Wednesday, July 29, 2020.

We can’t take bus trips right now but, thanks to the internet, we can explore the world from the comfort of our homes. Every Wednesday, we’re presenting a series of links to cultural institutions in Chicago and beyond. Today we’ll visit Michigan Avenue’s The Fine Arts Building.

Originally built for the Studebaker company in 1884 as a carriage sales and manufacturing operation, the building quickly became too small for the growing company. So it became a vertical artist’s colony, offering a haven to Chicago’s art community sing 1898.

If you haven’t seen the Fine Arts Building, both inside and out, you’re missing something. Explore the history of the building. Experience what it was like to be in Chicago in the 19th Century, including seeing the last manual elevator in the city and the newly renovated Dial Bookshop with amazing views of the lake.