Originally completed in 1916 as part of Daniel Burnham’s plan for Chicago, Navy Pier is an iconic Chicago landmark steeped in history. Learn more about the first 100 years of "the People's Pier."

Navy Pier

Navy Pier: A Chicago Landmark

In 1927, "Municipal Pier" was renamed "Navy Pier" to honor the naval veterans who served in WWI.

In the fall of 1941, the U.S. Navy leased most of the Pier’s underutilized cargo facilities from the city for the purpose of training sailors and marines to become metalsmiths, aviation mechanics and diesel operators. 

In preparation for this major effort, the Navy installed 40,000 feet of pipe for a half-mile of showers, a heating plant, toilet facilities and kitchens. The Navy also added a 2,500-seat theater, gymnasium, barber shop, tailor shop, cobbler and hospital staffed by nine physicians and a dozen dentists.   

When the facility opened, there were 2,102 triple deck beds, 6,304 mess kits and 6,303 lockers. By July of 1942, Navy Pier was the largest training school of its type in the world. By August of 1942, student swimmers were being taught how to slide down a 65-foot rope into the sea and how to protect themselves against sharks and barracudas.    

Sailors were also taught how to prepare for attacks in a specially constructed gas chamber. By August of 1945 Navy Pier was being used primarily as a Separation Center as returning veterans made the transition to civilian life.  In 1946 the Navy turned the Pier back over to the city after graduating 60,000 servicemen and playing an important role in the Allied war effort.  

Naval History

From steamships to speedboats, explore Navy Pier's 100 years of nautical history.

The nautical history of Navy Pier begins a century ago, in the late 19-teens. At that time, the Pier was a vital shipping and travel destination, home to boats and ships of every size and description.   

Large freighters carrying lumber, livestock and agricultural products shared the water with smaller boats ferrying passengers between Jackson Park to the south, and Lincoln Park to the north. No other type of vessel contributed more to Navy Pierʼs success than the lake steamer, and they remain symbols of its first golden age.    

For Chicago residents, steamships transported both manufactured goods and passengers. The Manitou, Puritan and Missouri steamers docked at Navy Pier and transported passengers to Mackinac Island and Benton Harbor. For $40, the steamer Carolina would take guests on a five-day excursion of the Great Lakes, offering an escape from the chaos of urban life.     

In the modern era, tour boats such as the Spirit of Chicago, the Odyssey, and the Elite keep Navy Pier’s nautical history alive with first-class dinner and recreational cruises on Lake Michigan. These vessels have been joined in recent years by even more boats, including the four-masted schooner Windy, the giant speedboats Seadog I and II, and Shoreline Sightseeing’s tour and shuttle boats.  

Nautical History

The Burnham Plan transformed Chicago's lakefront into an attractive & useful public space.

Navy Pier began as a key part of famed architect Daniel Burnham’s 1909 Plan of Chicago. Burnham envisioned a series of public piers that would transform the lakefront into attractive and useful civic space.  

While he saw the need for piers to also serve commercial purposes, he also felt strongly that the lakefront need not be ruled by commerce. City planners with the Harbor and Subway Commission also embraced the concept of piers as ways to relieve heavy river traffic and boost Chicago’s position in the lake shipping industry. 

In 1914, the Commission proposed building five mixed use piers, but ultimately only one would be built. Designed by architect Charles Sumner Frost to include space for business and recreation, the $5 million Municipal Pier No. 2, ‘built by the city for the people,’ opened in 1916 and immediately enjoyed a golden age of cultural and commercial success. 

Throughout the 1920s, the Pier bustled with activity and thrived as a civic center for public concerts, plays, art exhibits, children’s activities, airplane and motorboat races and fireworks displays.  

The Burnham Plan

Also called the "Chicago Breakwater Light" the CHL is located  at the northern end of the breakwater.

The Chicago Harbor Lighthouse was built in 1893, although not where you see it today. The 48-foot brick and steel tower, which has a multiple-room concrete base, was originally located at the mouth of the Chicago River.  

