Thank you Nancy from City Tour Detroit! 3 adults & 4 tweens spent a wonderful morning learning about Detroit. A native, who repatriated after 8 years away, I wanted some how to show my guests this amazing city, and Nancy was spot on! Read more
The Guardian Building: An Insider's Tour
Guided tour
Special access
Great views
Discover and explore the Guardian Building!
Experience one of the most stunning art-deco skyscrapers in the world.
As one of Atlas Obscura’s must-see world skyscrapers, the Guardian Building is considered to be the most beautiful building in Detroit.
The Guardian Building is one of only 5 local attractions to receive the coveted Michelin 3-star recommended site indicating it’s worth a special journey to see.
Known as the “Cathedral of Finance,” locals have long known this building is an architectural treasure. On the tour, learn the building’s rich history and get an up-close appreciation of the architectural magnificence showcased in every minute detail of one of Detroit’s most visited buildings.
Best of all, enjoy exclusive access that only Detroit Food & City Tours can offer as you visit several spaces off-limits to the public, including hidden bank vaults complete with stories of the gold they once held.
It’s an awe-inspiring one-hour tour you’ll remember for a lifetime!
Highlights
Discover the fascinating history behind this exquisite Art Deco skyscraper christened the Cathedral to Finance
Receive special access to areas not usually open to the public
Click the tabs to find out more
Trip Details
Price
Price: $12
Meeting point
City Tour Detroit, 500 Griswold Street, Suite 250, Detroit MI 4822
Duration
50 minutes
Good to Know
Named one of Atlas Obscura’s must-see world skyscrapers. The Guardian Building is also one of only 5 local attractions to receive the coveted Michelin 3-star recommended site indicating it’s worth a special journey to see.
Experience one of the most stunning art-deco skyscrapers in the world.
As one of Atlas Obscura’s must-see world skyscrapers, the Guardian Building is considered to be the most beautiful building in Detroit.
The Guardian Building is one of only 5 local attractions to receive the coveted Michelin 3-star recommended site indicating it’s worth a special journey to see.
Known as the “Cathedral of Finance,” locals have long known this building is an architectural treasure. On the tour, learn the building’s rich history and get an up-close appreciation of the architectural magnificence showcased in every minute detail of one of Detroit’s most visited buildings.
Best of all, enjoy exclusive access that only Detroit Food & City Tours can offer as you visit several spaces off-limits to the public, including hidden bank vaults complete with stories of the gold they once held.
It’s an awe-inspiring one-hour tour you’ll remember for a lifetime!
Please enter the building and walk up the steps to the Promenade Level. Look for the City Tour Detroit office/store (Suite 250). Check in there.
Tour length is approximately 45 minutes.
The tour highlights key areas of the Guardian Building, including the breathtaking Art Deco lobby, the elegant promenade, the building’s striking exterior, and the historic lower-level vault area.
Occasionally areas of the building are rented out for private events – especially in the Summer & Fall, so we aren’t able to offer tours on those days.
In most cases, we’ll ask you to wait for the next tour.
If you can find nearby street parking, you’ll need to download the ParkDetroit app. The Buhl Garage, located across the street, usually offers weekend parking for $10. That price is subject to change when there are special events. Online parking aids such as www.parkwhiz.com can help you find parking.
The tour is accessible for most guests. However, please note that on all tours, visiting the former vault area requires descending approximately 25 steps, and there is no elevator access to that portion of the tour.
The rest of the building, including the lobby, promenade, and exterior areas, is fully accessible during weekday tours. On weekend tours, the shop and promenade require climbing approximately 25 steps.
Yes! We offer private tours of the Guardian Building for groups, special events, or customized experiences. To arrange a private tour, please email us at tours@tourdetroit.com.
Check out what our guests are saying
On behalf of Eden’s Garden Club, I would like to thank Karin Risko and City Tour Detroit for organizing the Aug 8 “Gardens of Detroit” bus tour which served as a fundraiser for our organization. Read more
Entered and shot the interior of buildings we would have never found on our own. Well worth the money and time. Photographers’s heaven! Read more
To be honest, I didn’t have the best impression of Detroit before visiting but Pat at City Tour Detroit changed all that! She was a wonderful tour guide that had so much passion and love of Detroit…it was definitely contagious! I learned so much from her — she had great facts about all the locations we visited. 10/10 Read more
We had an informative and entertaining tour “See the D”. Nancy was our tour guide. She is very enthusiastic about Detroit and presented just the right mixture of history, stories, places to eat and general information. If you decide to go to Detroit, this is the right way to get to know about the city. Read more
