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    Crown Fountain

    4.4 (129 reviews)
    Open 6:00 am - 11:00 pm

    Crown Fountain Photos

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    Lana E.

    This is a kid's dream. Splash pad / water fountain / weird digital faces on a large structure- what more could you ask for? It was a warm day and many families brought their kids here to play.

    Rhonda W.

    Crown fountain is always a stop for me when visiting this cool city. Love the reflections in the fountain at night and the lights of the city scape. I walked from greek area in i think west. To Buckingham fountain and then crown fountain. Came in daytime and loved people watching. Def check out culture center architecture and glass dome ceiling and view from Cindy's of the park. Both are across the street. I know Chicago has a rep for crime but I usually am on my own here and never had any issues. I felt perfectly safe in the parks even at night. The city is gorgeous at night.

    IG: @ammysalamii
    Angela G.

    This was on the way back to our car and I honestly didn't know what to expect from this tour spot. There were still quite a bit of people but apparently it's usually busier and actually supposed to have water spouting out of the two towers, like fountains. It was DRY and no water at all when we visited! It was a very odd time visiting. First the Bean was closed and then this! Not sure why since it was basically middle of summer so wouldn't you think the water would be running? Very odd. Still neat to see and pass through, right in the heart of Chicago with beautiful buildings and views all around. Definitely want to come back and see the water running next time! IG: @ammysalamii

    Breathing views of the Chicago River
    Anisley L.

    Of course my husband and I had to visit the bean, but Crown Fountain is what really stunned us! Just beautiful art surrounding this area.

    Ariel W.

    Chicago has some amazing public art and one of the standouts for me is the Crown Fountain in Millennium Park. I passed by it several times while walking from where we parked to the downtown and I was impressed each time I saw it. The Crown Fountain was designed by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa and has become a beloved landmark since its inauguration in 2004. Jaume Plensa was born in 1955 in Barcelona, Spain. He studied at the Llotja School of Art and Design and at the Sant Jordi School of Fine Arts. He has received many national and international awards and exhibits his art in Europe, Asia, and the United States. He is well known for his public art pieces installed in many cities throughout the world. Since 1996 he has also collaborated on many theater and opera projects. Plensa may be best known for his sculptures of oversized heads sprouting from the ground. We have two of Plensa's public art works in Miami, Minna in Miami Beach and Looking Into My Dreams, Awilda in Maurice A Ferré Park in downtown Miami. The Crown Fountain was built by Krueck + Sexton Architects and it consists of two 50-foot glass towers facing each other at either end of a black granite reflecting pool. What sets this installation apart, however, is the use of LED screens on the towers that display ever-changing, high-resolution images of Chicago residents. The faces taken from a cross section of 1,000 city residents, captured in various states of expression, offering a diverse and dynamic portrayal of the city's population. The true magic of the Crown Fountain, however, lies in its interactivity. The black granite reflecting pool between the towers serves as a shallow wading area for visitors, especially inviting during the scorching summer months. The real thrill comes when the LED screens intermittently transform into cascading waterfalls, creating a refreshing play area for children and adults which allows them to engage with the dancing water. The use of technology in the Crown Fountain is both innovative and inclusive. The images of Chicagoans were sourced from a broad spectrum of ethnicities, ages, and backgrounds, emphasizing the city's rich diversity. This thoughtful representation fosters a sense of unity and connection among park visitors. While the Crown Fountain is undoubtedly a unique and immersive experience, it is not without its challenges. Some say the fountain is beginning to show its age. The water feature can sometimes be inaccessible during maintenance or winter months which limits its appeal. The fountain is best viewed with the water features operating between mid-spring and mid-fall, but the images remain on view year-round. Additionally, the LED screens, while cutting-edge at the time of installation, may eventually require updates to maintain their visual impact. Despite these minor drawbacks, the Crown Fountain remains a must-visit destination in Chicago. Its ability to seamlessly merge art, technology, and public engagement makes it an iconic symbol of the city's commitment to fostering a vibrant and inclusive urban environment. Whether you're a local looking for a refreshing escape or a tourist seeking a unique cultural experience, the Crown Fountain stands as a shining example of how public art can enrich and enliven urban spaces turning them into community hubs. It is estimated that the Crown Fountain is visited by 5 million people a year.

    Sanjay G.

    It features two 50-foot towers that face each other at opposite ends of a shallow reflecting pool. The towers' LED screens project the faces of thousands of Chicago residents, which are perfectly aligned with spouts so that they appear to be spitting water on passersby. The water flows mid-spring through mid-fall, while the faces are projected year-round. Construction took six months and cost $17 million, adding Crown Fountain to Chicago's world-renowned public art collection in July of 2004. You can see kids playing around, and wedding photoshoots - Millennium Park is a fun place to experience everything. it's not continually flowing, it happens at a gap of 2-4 minutes. Like the legacy of Chicago, Crown Fountain's legacy celebrates community, playfulness, art, and innovation.