It was moved to its current location at the outer breakwater in 1917. Today, 191 lighthouses dot the Great Lakes. The U.S. Coast Guard owns 132 of them, and 108 of these are operational.  

With new technological advancements, these lights are no longer manned. However, they continue to serve boaters while providing a constant reminder of the area’s nautical heritage. 

Chicago Harbor Lighthouse

This 8-ton anchor installed on Navy Pier in 1995 was from the U.S.S. Chicago.

This 8-ton anchor was donated by the United States Naval Historical Center in honor of four warships named after the Chicago and dedicated to the thousands of men and women who serve the nation in maritime service.  

The first Chicago was a cruiser that served as part of the Great White Fleet from 1889 to 1928. The second Chicago was a heavy cruiser commissioned in 1931. During distinguished service in World War II, it was sunk by enemy action in Guadalcanal waters in 1943. The third Chicago, from which this anchor was salvaged, was commissioned in 1945 as a heavy cruiser, then converted to a guided missile cruiser after World War II.  

Navy Anchor

Learn the history of the iconic main entrance to Navy Pier.

Charles Sumner Frost’s original design for the Pier consists of three distinct, semi-integrated sections.  

The Head House would serve as the formal entrance to the Pier on its west end, featuring three wide passenger gateways flanked by two 100 feet-high octagonal towers of white glazed terra-cotta molded with representations of aquatic life.  

Each tower was adorned with glazed tile, decorative relief and the City of Chicago emblem in a style its engineers describe as ‘pre-Art Deco’.  

Head House History

A two-year undergraduate division of UIC opened on Navy Pier to serve returning war veterans in 1946.

In 1944, The Servicemen’s Readjustment Act or “GI Bill” was passed by Congress and provided veterans with liberal education benefits. As a result of surging college enrollments, the University of Illinois transformed the Pier into a two-year undergraduate branch campus.  

In use until 1965, “Harvard on the Rocks,” as it was affectionately known, included 21 laboratories, 52 classrooms and four large lecture halls. The Navy’s former mess hall became a giant library containing the largest reading room in Illinois. The Navy drill hall, which was built during the war just southwest of the Pier, was converted into a gymnasium and accommodated three full-sized basketball courts. 

UIC History

The remains of this historic fishing pier can be seen from Navy Pier's South Dock.

The collection of wooden pilings running parallel to the South Dock is known as Dime Pier. Although clearly worse for the wear, in its heyday it was one of the hottest fishing locations on the lakefront, when fishermen were so taken with the spot that they would hire a rowboat for the sum of a dime to take them out to the pier in the morning and pick them up later in the day. Despite its appearance, the substructure beneath the water now plays an important role in controlling wave action in the area.

Dime Pier

Navy Pier's historic ballroom features an 80-foot domed ceiling and panoramic lakefront views.

Chicago’s need for a place to stage a grand celebration for the National Bicentennial in 1976 led to the restoration of the Pier’s east end recreational facilities in the mid-1970s under the direction of City Architect Jerome Butler and the Chicago Department of Public Works.  

Carefully rebuilt to look as it did in 1916, the Aon Grand Ballroom features two 165-foot-high observation towers, an 80-foot-high domed ceiling, 3,000 interior lights tracing the arches of the ceiling, and a 180-degree view of Lake Michigan.   

Now restored to much of its original grandeur, the Aon Grand Ballroom is once again one of Chicago’s premier venues for galas, weddings, concerts, trade and public shows and ceremonies of all varieties. 

Aon Grand Ballroom 

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Plan your spring break family fun in Chicago! Check it out on the Choose Chicago channel on Vamonde.

Plan a family getaway the kids won't soon forget!

Spring Break Family Fun

Explore some of the locations of the Chicago blues scene of the 1960s with this VAMONDE adventure, based on the Chicago History Museum exhibition, "AMPLIFIED: Chicago Blues."

