‘The Bean’ reopens after nearly a year of construction, limited access

Chicago’s famous sculpture “The Bean” officially reopened in Millennium Park Sunday morning, according to the city.

Hundreds of Chicago residents and tourists resumed taking their iconic reflective mirror selfies at the popular destination.

The reopening comes after ten months of construction that limited visitor access. According to the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, the podium on Grainger Plaza, the area of Millennium Park surrounding “The Bean,” was rebuilt, with new stairs, accessible ramps, paver replacement, a waterproofing system and other accessibility measures.

Some of the fencing around its perimeter remains.

“The Bean,” officially called Cloud Gate, was designed by London-based artist Anish Kapoor and unveiled to the public when Millennium Park opened in 2004. It has since become the No. 1 attraction in the Midwest, drawing 20 million visitors each year, according to the department.

The reopening is just in time for Millennium Park’s 20th-anniversary celebration, which will take place from July 18 to July 21 and will feature performances, new public art and activities for families, according to DCASE. Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park also reopened Sunday, according to the Chicago Park District. It closed Saturday morning after vandals dyed its pool water red and spray-painted messages opposing the war in Gaza overnight on Friday.

While “The Bean” is fully accessible to visitors now, Millennium Park has increased security around the area in recent years in response to increased violence in the area, particularly the shooting death of 16-year-old Seandell Holliday near “The Bean” in 2022. Visitors must pass through metal detectors and bag checks at the Michigan Avenue and Washington Street and Michigan Avenue and Madison Street entrances from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Thursdays through Sundays. Minors are subject to a 10 p.m. weekend curfew, and they cannot enter Millennium Park between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. on weekends unless they are accompanied by an adult.

Hundreds flocked to Millennium Park for the first time since August. Several visitors remarked that they learned of the reopening from a TikTok video by Choose Chicago, which prompted them to visit on Sunday.