The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago is located at 230 South LaSalle Street, in the heart of the city’s financial district. We host frequent public events about economic issues, both in person and virtual, and our free, first-floor Money Museum is open during typical business hours. We operate a Detroit Branch office at 1600 East Warren Avenue that offers tours to civic and other groups.
Visit the Money Museum
Featuring interactives and special exhibits, the Chicago Fed’s Money Museum focuses on economics, money, and the roles of the Federal Reserve. Try your hand at detecting counterfeit notes, learn what $1 million looks like, and view the rare currency on display. Reservations are needed for groups of 15 people or more.
Hours
The Money Museum is typically open 10 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday, except on Federal Reserve Bank holidays.
Architectural History of 230 South LaSalle
The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago building stands at the corner of South LaSalle Street and West Jackson Boulevard in Chicago’s financial district. This timeline follows a century of construction, renovation, and evolution in the building we call home.
1919-1921
The Chicago Fed began operations in 1914, located in offices scattered across downtown Chicago. To meet
the demands of a growing workforce, the Bank purchased a lot on LaSalle Street for the construction of a
new, central headquarters in 1919.
Construction continues, 1921.
The Bank’s steel frame nears completion, August 1921.
1950s
The building served the Chicago Fed's needs for many years, but the Bank required more space by the
early 1950s. In 1954, the Bank purchased two adjoining buildings, which were torn down to make room for
a 16-story addition with 180,000 square feet of space.
Bank executives review the planned addition (Internal publication, early 1950s).
The new addition nears completion (Internal publication, late 1950s).
1980s
By the early 1980s, the Bank once again found itself strapped for space and in need of major updates. Rather than relocate outside the city or construct a new building, the Bank decided to renovate and expand its existing space.
In 1986, the Chicago architectural firm Holabird and Root began to renovate the existing 820,000 square feet and add a 165,000-square-foot, 14-story addition which filled in an open section on the northwest corner of the building.
The renovation received an award from the American Institute of Architects for its significant change to the main lobby. Contractors removed the central staircase, cut away portions of the second-floor mezzanine, and relocated office functions to create a soaring vista for visitors walking through the lobby.
2000s
In 2001, the Bank opened a Money Museum, which offers visitors an informative and interactive look at the role of the Federal Reserve in maintaining a healthy, growing economy. The 5,600-square-foot space features a functional interplay of elliptical forms, curves, and diagonal walls to create a space that invites visitors to explore.
We celebrated 100 Years at our landmark LaSalle Street building in 2021.
