MILLENNIUM PARK — The city’s biggest tourist attraction will be temporarily off-limits to the public starting this week.
Crews will begin this week repairing the plaza surrounding the Cloud Gate sculpture, commonly known as the Bean, at 201 E. Randolph St. That work will cause the public art installation to have “limited” viewing and public access during the project, according to the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.
Work is slated to begin around Tuesday and will continue through spring, according to the cultural affairs department, which manages Millennium Park and its amenities, including the Bean.
Grainger Plaza, where the Bean resides, will see new pavers and other repairs plus accessibility upgrades as part of the construction project, according to the department.
As Millennium Park nears 20-years-old, the work being done will “enhance [the park’s] appearance, visitor experience and position as the #1 attraction in the Midwest,” the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events said on its website.
The Bean was last closed to the public during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic as city officials sought to stop the spread of the virus.
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