Team vs team
Use your own phones and join a team. Any teammate’s answer advances everyone. Beat the other teams on the leaderboard.
City exploration game
Eastside Chicago: The Art Heist Walking Tour & Escape Game
4.71Player rating
A DIFFERENT WAY TO SEE THE CITY
Play at your pace · usually 95 min 3.4 km Chicago App-guided
Play in
English
The experience
About this quest
You've just stolen Edward Hopper's Nighthawks from the Art Institute of Chicago. Now you have to disappear into the city before anyone notices.
This self-guided walking tour of Eastside Chicago takes you through Millennium Park, past Cloud Gate, Crown Fountain, Pritzker Pavilion, and Buckingham Fountain, as you try to blend in as an ordinary tourist while making a very illegal hand-off.
As you walk through Chicago's most iconic public spaces, the art around you starts to ask a question you weren't prepared for. Perfect for art lovers, thrill-seekers, and first-time visitors, this Chicago escape game and walking tour will leave you seeing the city, and public art, differently.
Is this for you?
Who it's for
Friends, couples and families with older children who enjoy escape rooms can play art thieves on the run, solving puzzles at Cloud Gate, Crown Fountain, Lurie Garden and Buckingham Fountain over a little more than two hours. If you want to go inside the Art Institute, hear a live guide talk about the paintings, or cannot comfortably walk 3.4 km, pick something else.
What makes this quest special
Highlights
- Steal Edward Hopper's Nighthawks from the Art Institute and try to hand it off to your fence without getting caught
- Explore Millennium Park's greatest landmarks: Cloud Gate, Crown Fountain, Pritzker Pavilion, Lurie Garden, and Buckingham Fountain
- Discover the artists who shaped Chicago's identity, from Louis Sullivan and Lorado Taft to Frank Gehry and Anish Kapoor
- Follow the moral arc of a first-time thief who rediscovers why public art belongs to everyone
From people who played this quest
Good times. In their words.
4.71 / 5
188 player ratings
Selected player reviews. Original words and ratings.
Most relevant starts with detailed five-star reviews. All ratings remain available.
From your phone to the streets
A walk that turns into an adventure.
- 1
Open the app. You’re on your way.
Choose your pass, then open your quest in the Questo app. It guides you from the starting point.
- 2
Get outside. Follow your curiosity.
Discover real places and their stories on foot. Stop for a coffee or a photo, then pick up where you left off.
- 3
Crack a clue. Share a little victory.
Look around for answers, solve puzzles and enjoy the “we got it!” moments.
CHOOSE YOUR PASS
How many are playing?
Get this questNo booking slot · play any dayFull refund until you start playing
BRING YOUR WHOLE GROUP
One city. Rival teams. Great stories together.
A school trip, a team day or friends out together. Turn your next outing into a little friendly competition.
Everyone for themselves
One player per phone. Solve clues on your own and race for the top spot on the final leaderboard.
Can a team share one phone?
Yes. Play together on one phone per team, or use your own phones and join the same team in the app. We recommend your own phones so everyone can take part.
Your walk, at a glance
Chicago
A · Start
111 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60603, USA
B · Finish
Fountain of the Great Lakes, Unnamed Road, Chicago, IL 60603, USA
Start and finish only. Discover the stops as you play.
Along the way
Landmarks & Hidden Gems Included
The people behind the adventure
Created by Chris Mathews.
A route that brings places and playful storytelling together.
Made by Chris Mathews
WHAT MAKES A QUEST DIFFERENT
Your adventure, with a playful twist.
1 / 4
Experience
- This quest
- Discover places through stories and clues in the app
- Guided walking tour
- Hear stories and ask a guide questions
2 / 4
Pace
- This quest
- Pause for a photo, a café or a longer look
- Guided walking tour
- Usually follows the guide’s schedule
3 / 4
Company
- This quest
- Explore with your own people or on your own
- Guided walking tour
- Private and shared group tours are available
4 / 4
Guidance
- This quest
- Directions and challenges in the Questo app
- Guided walking tour
- Live interpretation from a guide
Features and terms vary by experience. Check the details before booking.
Good to know before you play
- Don’t enter the places, not part of the experience
- Kids under 12 should be guided by their parents
A little clarity before you go
Frequently asked questions
What is the art heist game in Chicago?
It is a self-guided walking game played on your phone. The story begins with you having just stolen Edward Hopper's Nighthawks from the Art Institute of Chicago. You then try to blend in as an ordinary tourist through Millennium Park and Grant Park while making a secret hand-off, solving puzzles at each stop.
Is this a museum scavenger hunt inside the Art Institute?
No. The game uses the Art Institute as its story setting and starting point, but you do not enter any of the places. Everything is played outdoors, with puzzles built around the sculptures, fountains, gardens and architecture you pass along the route.
Where does it start and finish, and how long does it take?
The route starts at the Art Institute of Chicago and loops round to finish at the Fountain of the Great Lakes, back near where you began. It covers 3.4 km past stops such as Cloud Gate, the BP Pedestrian Bridge and Buckingham Fountain. Most players take a little over two hours, puzzles included.
Is it suitable for kids?
It works best for older children and teens who enjoy puzzles. Children under 12 can play but should be guided by their parents, since the clues and the heist story are pitched at a level where younger players will need help, and the walk runs a little over two hours.
Can we play as a group, and do we need to book a time?
Yes, one ticket covers the whole group playing together. There is no time slot to book and no guide to meet, so you can start whenever suits you. You can also pause the game, take a break, and continue later from where you stopped.
Is Eastside Chicago: The Art Heist Walking Tour & Escape Game self-guided?
Yes. The Questo app guides you between locations without a tour guide or fixed departure. Start when it suits you and pause if needed.
Where does Eastside Chicago: The Art Heist Walking Tour & Escape Game start and finish?
It starts at The Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60603, USA and finishes at Fountain of the Great Lakes, Fountain of the Great Lakes, Unnamed Road, Chicago, IL 60603, USA. The route is approximately 3.4 km and includes 14 location-based puzzles.
How many accesses does our group need?
This classic quest sells access per device and player. Each person who wants to solve clues on their own phone needs their own access.
Keep exploring
Every quest. One year.
Explore the annual passGive them a story
A day out, gifted.
Explore Questo giftsKeep exploring Chicago
More adventures in Chicago
OUTDOOR INVESTIGATION IN CHICAGO
A detective-style mission through Chicago
Eastside Chicago: The Art Heist Walking Tour & Escape Game is for players who enjoy spy, detective or investigation stories and want a city route with clues instead of a passive walk. The city becomes the setting for the mission.
The route starts at The Art Institute of Chicago and finishes at Fountain of the Great Lakes over 3.4 km, with 14 challenge locations. Typical duration: 95 min; 3.4 km walking route; 14 challenge locations
Choose this for an outdoor investigation you control. Choose an escape room when a contained indoor set and fixed session are more important. Playable languages: English.