Chicago History Museum

Explore some of the locations of the Chicago blues scene of the 1960s with this VAMONDE adventure, based on the Chicago History Museum exhibition, "AMPLIFIED: Chicago Blues." Southern black migrants brought the blues to Chicago, where the music helped them forge connections and transform an unfamiliar, often inhospitable city into a new home. The music was also transformed—electrified and amplified to compete with urban noise. The photography of Raeburn Flerlage captures the streets, clubs, homes, and studios where a community of musicians defined the Chicago blues sound.

AMPLIFIED: Chicago Blues

From a 20th century resurgence that rivaled the Harlem Renaissance, to spectacular displays of Victorian Era architecture, this South Side neighborhood is responsible for tremendous cultural and social advances that are not to be missed.

The heart and soul of Chicago lies in its 77 vibrant neighborhoods, and going beyond the loop (Chicago’s downtown business district) will give you a much needed escape from the hustle and bustle of the skyscraper district. As part of the Beyond the Loop video series, The Second City and Goose Island Beer Company have teamed up with Choose Chicago to explore the local hotspots in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood. Discover why Bronzeville is more than just an artsy pocket on the South Side.

Bronzeville and Beyond

"How can I possibly be expected to handle school on a day like this?" We've all been there, even if we're not Ferris Bueller. After your mornings stretch, you look outside at the shining sun, soft breeze, and then wonder, "How can anyone expect me to handle work on a day like this?" So take the day off! While you're at it, follow in Ferris Bueller's footsteps too as Choose Chicago takes you through the film locations that made Ferris Bueller's Day Off such a wonderful adventure (but make sure Ed Rooney isn't on your tail).

It’s Ferris Bueller's Day Off! Take a day to explore the city, but don't get caught by the incredulous Principal Rooney! Kick it like a couple of wise-cracking high school kids at The Art Institute of Chicago and peer down from over 100 stories in the air with the Skydeck at Willis Tower. (Cover photo from @thiswashollywood via Instagram)

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Chicago’s legendary Second City comedy troupe and Goose Island Beer Company have teamed up with Choose Chicago to create the quintessential Old Town experience. Join us as we explore the historic neighborhood and discover its many claims to fame.

As part of the Beyond the Loop video series, The Second City and Goose Island Beer Company have teamed up with Choose Chicago to create the quintessential Old Town experience. Discover why this neighborhood has been home to immigrant families, gays, hippies and young professionals alike over the years.

Quintessential Old Town

The Second City and Goose Island Beer Company team up with Choose Chicago to how you why even 120 years after the Columbian Exposition, Hyde Park is still a profound point of historical and social importance in Chicago.

The heart and soul of Chicago lies in its 77 vibrant neighborhoods, and going beyond the loop (Chicago’s downtown business district) will give you a much needed escape from the hustle and bustle of the skyscraper district. As part of the Beyond the Loop video series, The Second City and Goose Island Beer Company have teamed up with Choose Chicago to explore the local hotspots in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood. Join us as we show you why even 120 years after the Columbian Exposition, Hyde Park is still a profound point of historical and social importance in Chicago.

Hyde Park: Obama's Neighborhood

The Budget Savvy Travelers

Temperatures are rising and the days are getting longer. This is a sure sign that schools will soon be out for summer vacation. Families looking for fun, affordable ways to keep kids busy during hot days will appreciate this guide that shares some great ways to cool off around Chicago—most are even free.

Best Places to Cool Off in Chicago

Craving a getaway, but short on vacation time or extra travel funds? Why not consider embarking on a culinary adventure? Chicago is a great city to experience the world through food! There are over 100 different neighborhoods in the city, each with its own unique flavors and traditions to share. Chicago has always celebrated a diverse array of people, cultures, and cuisines. Therefore, it's not surprising that Chicago consistently ranks high in top foodie destinations in the United States. For those of us that can’t book a plane ticket to satisfy our travel “craving,” taking a culinary adventure is truly the next best thing. Chicago offers a great opportunity to be carried away to a dreamy, distant place–if only through our palates alone.

Traveling the World Through Food | Chicago

Haley Guidry

Only have a short time to visit Chicago? No problem! With this guide, you can fit it all in - in just a weekend!

