Have you ever wondered what it looks like beneath Chicago’s Clarence Buckingham Memorial Fountain? This summer, Parkways Foundation and the Chicago Park District present weekly guided tours of this Chicago icon.

I’m definitely going to do this tour this summer.  The fountain is magnificent and will be even more grand after the restoration is complete.  In the mean-time I think it’ll be very interesting to learn about the fountain and see the side of it that we normally can’t see.  The $50 tour fee benefits the restoration of the 82 year old fountain so it’ll be great to be a part of that – even in a small way!

Thirty-minute tours are offered every Friday at 12 Noon, and afford a rare glimpse of the underground pump works (pictured, at left). Tours are $50 and run from June 19 through September 4, while the fountain is closed for the first full restoration in its 82-year history.

Tour participants will receive a complimentary Buckingham Fountain Restoration Project Commemorative Poster and all proceeds will benefit the fountain’s restoration. For reservations or information, please contact the Parkways Foundation at 312.742.5368, or via email.