… which locals also call The Bean, is Anish Kapoor‘s contribution to Chicago – much to the delight of those who visit Millennium Park.

Think back to science studies, and imagine ever so carefully letting a drop of liquid mercury down upon a plaza. A 1110 ton drop that rests more than 10 meters high by 20 meters  (or 33 feet high and 66 feet ) wide, that is.

The Bean is a giant and visually seamless stainless steel mirror that draws crowds with cameras and their giggles as they snap distorted images of themselves and the Chicago skyline. Walk through the underside of the bean, and you’ll enjoy amplifications of distortion. Years seem to fall away from the faces of even the most jaded visitors , as they join the chronologically young in the fun.

The Bean is a a visual treat by day, and even more dramatically so by night.