[1] The new shopping center was modeled after the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, borrowing, as its most distinctive architectural feature, a glazed barrel vault spanning the central axis of the mall.

The original skylights — which graced among other things a large, floor-level, ice rink, open year-round - had three hanging chandeliers.

In 1986, a second major expansion, Galleria III, opened with a new wing to the west of Marshall Field's, anchored by Macy's.

Access to Galleria III from the main mall was through the Marshall Field's store limiting the success of the new expansion.

[16] Hines Interests sold the mall in 1999 to a partnership of Urban Shopping Centers, Inc. and institutional funds advised by Walton Street Capital, LLC.

Urban, in turn, was purchased by Netherlands-headquartered real estate investment group Rodamco North America, N.V. in 2000.

Ultimately unsuccessful in preventing the buyout, Rodamco's ownership interest and management operation of the mall was acquired by Simon Property Group in early 2002.

Completed in March 2003, it added 800,000 sq ft (74,000 m2) to the south, anchored by Nordstrom and Foley's, as well as an additional 70 stores.

Upon completion of Galleria IV, the shopping mall totaled 2.4 million ft² (220,000 m²) of retail space.

This redevelopment included a Kona Grill, Oceanaire Seafood Room, Del Frisco's Steakhouse, Gigi's Asian Bistro, and nine other retail stores.

[18] Since the end of the government lockdown during the COVID-19_pandemic, the Galleria has announced several new additions, including Rag & Bone, Bally, Savage X Fenty, Tous, Wilson, NBA Store, Moncler, Psycho Bunny, Blue Nile, Marc Jacobs, Offline by Aerie, and John Varvatos.

[22] The rink is positioned below the mall's central glass atrium which was originally added by Hines to increase the visibility of the stores in the lower level.