Navi Pier

NAVY PIER
Navy Pier is a large pier on Lake michigan near Streeterville, close to Chicago's downtown. Originally known as the Municipal Pier nr 2, it is one of two piers calledfor in Daniel Burnham's 1909 Chicago plan. The other pier was never built.
Construction started May 1914 and in 1916 it was opened to the public. Largest pier, 292 ft wide and3000ft long (89m x 914m). The pier was designed as a shopping and entertainment area. In its first decade, the Municipal Pier was successfully attracting both visitors and ships. Itwas also temporarily used as a military facility during the First World War.
In 1927 the pier was renamed Navy Pier in honor of World War I veterans. It would turn out to be aprophetic name change, as the Navy Pier served as a naval training facility during the Second World War After the war it served as the Chicago branch of the University ofIllinois. In 1965 the university moved to its new location and the Navy Pier started to decay.

The Navy Pier is home to many attractions, some may vary depending on the season. For acomprehensive list, prices and schedules have a look at Navy Pier's own
- The most eye-catching is the 148 ft (45m) high Ferris Wheel. It was modeled after the first ferris wheelbuilt for the 1893 World Columbian Exposition.
- Near the Ferris wheel is a 44ft high musical carousel with 36 hand-painted animals.
- The skyline stage, a 100ft (30m) highvaulted roof structure, is used as an ice skating rink during wintertime and as a 1500-seat theater during summer.
- The Navy Pier features two museums: the Children's museum andthe Smith museum of Stained Glass Windows, which opened in 2000.
- A 7 story Shakespeare theater complex with a 525 seat theater is another recent addition to the Navy Pier.