Millennium Park, Chicago

Crown Fountain

Crown Fountain opened in 2004 with the opening of Millennium Park (four years late). The 50-foot high video sculpture was designed by Spanish artist Jauna Plensa. There are some 900 videos of Chicagoans that appear on the fountain for about five minutes at a time.

Cloud Gate

British sculptor Anish Kapoor named his piece Cloud Gate. Chicagoans renamed it The Bean. The design in based on liquid mercury. It was built with 168 steel plates, but there is not a seam to be seen. It opened in 2006.

Jay Pritzker Pavillion

The Millennium Park amphitheater is home to musical performances and shows of all types. Designed by Los Angeles architect Frank Gehry, it has 4,000 seats, behind which is a 95,000 square foot Great Lawn.

Chicago artist Christine Tarkowski named this installation: “When we call the Earth by way of distinction a planet and the Moon a satellite, we should consider whether we do not, in a certain sense, mistake the matter. Perhaps – and not unlikely – the Moon is the planet and the Earth the satellite! Are we not a larger moon to the Moon, than she is to us?”