Celebrating Millennium Park's 10th Anniversary with Esoteric Trivia

Millennium Park in Chicago had its grand opening on July 16, 2004. Now, ten years later, it's one of the country's most treasured, visited, and photographed public spaces.

1 minute read

July 18, 2014, 7:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


To commemorate the anniversary of the park, the WGN Web Desk tells a few of the lesser-known stories about Millennium Park. For instance:

  • Jeff Koons came in second to Anish Kapoor's famous design for "Cloudgate," which is more popularly known as "The Bean." His piece wasn't selected because it wasn't accessible to people with disabilities.
  • The original plan called for "The Bean" to be located in Lurie Garden. 
  • Ed Uhlir, the project design director and master planner for Millennium Park, is one of the faces pictured on the Crown Fountain.

Wednesday, July 16, 2014 in Chicagoland Television

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