sc johnson headquarters

Interesting tour, but lots of steps. Had reservation for 1 hour movie at 3:30pm but was told last showing was at 2 PM. They said there is some computer issue. Best to call to confirm.

A must stop when you visit Racine. You need to make reservations, very int resting and show the history of a Wax company.

On our Frank Lloyd Wright pilgrimage, my sister was most excited about this visit to the FLW designed Administration building and the newly opened Research Tower. We met behind a gold flying saucer building for the tour, and set off walking (on a chilly day) to the administrative building. It was cool to see the golf tee shaped columns inside the great workroom of the administrative building and the furniture, designed by Wright himself, still in use by Johnson employees. Also, the glass tube lighting up the ceiling and the birdcage elevator. After hearing some interesting stories, we walked over to the research tower, whose famous building used to grace the label of Johnson Wax products, such as Pledge and Off. There is a lot of walking and walking up stairs in this building and it is quite bright, due to the glass walls. The room we visited was set up to look as it had in the 50's or 60's and old Johnson & Johnson product ads were playing on TV's. You can understand why employees wanted to be issued company sponsored sunglasses to work in this beautiful, but ultimately impractical (as so many FLW buildings are) building. Our last stop was the Foster + Partner's designed Fortaleza Hall, with the Spirit of Carnauba airplane and the route taken from the US to South America to find the product that began the company, imbedded in the floor. It was a beautiful space and reminded one of the Smithsonian. Lastly, there was a exhibit at the SC Johnson Gallery: At Home with Frank Lloyd Wright. It was a very interesting and informative tour, so cool to see these things up close and personal. The only downside was our tour guide, who seemed like a former flight attendant in her navy peacoat and short blonde bob. We had a large group of elderly people on our tour and she kept emphasizing that the tour had a lot of walking and climbing stairs and she hoped everyone understood that. Fair enough, but it was said in a condescending manner (and this is coming from a former flight attendant). No photos are allowed inside the buildings and it is a rather long tour; I was tired by the end. It is free, which is quite amazing.

I took a great tour of the Wright-designed administration building and research tower, as well as the relatively new Fortaleza building. It's great fun. The administration building is gorgeous, and it's fun to get into the research tower.I wish we could have lingered in the administration building just a bit longer. They keep a tight schedule and you are definitely monitored so you don't stray far. But there's a lot of ground to cover and people to wrangle, and they do a good job. I recommend this tour. It's a lot of fun!

If you try to visit Frank Lloyd Wright designs whenever possible, this is a MUST. The story behind the building is fascinating, and classic Wright. And there are several Wright designs in Racine as a result of the relationship with the Johnson family.

A special place that reflects the ingenuity and dedication to man's best efforts and forward looking imaginations. This architectural wonder and thoughtful design is and was an inspiration to the people who worked there, the city in which it resides and the entire world.

If you wish to go on the SC Johnson tour, be sure to book online to reserve your slot. Definitely worth a visit to see the iconic HQ of the Johnson Family Co.Great to learn of the 5 generations of the Johnson family, their vision as well as their partnership with Frank Lloyd Wright who designed their HQ.Very interesting indeed! Only setback is that no photography is allowed within the buildings.Tours are free.

SC Johnson provides free tours of its historic headquarters building along with its historic research lab, both designed by FL Wright. The company tour provides insights into mid century office workspace and prairie style architecture. The research lab, is a very unique mid century building but with an astonishing small staircase limiting access which you learn doesn't meet todays minimum codes for occupancy. This is a tour for anyone interested in American Prairie Style Architecture and provides a unique view of workspace created by the master architect wright.

Our tour lasted 2 hours. We toured three buildings. Several buildings were designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. There was so much to see. We had a great tour guide - that really provided us with so much history about the S.C. Johnson family and town of Racine, WI.I would recommend this tour to everyone. The tour is only given on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Be sure to make your reservations ahead of time as the tours fill up fast.There even is a small gift shop you can purchase various books by Frank Lloyd Wright and purchase several of the products made and sold by S.C. Johnson. The products sell for half the price as sold in the stores and sales tax is included in the price of the items.

The tour of the newly restored Research Tower, as well as other buildings was well worth the two hours of time. Several buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Very well done tours with informative guides for small group tours. Unfortunately the tours get booked very far in advance so last minute tours are usually not available but worth trying for. Great history of the successes of a great company!

If you are visiting Racine, WI. and have some extra time you will very much enjoy the tourthat the SC Johnson and Sons Headquarters provides. This is a great tour of some of the buildings which were designed by Frank Lloyd Wright including his designs of furniture, lamps, etc. throughout the tour. You will also be able to see a film/movie at another unique building called the Golden Rondelle. The tour lasts about 1 hour and is well worth the time.