    Face display on one of the fountains
    Tony H.

    Not the traditional fountain like Buckingham over at Grant Park, the Crown Fountain is pretty cool as the two structures kind of look like smaller versions of the sky scrapers that make up the Chicago skyline. The fountains light with people's faces on them. The display look good in the day or night time and it's a quick walk down from Cloud Gate aka the Bean in millennium park.

    Karen N.

    What an amazing water experience for kids of all ages! This feature is inside of Millennium Park. There are other artsy area attractions near by, so this becomes a perfect one stop shop. You can't miss it if you are trying to find it. Listen for the screaming kids and you'll be headed in the right direction.

    Steven J.

    Beautiful water feature, very Chicago-like. Not too much to it, yet there was a large crowd surrounding it. Definitely a less overwhelming attraction than Cloud Gate (aka The Bean). Cute place if you're walking through Millennium Park but I'm not sure I'd intentionally seek it out.

    The Crown Fountain is great fun for the young and the young at heart!
    Sherri H.

    This fountain was pretty cool - literally! There were lots of young kids having a blast running through the water and having fun while also cooling off. The fountain provides great fun for the young and the young at heart!

    The back of one of the towers, south of the fountain.
    Aesha E.

    Crown Fountain is a bit of whimsy in the middle of downtown. You'll find it dry with people gazing up at 50-feet- Chicagoans, or wet with folks playing in the water. This unique art installation is actually a kind of modern interpretation of the faces that often are often used to direct water, using people instead of gargoyles. Pretty clever, in my opinion. The water in the fountain comes out of the mouth of the photo, akin to how water flows over and through a gargoyle on a gothic structure. The artist is Jaume Plensa. This mammoth structure is two towers of glass and screens tied together with a granite base where the water collects in a very shallow pool, which reflects the city and the fountains alike. Unlike some fountains, you're encouraged to walk through and look and enjoy. Though the images cycle through all year long, the water feature in particular is only running from spring to fall.

    Mari H.

    I discovered Crown Fountain by accident on a previous trip when it had only been there a short time in 2005. Sadly, I can see the change and decay in the artwork over the years since I was there shortly after it opened but it is still something worth your time to see and enjoy. Hopefully they have plans to repair them or do repairs on a more regular basis. The artwork displays different faces of the people of Chicago with a water experience (during non-winter months) that the kids love as it looks like water is coming out of the mouth's at them. Sitting there you can see the excitement in their faces when the water comes out and it nice to see that sweet innocence. Also, not a bad way to cool off from the summer heat if you don't mind getting wet yourself. The fountains (one at each end) are very large and were a donation from the Crown Family at the chime of 10 Million dollars to be designed by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa. Another great free must see of Chicago.

    Tonya J.

    Spitting fountain exhibit with changing faces! The crown fountain during the day acts as a water fountain to cool off kids to beat the heat in Millennium Park. As the sun is about to go down, it lights up and showcases various faces and expression while appear to show water coming from the mouths of this featured in the exhibit. Very neat! Photo ops!

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    This is a cool Chicago highlight. Should go and see at least once. Free of charge, other nice sights nearby.

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    Review Highlights - Crown Fountain

    Chicago has some amazing public art and one of the standouts for me is the Crown Fountain in Millennium Park.

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    The Gentlemen Statues - The Gentlemen Statues Chicago

    The Gentlemen Statues

    5.0(2 reviews)
    0.5 miNear North Side

    Almost walked past this. Opposite side of The Riverwalk. Great detail. Great background view of…read moreChicago skyline! Worth the stop!

    This is an amazing piece of work by Taiwanese Artist and Sculptor Ju Ming. It is located in the…read moreAMA Plaza and outdoor seating is offered for individuals to sit and admire and discuss the sculpture of the eleven men cast in Bronze who are dressed in business suits, trench coats and some with umbrellas...obviously as if they were on their way to work in a modern city environment. Upon a close-up inspection recently, I noticed that the eyes were not pronounced and that they seem to be expressionless as the grayness of their cast figures suggest. Almost as if it was just another day going through the same routine- wake up, go to work, eat, sleep---REPEAT. It reminds me in a way of Andy Warhol's Campbells Soup Can-we live from one meal to the next. About the Artist: Ju Ming (1938-) was originally trained as a woodcarver; however, his work evolved into sculpting in bronze in addition to other materials such as styrofoam, stainless steel as well as other mediums. He became well known in Taiwan during the 1970s and later in 1983 in New York City when he had individual exhibition of Living World Series: A Pair of Classical People at the Max Hutchinson Gallery. This piece in particular, is regarded as one of the most important works among the early production of the Living World Series. Ming's Living World Series appears or suggests that his work may evolve from his perception of the world around him; however, he has been quoted as saying that there is no one interpretation or set interpretation designated in his intention to create his sculptures. There are other parts of The Living World Series including "Imprisonment"which has drawn attention to his style of thought provoking sculpture. FYI-This Public Piece of art was purchased by Eagle Holdings, which is the parent group of the Langham Hospitality Group.

