My wife and I visited for the Christmas tour. We loved it so much that we are coming back for the full tour! Docent Steve Scott was the real reason we decided to return again. He gave us a very informative preview into what we would be getting with the full tour. We will be back at Glessner house within a week.

This house is amazing. It has been impeccably restored and has an astonishing amount of the original furnishings, thanks to William Tyre & staffs recovery work. If you can get a full private tour, you will not be disappointed.

I went on a tour of this house and was blown away by how many of the things in this house are original to it when the Glessners, the only residents of the house, lived there. It is highly unusual for a historic home to have so many of the original furnishings and decorations, but it is much appreciated by me. The house is lovingly cared for and the tour guide was fantastic, knowing a great deal of information on the house and various pieces that are on display in it. They still have a couple of rooms to restore still, but that in no way should discourage you from visiting this architectural jewel in the revitalized Prairie Avenue District of Chicago.

This house is out of this world. Architecturally significant (Henry Hobson Richardson ️️️), and filled with original furnishings and decor. Including some gorgeous William Morris prints.

In the midst of this pandemic, most of us are hard pressed to find much of anything to do. Indeed, while it is important for us to stay inside of our own homes as much as possible, sometimes we need some fresh air and a stroll around our local neighborhoods to clear the mind and calm anxieties.The Glessner House Museum is a known entity to my boyfriend and I. We have visited on several occasions and it truly is a magnificent piece of architecture and interior design that may have even inspired the well renown architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The tour is quite lengthy and very informative and I cannot recommend it enough to everyone once these unfortunate times come to a close.However, as the museum is closed, the staff have made a wonderful change. They have opened the previously tour only courtyard in the back of the house and are allowing guests to see the house through the windows. They have also placed trivia questions in some of the upper windows to educate visitors.During these times of hardship it is important to remember that all of our neighbors, both families and businesses, are being negatively affected one way or another. If you do decide to visit the Glessner House during this time of lockdown, be sure to wear a face covering, maintain social distance, and consider donating some money, if possible, to a wonderful museum of Chicagos history.P.S. I will be revisiting this review in the future to reflect on the Glessner House during times of normalcy and how you can spend a very pleasant afternoon in the Prairie District.

Really beautiful lights! A little bit crowded and it should be noted that these shouldnt be climbed on, the guard was running around and yelling at people for that.

Glessner house guided tour is amazing. The guide showed the group all the house and told us about Glessner family. Its a very nice opportunity to learn a bit more about how wealthy people used to live decades ago.

Amazing! A Chicago gem and a MUST see! Thank you Lauren Z for your wonderful tour and passionate presentation!

Beautifully restored home and Stewart gave a wonderful guided tour.

The staff know the history very well and love giving detailed tours of the house. Im hoping to bring my family back here to check it out someday.

This place is absolutely beautiful and can be rented out for events as well as they give tours. Well worth it

A fabulous example of a nineteenth century home that was built by one of Chicagos millionaire families of that period. It is amazing that so much of the furniture and decor on display has been preserved and was actually owned by the family. The tours are kept small and the docents are extremely knowledgeable and interesting. The museum is a short walk from the Hyatt Regency at McCormick Place, and an even shorter walk from the Marriott Marquis Chicago. If you are attending an event at either if these hotels you should definitely check out both Glessner house and the Henry B. Clarke House, which are oft overlooked gems.

Such a pretty place in the South Loop. The summer concert series is pretty cool... sort of like a small Ravinia where you can bring a picnic and listen to live music. The house is in great condition and the docents are very knowledgeable. Check out this hidden gem when you have a chance!

An architectural gem. Very informative longer than most tour - which is good. Get to see much of home. A must see.

Nice time. Good guide. This house is so prety

Great house museum, a surviver of Chicagos original Gold Coast, is a time capsule of life in late 19th century Chicago. The house on Prairie Avenue stands as a monument to Chicagos upper class and the Arts and Crafts movement in America.

