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The buildings are gone, but the impact of Chicago's 1893 World's Columbian Exposition is everywhere. In this episode of The Great Travel School Podcast, we'll explore how a six-month world's fair transformed Chicago into a global city, inspired millions of visitors, and ultimately gave rise to one of America's greatest collections of museums.

In This Episode of the Great Travel School Podcast, we'll explore why Chicago was chosen to host the 1893 World's Fair, the story of the legendary White City, How the fair introduced millions of people to science, art, and history, the lasting legacy that became Chicago's Museum Campus, why history is often more complicated than we first imagine.

In This Episode

• World's Columbian Exposition (1893)
• The White City
• Jackson Park
• Museum Campus
• Field Museum
• Shedd Aquarium
• Adler Planetarium
• Museum of Science and Industry
• Daniel Burnham
• Frederick Law Olmsted
• Ferris Wheel

About The Great Travel School

The Great Travel School explores art, architecture, history, and travel—one city at a time—through podcasts, educational resources, and student travel experiences.

Planning a Trip to Chicago?

Don't just visit Chicago's museums—learn the story that connects them. Start at Museum Campus, then head south to Jackson Park, where the White City once stood. You'll discover that some of Chicago's greatest attractions exist today because of a world's fair that ended more than 130 years ago.

Kindred Code

I'm not sponsored by Kindred—I genuinely love the service and wanted to share it with you.

If you use my referral code to sign up, you'll receive 5 free nights to try Kindred, and I'll receive 2 referral nights. If you're thinking about trying home swapping, using my code is a great way to support the show while getting a great travel perk for yourself. 

Thanks for joining me on The Great Travel School. If you enjoyed today's episode, I'd love for you to follow the show and leave a review, it really helps other curious travelers find us. I'll see you next time as we continue exploring Chicago, one story at a time.

Thanks for joining me on The Great Travel School. If you enjoyed today's episode, I'd love for you to follow the show and leave a review, it really helps other curious travelers find us. I'll see you next time as we continue exploring Chicago, one story at a time.

Send us Mail!

Kindred Code – Details Below

The Sears Tower: How Chicago Reached the Sky

Most people think the Sears Tower (now the Willis Tower) is famous because it was once the tallest building in the world. But its real legacy is the engineering breakthrough that changed skyscrapers forever.

In this episode of The Great Travel School Podcast, we'll explore Chicago architecture, Chicago history, and the innovations of structural engineer Fazlur Khan to discover how one simple idea transformed skylines around the world.

In This Episode

• Why Chicago became the birthplace of the skyscraper
• The engineering problems early skyscrapers had to solve
• Fazlur Khan and the revolutionary bundled tube design
• Why the Sears Tower changed architecture forever
• Would you step onto The Ledge?

Mentioned in This Episode

• Willis (Sears) Tower
• John Hancock Center
• Home Insurance Building
• Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise

About The Great Travel School

The Great Travel School helps curious travelers explore art, architecture, history, and culture—one city at a time—through podcasts, educational resources, and student travel experiences.

Connect

• Website: greattravelschool.org
• TikTok

Planning a Trip to Chicago?

The Skydeck at Willis Tower is one of Chicago's most unforgettable experiences. Pair it with an architecture river cruise to understand why Chicago became the birthplace of the skyscraper.

Kindred Code

I'm not sponsored by Kindred—I genuinely love the service and wanted to share it with you.

If you use my referral code to sign up, you'll receive 5 free nights to try Kindred, and I'll receive 2 referral nights. If you're thinking about trying home swapping, using my code is a great way to support the show while getting a great perk for yourself. Thank you!

Thanks for joining me on The Great Travel School. If you enjoyed today's episode, I'd love for you to follow the show and leave a review, it really helps other curious travelers find us. I'll see you next time as we continue exploring Chicago, one story at a time.

Send us Mail!

You don't have to love baseball to love Wrigley Field. I certainly didn't.

In this episode, we're exploring how a little ballpark built more than 100 years ago became the heart of an entire community. Along the way, we'll uncover the surprising history of Wrigley Field, the hand-operated scoreboard, the famous ivy, the Curse of the Billy Goat, and the generations of fans who turned a baseball stadium into one of America's most beloved landmarks.

Because this episode isn't really about baseball. It's about history, tradition, and the unexpected ways we fall in love with places. Especially when we experience them through someone who already has.

Thanks for joining me on The Great Travel School. If you enjoyed today's episode, I'd love for you to follow the show and leave a review, it really helps other curious travelers find us. I'll see you next time as we continue exploring Chicago, one story at a time.

Send us Mail!

If you're only going to visit one museum in Chicago, make it the Art Institute.

In this episode, we're exploring how a city that was barely 40 years old built one of the greatest art museums in the world. We'll walk through the museum's fascinating history, stand in front of some of its most famous masterpieces (including A Sunday on La Grande Jatte, Nighthawks, and American Gothic) and discover the stories that make them so much more than paintings.

Because the best part of visiting the Art Institute isn't trying to see everything. It's learning how to slow down, get curious, and let great art reveal itself.

Thanks for joining me on The Great Travel School. If you enjoyed today's episode, I'd love for you to follow the show and leave a review, it really helps other curious travelers find us. I'll see you next time as we continue exploring Chicago, one story at a time.

Send us Mail!

In this episode, we're exploring the history of the Chicago River itself before diving into the buildings we remembered most from the Architecture River Tour. From the birthplace of the skyscraper to icons like Marina City, Tribune Tower, Aqua, and more, you'll discover the stories that unlocked Chicago for us.

Thanks for joining me on The Great Travel School. If you enjoyed today's episode, I'd love for you to follow the show and leave a review, it really helps other curious travelers find us. I'll see you next time as we continue exploring Chicago, one story at a time.

Send us Mail!

Millions of people visit Millennium Park every year to snap a photo with The Bean. But almost nobody knows the extraordinary story hiding beneath their feet.

In this episode, we uncover how a stretch of railroad tracks and parking lots became one of the world's most celebrated public spaces. You'll discover why Chicago gambled on a bold vision that transformed downtown and created a park that became the cultural heart of the city.

Because Millennium Park isn't just a beautiful place to visit.

It's proof that the greatest cities are built by people willing to imagine something better before anyone else can see it.

Thanks for joining me on The Great Travel School. If you enjoyed today's episode, I'd love for you to follow the show and leave a review, it really helps other curious travelers find us. I'll see you next time as we continue exploring Chicago, one story at a time.

Send us Mail!

Why Chicago?

Because every city has a personality. Before we dive into Millennium Park, Wrigley Field, the Art Institute, or deep-dish pizza, I think it's worth asking a bigger question: What makes Chicago...Chicago?

In this first episode of The Great Travel School, we're exploring the history, art, architecture, engineering, and people that shaped one of America's most fascinating cities. You'll discover how a city built on a swamp became the birthplace of skyscrapers, reversed the flow of a river, rebuilt itself after disaster, and never stopped imagining what was possible.

Whether you're planning a trip, traveling from your living room, or just love learning about the world, my hope is that you'll finish this episode seeing Chicago a little differently.

Welcome to Chicago.

Thanks for joining me on The Great Travel School. If you enjoyed today's episode, I'd love for you to follow the show and leave a review, it really helps other curious travelers find us. I'll see you next time as we continue exploring Chicago, one story at a time.