Chicago Picasso (The Picasso)
The Basics
Chicago Picasso (The Picasso) is hard to miss—its gigantic, curved metal form looms large over a plaza in the downtown Loop. Picasso himself never explained the statue’s meaning or inspiration, so its abstract design remains a local topic of debate. That said, many Chicago walking and architecture tours stop here for a discussion of the statute’s history and significance. Public events are often held around the statue, including farmer’s markets and the annual Christkindlmarkt.
Things to Know Before You Go
Chicago Picasso (The Picasso) statue is open to the public free of charge.
Try to view the statue from different angles and distances, as the form changes shape depending on where you stand.
Chicago Picasso (The Picasso) makes a cameo in several movies, including The Blues Brothers, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and The Fugitive.
How to Get There
Chicago Picasso (The Picasso) is located in the Richard J. Daley Plaza on Washington Street between Dearborn and Clark in downtown Chicago’s Loop. Parking in the area is limited, but the Washington CTA metro station, located on the blue train line, sits beside the plaza.
Trip ideas
When to Get There
The statue can be seen 24 hours a day, every day of the year. The Christkindlmarket is held around the statue annually from mid-November through Christmas Eve.
Enjoying Chicago’s Public Art
The Picasso statue is one of many public art installations that transformed Chicago's parks and plazas into open-air galleries. Highlights of the downtown area include Cloud Gate in Millennium Park (also known as The Bean); Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park; the Four Seasons mosaic by Marc Chagall at the foot of Chase Tower; and Joan Miró’s abstract Chicago sculpture next to the Cook County Administration Building.
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