Yes, it is a special place and the tour shows you a lot of it.I remember seeing photos of the S.C.Johnson Co. in a High School textbook 50 years ago to which I attribute my amateur interest in architecture. Being in the Admin. Bldg. is like standing in a cathedral.The policy of no photographs inside, or even aiming your camera at a window of a building, is very frustrating. Most of the tour route is indoors using the company's system of tunnels so the outdoor images you can capture are of the Golden Rondelle and Research Tower and a few non-FLW auxiliary buildings.It is a Must See place, photos or not.

The tour of the facility has been expanded to include the Research tower, in addition to the iconic FLW designed headquarters. There is a lot of information presented, including an overly long video regarding the new display center construction. The buildings themselves are well worth making the reservation for a free tour, as they are landmarks in Modern American Architecture. There is not enough time to browse some of the exhibits, and the gift shop is only accessible through the tour.

One of the best tours and visits of Frank Lloyd Wright structures. Also a great introduction to the SC Johnson family and business. Thanks to the Johnson families for continuing this gift. Very informative and considerate staff. What a treasure!

Describe the place and the activitySay what you liked best & leastTell us what to bring (camera, walking shoes...)Say if it's a short visit or an all-day eventWe've been on a tour of the Johnson Wax Headquarters several times in the past, but when we heard the Research Tower would be open to the public for a short time this year, we rushed to get tickets. Opened in 1950, it housed all the research and development labs of the company until it was closed permanently in 1982. It just wasn't up to code any more. It is 15 stories tall but has only one skinny stairwell that is only 29" wide and one tiny elevator. To see the tower, you must go on the entire 2-hour tour that starts in the Golden Rondelle theater (you must reserve in advance. The tours are almost always sold out weeks, if not months, in advance.) Right now they are selling tickets only through December. Our tour guide said they don't know if they will continue to have the tower on the tour after that. The tour involves walking a couple of blocks outside, so if it is raining bring an umbrella. It also involves stairs. If you want to see the inside of the research tower, there is no elevator available. You must be able to climb three flights of stairs. There are very good handrails. The guide takes the group first to the Administration Building, an iconic masterpiece by Frank Lloyd Wright. Seeing this building alone is worth the entire tour, and they give you enough time to absorb the beauty of the space. The guide does not talk non-stop, which is nice, but if you have questions you can go up and ask him and he is well-informed. There is an area with six of FLW's desks and infamous three-legged chairs set up so that you can sit in one and experience what it might have been like to work in this incredible place. The next stop was a round room I don't remember from other tours. It was the PR center (I think). It has a gorgeous circular ceiling made of the glass tubes seen throughout the FLW buildings on the campus. After that, a tunnel leads to the research tower. We were rushed through the tunnel, which was unfortunate because there were interesting photos of the construction of the buildings and watercolor elevations done by FLW that I could have spent more time looking at. I wish there was more of this kind of display on the tour. All the exterior glass of the research tower consists of horizontal tubes of glass. All the floors of the research tower are cantilevered off the central core. Alternately, the floors are either square -- reaching all the way to the exterior glass -- or circular -- like mezzanines, open to the floor below. The tour takes visitors to one square floor and its adjoining mezzanine. Beakers and bottles and microscopes and notebooks were strewn around to make it look like the labs were functioning. They also had video screens showing old commercials for Raid, Glade, Pledge, etc., all of which were developed in these labs. The guides really didn't say much in here, instead allowing 20 minutes to look around. There are memos and letters to and from FLW and "Hib" Johnson and contractors working on the projects. I read a few of them but there really wasn't time to see it all. I thought the upper of the two floors was more interesting than the lower, so I would recommend starting up there, especially if you are interested in FLW. I definitely would have liked more time in the research tower. So far, this part of the tour took about an hour. The second hour is spent being indoctrinated into the cult of the Johnson family and Johnson products. There is a long tunnel with exhibits explaining the different products made by the company. Seeing bottles that are familiar from one's past can be a bit nostalgic, but really this part of the tour is not that interesting. From there, the guide gives a talk about the five Johnson men who have run the company over the years. Make sure to see the LEGO research tower displayed in this area. There's a short (4-min) film showing the construction of Fortaleza Hall (designed by Norman Foster) and then the group is given 20 minutes to roam this new building. Off the main hall, there is some gallery space. There is not that much to see in the main hall, so the gallery is the place to go. I got the impression the exhibits might change from time to time, but when we were there it was on the two Taliesens, Arizona and Spring Green, and featured photos and blueprints as well as furniture designed by FLW. Like other reviewers, I was disappointed that no pictures were allowed. There is a gift shop where I would have been eager to buy a book with pictures of the inside of the research tower, but nothing like that was available. Overall, this is an amazing chance to see two of FLW's most famous buildings. I can't rate this tour highly enough, and I certainly hope they are able to leave the research tower on the tour for years to come.