Spending a Weekend in Chicago

Looking for some free activities to explore in Chicago? You'll be surprised to learn that there are many things to do around the city that are absolutely free of charge!

6 Chicago Hidden Gems to Explore For Free

Wrigley Field holds the very identity of the Chicago Cubs. But Wrigley isn’t the only spot that embodies the spirit of the Cubbies. Lakeview is home to so many rich businesses that are full of North side pride!

Lakeview Chamber of Commerce

Wrigleyville isn’t the only haven for fans of the Chicago Cubs. Take an adventure “Beyond Wrigley” into West Lakeview to explore some of the neighborhood icons and local businesses that are full of Cubbies pride!

Beyond Wrigley

Glessner House

Glessner House -

An architectural treasure in Chicago

Glessner House - An architectural treasure in Chicago

Welcome to the Chicago Cultural Center, a landmark home of the arts.

The People's Palace

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Chicago has long been a laboratory for architectural innovation and experimentation. Let the Chicago Architecture Center lead you through the stories behind some of the city’s most significant skyscrapers. Come on an adventure to unlock the secrets of ten iconic Chicago Buildings.

Cover photo courtesy of Jessica Cabe

10 Iconic Chicago Buildings

Chicago Chinatown Chamber of Commerce

An Adventure through all the Best Spots in the City

Must Visit Attractions in Chicago

Chicago has one of the most iconic skylines in the world. This insider guide shows you the best vantage points to capture a memorable photo of the skyline of Chicago. Best of all? These are all places that you can visit that are all free of charge.

Where to Find Chicago's Best Skyline Views for Free

Start on Chicago's South Side and travel back in time as you explore visit the homes of some of the most influential LGBTQ+ people in the city's vibrant history. Make your way through Washington Park and Woodlawn moving north towards Rogers Park.

Learn about Chicago's vibrant LGBTQ+ history on this cultural excursion through various parts of the City. This tour covers the historic markers and residences of some of Chicago's top LGBTQ+ luminaries. Find out how they left their marks from Washington Park and Woodlawn all the way up north to Rogers Park.

Explore Gay Chicago History: LGBTQ+ Landmarks Tour

Around every corner of The Magnificent Mile lie surprising pieces that make up the rich history of downtown Chicago.

The Magnificent Mile

Around every corner of The Magnificent Mile lie surprising pieces that make up the rich history of downtown Chicago. Unexpected turn-of-the-century ballrooms, lavish chandeliers, stained glass fit for royalty, atlases of the Renaissance, former mansions of America's elite, eclectic bars, iconic burger joints, classic cocktails, and unbeatable views make up our guide to the top hidden gems around the district.

The Magnificent Mile's Hidden Gems

Chicago is a city built of neighborhoods and cultures and Chinatown is the prime example. Just south of Chicago's Loop, Chinatown is bustling with people, traditional cuisine, and of course culture.

Chicago is a city built of neighborhoods and cultures and Chinatown is the prime example. Just south of Chicago's Loop, Chinatown is bustling with people, traditional cuisine, and of course culture. Hop on the Red Line, a bus, or even a water taxi and discover one of Chicago's most unique neighborhoods.

Chicago's Chinatown

This adventure, based on the Chicago History Museum exhibition, "Remembering Dr. King: 1929–1968," invites you to explore some of the locations Dr. King frequented in Chicago.

A Baptist minister and champion of nonviolent activism, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most influential figures of the civil rights movement. He spent considerable time in Chicago protesting racial discrimination, particularly in housing and education.
This VAMONDE adventure is based on the Chicago History Museum exhibition, "Remembering Dr. King: 1929-1968," and invites you to explore in person some of the locations King frequented in the city and to consider how Dr. King’s work remains relevant today, 50 years after his assassination.

Martin Luther King Jr. in Chicago

Join Julia Bachrach, former Chicago Park District historian, on a journey through Humboldt Park to learn more about the role the 150-year-old park served as key experimental grounds for Jens Jensen's Prairie style of landscape architecture.

