Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Outdoor amphitheater in Millennium Park, Chicago, United States
Jay Pritzker Pavilion is an open-air concert hall in Millennium Park, Chicago, with a curved stainless steel structure rising above the stage and connected to a lattice of steel pipes spanning the audience area. The facility includes a fixed seating section in front of the stage and a sweeping lawn that extends behind it, offering space for thousands of visitors.
The pavilion was designed by Frank Gehry and opened in July 2004 after five years of construction. The naming honors the founder of Hyatt Hotels, whose family contributed significantly to funding Millennium Park.
The open-air concert hall hosts free performances by the Grant Park Music Festival series during summer months, drawing families and music lovers to the large lawn daily. Visitors often bring picnic blankets and baskets to enjoy performances under the signature steel trellis.
Access to the lawn area is free, while seating sections may be reserved depending on the event and early arrival is recommended on summer weekends. The venue sits centrally in the park and is easily reached by several paths, with restrooms and refreshment stands nearby.
A network of speakers is integrated into the steel pipe trellis above the lawn, distributing sound evenly so that listeners in the back rows experience acoustics similar to those in front seats. This construction allows the pavilion to create concert hall sound without enclosing walls.
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