When you see all the bricks in the building it is very impressive. The building inside you can't get into but it is average and drab. I have been in it many times.

It surprises me how many folks don't know about this man made wonder. When I was in Chicago this May with a friend I brought her to see the beautiful gothic building and all the stones and building bits that are inlayed into the building with the places saying where they are from. I hadn't been there in quite some time myself so we were taking pictures of them all. Some of the pieces brought back memories of places I have traveled, some made you remember history and others we had to go an look up which was fun. I also had not seen the twisted metal piece they have added from the World Trade Center ground zero, that was very touching. When we were going around the building no one was even looking at it, but people saw us looking and pretty soon there were about a dozen of us all walking around the building. If your a real history buff I would allow at least 1/2 hour for this. Aside from the wow factor, its also free! The Tribune has a gift shop inside that has a great book about the building and the pieces inlayed in the stone as well as some neat gift items. There is also a mural when you walk in behind the front desk that is a huge map, we had no idea this was there until we went inside, I haven't seen it mentioned elsewhere.

On Michigan, across from the Wrigley Bldg. is this peculiar and wonderful building. You can often see a talk-show host on the air from a picture window off the sidewalk. Walk around the outside of the building to see small pieces of stone from landmarks around the world. There's even a piece of moon rock in one of the windows facing the sidewalk.