Navy Pier, Entertainment pier on Lake Michigan, Chicago, United States
Navy Pier is a 3,300-foot structure extending into Lake Michigan in the center of Chicago. The pier hosts rides, dining, event halls, and a tall Ferris wheel above the water.
The pier opened in 1916 as a public dock for cargo and passenger ships on Lake Michigan. After the First World War, the city of Chicago renamed the structure in 1927 to honor naval forces.
The Chicago Shakespeare Theater presents over 650 performances annually within Navy Pier, while rotating art installations enhance public spaces throughout the complex.
Two parking garages sit at the entrance to the facility, while several bus lines connect the site to the city. Seasonal water taxis dock at the pier's end from May through September, linking different points along the shoreline.
The Centennial Wheel reaches a height of 200 feet and offers year-round enclosed gondolas with heating and air conditioning. Each ride lasts about 13 minutes and grants multiple rotations above the lake's surface.
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