After nearly a year of construction, one of Chicago’s biggest tourist attractions, Anish Kapoor‘s massive Cloud Gate sculpture (affectionately dubbed “The Bean“), is slated to reopen to the public.
The construction on Grainger Plaza in Millennium Park that effectively cut off access to the sculpture was for necessary maintenance, including rebuilding the plaza podium, replacing pavers, and making accessibility upgrades such as new stairs and ramps, as well as a new waterproofing system. Cloud Gate has been closed since last August and was expected to open earlier this spring.
“Weather-permitting, we expect to reopen the Plaza to the public before the end of the month,” a spokesperson with Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events told local news outlet WGN.
At 33 feet high, 42 feet wide, and 66 feet long, Cloud Gate (2006) is one of world’s largest public art installations and the top-ranked tourist attraction in the Midwest. The $23 million sculpture comprises 168 stainless steel plates welded together and polished to a mirror finish, making it extremely popular for selfies and other photographs.
Last year, Kapoor debuted a “Mini Bean” sculpture in New York to mixed reviews. The 19-foot-high, 40-ton sculpture was estimated to have cost between $8 to $10 million.