Looking forward to returning for the full tour. I cant say enough good things about this house and the staff who maintain the property, the tour guides and the sheer beauty of the property. Do the full tour, I certainly cant wait to return!

Wonderful history and tour of one of Chicagos historical homes. Highly recommended

The John J. Glessner House, operated as the Glessner House, is an architecturally important 19th-century residence located at 1800 S. Prairie Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. It was designed in 1885–1886 by architect Henry Hobson Richardson and completed in late 1887. The property was designated a Chicago Landmark on October 14, 1970. The site was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on April 17, 1970, and as a National Historic Landmark on January 7, 1976.

A National Historic Landmark, Glessner House was designed by noted American architect Henry Hobson Richardson and completed in 1887. It remains an internationally-known architectural treasure in Chicago. A radical departure from traditional Victorian architecture, the structure served as an inspiration to architects such as Louis Sullivan, Mies van der Rohe, and the young Frank Lloyd Wright and helped redefine domestic architecture.

A must see place. Very beautiful

I remember when this theater opened. I was there the first few months of opening and of course it is going to be in picture perfect condition. I love this place.

Wonderful venue for a wedding reception in the outdoor courtyard of the house. Took an interesting short tour of the house as well.

Beautiful, historic home worth touring. Great spot for an event as well.

Only been for the Halloween event but really enjoyed it.

It’s free and about an hour tour. Informative.

Strange & unique fortress of a house, which is loved fiercely by its docents. Take a tour!

Very interesting place with a lot of history.

The most well-preserved connection to the historic prairie district. A must-see.

The tours are $15 and are definitely worth it. The house is beautiful and the rooms have items that were originally there. If you want a piece of Chicago history you need to check this out!

Very Interesting house museum with major historical significance. The tour is quite interesting and tour guide is very well prepared. They have free tours on Wednesdays and the did this free tour despite the fact, that only two people arrived at tour time.

Great knowledge staff, amazing building and back story. I went in a special to hour tour which showed more than the regular tour... Worth the money and getting up early in a Saturday.

Incredible home that really takes you back in time once youre inside.

Beautiful window into the lifestyle of the weslthiest American gilded-age citizens.

We enjoyed the tour. We went during the week and was a very all group. Very interesting and thorough tour. Very nice property. Staff are great.

Great place to visit as an architectural student or history fan. The house is built by one of the wealthiest in Chicago at that time and remains one of the few that still stands till this day. The house itself inside include furnitures, art collections and chronicles of the family. They are still keeping further bringing in more renovations and collections. Absolutely worth visiting.

Please dont bring your children to the museum if they are under 10 years old. The woman at reception would give you horrible experience that you have never had if you bring your kindergarten children. We visited the museum on 09/22/18. Since we came in, this woman had been continuously spying on us with bad manners. She shouted sensitively No touching before we got close to the museum model in the tour waiting room and so on and so forth. Even other visitors who are in the waiting room shook their heads with surprise and incomprehension. We have visited more than 50 museums all over the world, and this is the first time we met such an unprofessional staff. We suggest that Glessner House Museum makes a sign No kids or you should treat all the visitors friendly. Although other staffs are nice, we have to give one star.

A very organised and well run tour and a surprisingly pleasant experience! From the initial registration, the tour : background, the flow, the details, background, storyline, architectural design..also had another personnel reminding us on safety (eg holding hand rails) .. good fun learning experience... Big thumbs up to our docent, very knowledgeable and very professional .. good job to keep this effort going...

House is definitely different than most of the houses from that time period.Tour guide was greatOnly negative is parking

Everyone was excellent, from the tour guide to her assistant. Knowledgeable with stories. I only wish they had a bit more content given the cost of entry. A visit to the Fifa office across the street, which is located in a house that is a contemporary of the Glessner House, would be a welcome addition.

Great place for events..atomsphere and community very welcoming

Very nice place any type of reception...

Only got to see about 20% of this house during the open architecture weekend. It was just a house (nice inside though).

Beautiful expansive remnant of Chicago history!