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    The Gentlemen Statues
    The Gentlemen Statues
    The Gentlemen Statues

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    Wings of Mexico

    Wings of Mexico

    4.5(2 reviews)
    0.6 miNear North Side

    Wings of Mexico…read more Beautiful wings. Gold. Always a line for taking picture. Nice. Clean place. Lots of people. They placed the wings in the perfect place. Highly recommended

    You will find this pair of gold wings in the front of The Plaza of America. They tempt you to hop…read moreup there and take a photo with them. The wings are made of bronze with cement and iron bases and were installed in the Plaza in May 2022. They are the work of renowned Mexican artist Jorge Marín, who intended the piece to proudly symbolize the immigrant journey. Marin partnered with the Consulate General of Mexico in Chicago and Visit Mexico for the piece. The wings are well traveled. They were actually made in 2010 and before reaching its current home in Chi-town, it began it journey in Mexico City, with stops at 25 other locations, from California to Dubai. It was scheduled to be moved to Brookhaven, Georgia in October 2022, but for some reason still remains in Chicago as of April 2023. I like the concept of the wings and its backstory. It takes all of those wing murals popping up across the county to the next level. It is rare to see them in sculpture form. I really like these wings, even though they are pretty basic. They are still very detailed, eye catching and they are definitely worth checking out if you are in the area. Parking to get a closer look at this sculpture is difficult to do, as is most parking in the Windy City. This sculpture is not a destination piece and most of its viewers will be passerbys such as myself. Anyway, as with most sculptures that I have visited and reviewed, this is probably not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. Also, be very careful if you are going to get a closer look, as i previously mentioned, this is located at a busy roundabout. With that being said, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

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    Wings of Mexico
    Wings of Mexico
    Wings of Mexico

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    The Bronze Cow Statue - The Bronze Cow with her Deep Dish Chicago-Style Pizza

    The Bronze Cow Statue

    4.5(2 reviews)
    0.2 miThe Loop

    How now bronze cow…read more.. Peter Hanig, a shoe retailer, saw an exhibit of decorated cows in Zurich and brought the idea home to Chicago. This sparked a national and international trend of placing painted sculptures in cities incorporating a wide range of themes including cows and boots in Houston, DNA double helix sculptures in London, baby elephants on parade in Copenhagen (which were amazing to see), globes in Tel Aviv and 500 shoes in Istanbul. This sculpture, nicknamed "In Remembrance of Things Past," is a nod to the original Chicago CowParade held in 1999. If you look closely, you can see a reflection of the Water Tower in the right eye and the Untitled Picasso sculpture in the left. She stands permanently guarding the Chicago Cultural Center across from Millennium Park today. For more information, scan the Statue Stories Chicago QR code at your visit.

    The Bronze Cow stands alone outside the Chicago Cultural Center on Washington Street. She is part…read moreof Chicago's Cultural History of Artists that designed Fiberglass Cow Statues that were placed throughout the City of Chicago in an effort to support the unification of citizens through art in public spaces. This Bronze Cow was a gift to all Chicagoans and today tells the story and history of The Cow Exhibit in 1999. Listen via your telephone to the story of The Bronze Cow- You can hear the story of The Bronze Cow by scanning the QR Code and listening to it on your cellular telephone. 2019-The Cows Come Home Retrospective along The Mag Mile- Currently there is a retrospective of the Cow Exhibition called "The Cows Come Home" located along the Magnificent Mile (Summer 2019) celebrating the artists works. My Favorite-"The Swiss Cheese Cow"- My favorites are the cows in former Mayor Jane Byrne's Plaza/Park located outside the old Water Tower. I love the "Swiss Cheese" Cow. Really creative! FYI-What exactly is a "cow?" "A cow is a female that has had at least one calf. A heifer is a female that has not yet had a calf; she becomes a cow after her first calf is born. A bull is a male that is able to breed. A steer is a male that has been castrated and is not able to breed." Source: Google Search 'What sex are cows?" https://www.google.com

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    The Bronze Cow Statue - The Placard detailing the History of The Bronze Cow Statue next to it

    The Placard detailing the History of The Bronze Cow Statue next to it

    The Bronze Cow Statue - Scan the QR Code to hear the story of The Bronze Cow on your cellular telephone

    Scan the QR Code to hear the story of The Bronze Cow on your cellular telephone

    The Bronze Cow Statue - Greeting The Bronze Cow outside the Chicago Cultural Center on East Washington Street

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    Greeting The Bronze Cow outside the Chicago Cultural Center on East Washington Street

    Crown Fountain - publicart - Updated May 2026

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