America's Courtyard

America's Courtyard is a stone sculpture at Adler Planetarium comprising fifty-six rectangular granite blocks arranged in concentric circles with four marble pieces at the center. The work sits near Lake Michigan and creates an open space meant for walking through and observing from different positions.

The sculpture was first installed near the Art Institute of Chicago before being moved to its current location south of Adler Planetarium in December 2000. This relocation established it as a permanent part of the waterfront landscape.

Brazilian artists Denise Milan and Ary Perez designed this outdoor work to express the link between the continents north and south of the equator. The arrangement of stones conveys this connection to those who walk through the space.

The work remains open to visitors throughout the year at no charge as part of Chicago's public art collection. You can approach it from multiple sides and view it from different heights as you walk around.

An astronomer arranged the stones to create four pathways that align with the sun's position during the summer and winter solstices. This astronomical dimension links the work to the neighboring planetarium in an understated way.

Website: http://cpdit01.com/resources/planning-and-development.fountains-monuments-and-sculptures/Northerly%20Island/America%27s%20Courtyard.pdf

GPS coordinates: 41.86564,-87.60657

Latest update: December 14, 2025 16:47