel Burnham and John Root’s Rookery Building is a Chicago landmark, containing a luminous and brilliantly articulated central light court remodeling by Frank Lloyd Wright.

When completed in 1888, The Rookery was one of the most expensive and largest commercial buildings in Chicago, housing more than 600 offices. The building’s name was carried over from a nickname given to the structures that occupied The Rookery site prior to its design. These buildings, Chicago’s temporary city hall and a water tank, were known popularly as “the rookery” because of the many birds that nested there and the likelihood of being “rooked” by the politicians in residence.

In 1898, when Frank Lloyd Wright opened his studio in Oak Park, he rented space in The Rookery Building to serve as his downtown Chicago office. In 1905, Wright was commissioned to update the interior design and plan of the light court and lobbies. He realized a stunning balance between Burnham & Root’s ornamental ironwork and his own vision to create a spectacular environment – one of his most dramatic interior compositions.

Learn about the building’s fascinating history and the unique contribution of one of America’s greatest architects on the Preservation Trust’s guided tour:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 12 noon. 30 minutes. $5. PURCHASE TICKETS NOW or call our box office at 312.994.4000. You may purchase same-day tickets online or over the phone up to 30 minutes prior to the start of the tour. Same day and last minute tickets may be purchased in the ShopWright store based on availability.

Wednesday: 12 noon. 45 minutes. $10 (includes Burnham Library). PURCHASE TICKETS NOW or call our box office at 312.994.4000. You may purchase same-day tickets online or over the phone up to 30 minutes prior to the start of the tour. Same day and last minute tickets may be purchased in the ShopWright store based on availability.

Space is limited and filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Advance reservations suggested.

Read about the Preservation Trust's new presence at The Rookery.

The Rookery

209 South LaSalle Street
Chicago, Il 60604 
312.994.4000

NOW OPEN - New ShopWright store at The Rookery

Monday - Friday, 9:30 am to 5:30 pm

Closed: Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s Eve and New Year's Day.