Where Hand-Operated Elevators Reach Michigan Avenue Art Studios
Working artist studios, a grand theater, and an attendant-run elevator fill this historic arts landmark on South Michigan Avenue.
🎨 Inside the studios
The Fine Arts Building is a historic arts complex at 410 South Michigan Avenue in Chicago, where working artists still keep studios above the street. An attendant runs the manually operated elevator, sliding the cage door open floor by floor past violin repair shops, glass-paperweight makers, and puppet workshops. The Studebaker Theater anchors the ground floors with a red-curtained stage, and a bookstore rounds out the halls. The building opens to the public daily, and on the first two Fridays of each month studios welcome polite visitors. A 4.7 rating across 601 reviews reflects the throwback detail.