I loved the house and grounds. There is park attach, crop garden, and children play area on the side and back of the house. Other sightseeing close by.

This is a hidden gem. Not only a unique piece of American architecture, but a time capsule of the original furnishings. Whether you enjoy Chicago history or a fan of architecture the Glessner House is a must see.I have visited several times the past twenty years and there is always something new to see. It seems they have been restoring several rooms the past few years.These are great tours!

Went on the short Christmas tour. Great place to learn about some of the people who made History in Chicago.

Our guide was amazing and had so much knowledge. Make sure to have 2hrs set aside for the tour.

If youre into house museums, this one is definitely worth a visit. Located a little ways south of the Loop, about a 25 minute walk from the Museum Campus, its a remnant of a once-regal neighborhood. In that respect, the house stands out as being distinctly out of step.Inside, the house is architecturally fascinating, with lots of dramatic design features. Lots of beautiful (though restrained, especially in comparison to what youd see at the Driehaus museum) woodwork throughout, and a bright airy design that exploits natural light. The tours include the facilities for the house staff, something that always scores points with me. Its pretty big so the tour lasts an hour or more.Our tour guide was delightfully enthusiastic and quite knowledgeable.One of my favorite house museums ever.

This was best Chicago house tour Ive ever been on ever. First off, everything inside (99.999%) is the original furniture and relics of the house so you get an actual view of how this successful family lived in their heyday. The outside might look castly and maybe even plain, but the inside is one of the most gorgeous interiors that Ive ever seen. Strikingly elegant and beautiful.The docent (teacher tour guide) was amazing and took us all through the house and explained how the space was arranged and how the house was so forward thinking in the way it was designed and built. She even pointed me toward a couple other local sites when the tour was finished.This tour is also free on certain days and times so take full advantage.

Great place to visit!

Extraordinary decorative arts.

Great place to have a party

If you enjoy history and seeing how people loved in the 19th century, this is a beautiful preserved home of a prominent Chicago family. Unusual because the contents were preserved by family members, so you are seeing the house as it truly was when the Glessner family lived here.

Fascinating architecture and a wonderful tour. Small museum also contains lots of bery interesting history.

Beautiful old house wish I could live there. I love old houses.

Really enjoyed my visit here. Amazing first-hand experience of the Arts and Crafts Movement. Docents are very knowledgeable and eager to share what they know. Wednesdays are free!

Worth the trip. Really nice place to visit on a rainy day. Our guide was very knowledgeable.

It was a lovely space for the private event I attended. Its a rustic, but warm feel.

Love, love, love it! The 2nd time last year we couldnt view. The whole house. Not sure why.

Mr. Irvings tour was very thorough, placing the house in context in its time and place and highlighting the ways and means of its restoration and preservation.

Super interesting. And the front of the house.... wow! its beautiful.

I never visit a city without trying to see at least a few restored historic mansions . I have never been to a house museum with the quality and quantity of original furnishings in it !!Docents are super classy and well informed but not snobbish .

Very interesting and informative, I would go again just to take it in a second time.

Wonderful look into life in late 1800s at a beautiful architecturally.significant home.

The tour was nice, a lot of history behind the place. Wednesdays are free!

Absolutely beautiful. Went there for a wedding in the courtyard and it was perfect.

Excellent house museum. One hour tour with wonderful friendly and knowledgeable docent

The place is cozy and typical. Great neighborhood.

Great. nice, lots of people smoking. sewage stuff too. real crowded but a nice place

A really well run museum

Wow. The gilded age on full display.

Gorgeous

Amazing property on historic Prarie street.

This is beautiful house.

Loved our knowledgeable guide and the building itself

Incredible docent, wonderful tour, cant wait to tour again

Super cool iconic Chicago museum

#historic preservation

Not handicap acceptable.

Fun/ interesting tour.

Beautiful venue

I like the arquitecture

Very neat history, architecture, and guided tour.

Too cold

Interesting history

Not that impressive of an event venue

Great tour by the docent.

Great tours

Love the place .