If you’re looking to escape the city without going too far, Millennium Park is the perfect place for just that. Featuring a wide variety of public art and stunning view of the Chicago skyline, Millennium Park is surrounded by one of the most fashionable residential districts in the city.From it’s opening in the summer of 2004, the park has been awarded for it’s green design and accessibility and has become the Top Tourist destination in Chicago for 2017, placing it among the Top Ten US destinations with over 25 million annual visitors. So grab the kids and remember your camera to capture the fun!
The Crown Fountain
If you’re looking to escape the summer heat, the Crown Fountain is the place to be! The interactive public art and video sculpture includes a reflecting pool between two 50-foot transparent glass brick towers. Through the use of LED lighting behind the bricks, visual art is displayed as water cascaded down the towers. A favourite spot among our GTA Photography campers on field trip in the summer, the fountains attract photographers alike and tourists looking to enjoy a little splash time and cool down.
Jay Pritzker Pavilion
Known as the centrepiece of the park, the Jay Pritzker Pavilion consists of a bandshell with seating up to 4,000 and a great lawn able to seat an additional 7,000. The pavilion hosts a number of small performing art events through the summer months. Here you can find a range of performers from rock bands to opera singers, as well as physical fitness activities like yoga and pilates. It is also home to the Grant Park Musical Festival, the last remaining free outdoor classical music series.
AT&T Plaza and Cloud Gate
The AT&T Plaza offers great views of the Chicago city line and is home to the Cloud Gate sculpture made of reflective steel. Locally known as “The Bean,” Cloud Gate is 12 feet high and offers photographers an incredible tool to capture the surroundings creatively through its reflection. This is definitely a spot for some great photographs of the family and abstract shots of the Chicago skyline. During the winter months, Christmas carolling is presented in the plaza to celebrate the holiday season. There are also stunning views of the McCormick Tribune Plaza and ice rink.
Lurie Garden
The 2.5 acre public garden located on the southern end of Millennium Park and is a popular destination for wedding photographers and family portraits. There is a boardwalk and stream that divides the garden into two plates. The plates are representative of Chicago’s past and future: the dark plate with trees shading the plant life represents the history of the land, and the light plate with no trees and vibrant flowers presents the landscape of the future. The garden is most colourful in June through to autumn so plan your trip during the warm months to capture the garden’s beauty.
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