

While Cloud Gate has become Millennium Park’s most easily recognizable feature, there are numerous other attractions you may wish to check out after taking your ‘Bean selfie’. Cloud Gate is Kapoor’s first permanent public art installation in the United States and now regarded as his most famous work. The crowd, lights, and dazzling skyline filled with buildings and clouds are reflected by the mirrored surface of The Bean. Its location near Michigan Avenue (and nearby section known as The Magnificent Mile) and bustling Loop are certainly mercurial in nature. When tapped to design the entrance to Millennium Park, India-born British artist Anish Kapoor drew inspiration from liquid mercury. Its interactive quality makes it a unique public art installation. Since its completion, the Bean has become an iconic symbol of the city and popular tourist attraction. It weighs approximately 110 lbs and cost $23 million to complete. The Bean is 33 ft high, 66 ft wide, and 42 ft wide.

Its polished mirror finish reflects the city skyline as well as the surrounding green space and visitors who make their way to its plaza. Crafted from stainless steel, the monument has no visible seams, though it is constructed from 168 steel plates. To put it simply, Cloud Gate looks like a large silver bean. Millennium Park and Cloud Gate have now become must-visit Grant Park attractions. Within the park are pavilions that host outdoor concerts, gardens, fountains, and more. Millennium Park was built in honor of the third millennium and takes up a portion of Grant Park, the city’s celebrated lakefront public outdoor space. The plaza is located between Chase Promenade and the McCormick Tribune Plaza and Ice Rink. It is a fixture of Millennium Park, specifically situated in the AT&T Plaza. You are better off using public transportation.Cloud Gate is located in the Loop area of downtown Chicago. However, finding parking in the downtown area is not easy. You could also drive there and find parking bays nearby. You can get there by bus, train, uber, and other public transportation modes. This attraction is very popular and one of the most visited tourist sites. It is best to visit the Cloud Gate very early in the morning if you want to beat the crowds. The Bean has flexible connectors that make it easy to expand and contract as the seasons bring different weather conditions. The external part of the Bean has 168 stainless steel plates which were cut by a computer then joined together. He wanted the structure to appear as if it was moving. The bean has an underside which allows visitors to walk through hence the name Cloud Gate.Īnish Kapoor designed the Cloud Gate, construction work was from 2004 to 2006. Randolph Street (between Michigan Ave & Columbus Ave). The Bean is located in the plaza, inside Millennium Park. It also captures the buildings surrounding it, as well as the green space and sky. The reflective steel on the Bean makes it appealing to tourists who love to look at themselves while taking pictures. The Bean structure is 66 feet long and weighs 110 tons. It was simply named the Bean because of the bean-like shape. The Bean, also known as the Cloud Gate, is a public structure made of shiny silver steel.

CLOUD GATE (THE BEAN) AT MILLENIUM PARK, CHICAGO
