Cloud Gate, nicknamed “The Bean” for its shape, is a massive stainless-steel sculpture by artist Anish Kapoor in Chicago’s Millennium Park. The 110-ton piece stands 33 feet tall and 66 feet long, made of 168 seamlessly welded steel plates polished into a mirror-like, liquid-metal finish.
Its curved surface reflects and distorts the surrounding skyline and Lake Michigan, and visitors can walk underneath through a concave arch that creates a warped, kaleidoscopic view of themselves and the city above. It has become one of the most-photographed public artworks in the United States and a signature Chicago landmark.
Admission is free and the plaza around the sculpture was recently renovated with new stairs, accessible ramps, and waterproofing.
