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Mini-Tours

Looking for a fun introduction to the Art Institute or a new way to explore the collection?

Download our FREE Art Institute Tours app, available for Apple and Android devices, and enjoy 50 personalized tours of the collection that make use of the museum's free Wi-Fi and indoor positioning system to provide step-by-step directions from one artwork to the next.

Or, find 80 different themed mini-tours, available as PDFs, below.

Please note: Works featured in past mini-tours may be off view due to gallery renovations or regular rotations of the museum's collection. Works in the most recent mini-tour are currently on view. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Mini-Tour PDFs

What's Your Type?
March, 2008

In today’s information age, e-mails, advertisements, and yes, even artwork use lettering in ever-widening and more expressive forms. See how artists from ancient Egypt to the present have incorporated typography into their work.

The City and the Country
February, 2008

Inspired by works featured in the exhibitions Edward Hopper and Watercolors by Winslow Homer: The Color of Light, this month’s self guide travels between the hubbub of city life and the quiet, contemplative scenery of the countryside.

Visionary Women
January, 2008

Inspired by the bold vision of the many female photographers featured in the exhibition Girls on the Verge, this month’s self-guide honors and celebrates the voice of women artists.

Kwanzaa
December, 2007

Organized by Dr. Maulana Karenga in 1966 and now observed by 18 million people worldwide, Kwanzaa is a seven-day celebration of the African American family, community, and culture. Join the global festivities as this self-guide explores works that illuminate the seven principles of this communal holiday.

Beautiful Beasts
November, 2007

The spotlight always shines on the lions that stand guard at the Art Institute's entrance, but the museum is filled with other curious creatures that also deserve recognition. Trek through the wilds of our collection and discover a few of our many magnificent beasts.

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