Julia Bachrach

Established 150 years ago, Humboldt Park can be thought of as a living landmark with layers of history that reflect contributions by important landscape designers, architects, and artists. The most noteworthy, Danish immigrant Jens Jensen (1860 – 1951), revered the indigenous scenery of the Midwest and created the Prairie style of landscape architecture. Humboldt Park provided important grounds for his process of experimentation. Jensen went on to design estates for prominent businessmen such as Julius Rosenwald, Harold Florsheim, and Henry Ford. Join Julia Bachrach, former Chicago Park District historian and author of "The City in a Garden: A History of Chicago’s Parks," on a journey to learn more about how Humboldt Park served as Jens Jensen’s Experimental Grounds.

Humboldt Park: Jens Jensen’s Experimental Grounds

The Art Institute of Chicago is no stranger to "best museums” list, but beyond Michigan Avenue there are many amazing galleries displaying works from heavy hitters like Keith Haring and Hebru Brantley. Get inspired by these galleries and their collections

Chicago Scene

Chicago is home to countless world renowned cultural institutions. The Art Institute of Chicago is no stranger to "best museums” list, but beyond Michigan Avenue there are many amazing galleries displaying works from heavy hitters like Keith Haring and Hebru Brantley. There’s something for everyone at these galleries, whether you’re simply an appreciator of art or a seasoned collector.

Art Galleries: Beyond The Museum Campus

Not your everyday Chicago adventure, these unique outings go inside, behind-the-scenes, and even underground to show off a different side of the city.

From the lair of a notorious Chicago gangster to the infectious groove of a legendary blues club, this adventure will have you socializing, singing, and exploring the city all day (and night!) long. Personally curated by the Vamonde team (a group of foodies, architecture buffs, music fanatics and bar-hopping explorers) this adventure will provide you with the incredible stories and secrets behind some of Chicago’s notorious and renowned spots. Did we mention gingerbread cookies at the Waldorf Astoria?

A Chicago Insider’s Adventure

Join the American Writers Museum on a journey through Chicago's neighborhoods to learn the fascinating stories of some of the city's literary landmarks.

American Writers Museum

Join the American Writers Museum on a journey through Chicago's neighborhoods to learn the fascinating stories of some of the city's literary landmarks. A special adventure created in honor of the 2017 American Library Association Annual Exhibition and Conference.

Chicago Literary Landmarks Hunt

Photojournalist Paul Natkin captures his love for music through the lens of his camera and has worked with the biggest names in music during his 40-year career. Paul speaks with blues experts to help you explore Chicago’s blues scene past and present.

Paul Natkin

Photojournalist Paul Natkin captures his love for music through the lens of his camera and has worked with the biggest names in music during his 40-year career. In this adventure,  Paul goes beyond the Chicago Blues Festival to speak with blues experts to help you explore Chicago’s blues scene past and present.

Beyond the Blues

The Gathering Spaces are a series of artist-designed community areas along the Burnham Wildlife Corridor, a 100-acre ribbon of urban wilderness spanning Lake Shore Drive. Travel along the corridor to discover how the artists linked nature and culture.

Chicago Park District

The Gathering Spaces are a series of five artist-designed community areas along the Burnham Wildlife Corridor (BWC), a 100-acre ribbon of urban wilderness spanning both sides of Lake Shore Drive. The five Gathering Spaces reflect the nature and culture of the area and serve as assembly grounds and rest areas for people exploring the Corridor. The spaces were designed and created by teams of local artists in partnership with community-based organizations in the Chinatown, Bronzeville, and Pilsen neighborhoods. On this adventure, we'll travel along the BWC to get the inside scoop on the creative process, community goals, and environmental context of each Gathering Space.

Lakefront Gathering Spaces

Broadway in Chicago

With more than 200 theaters, Chicago is home to a rich and varied theater community, well known for a diverse mix of original productions that began here and then went on to Broadway and the world. Broadway In Chicago currently own many of the anchor theatres in Theatre District, including the CIBC Theatre (home of Hamilton), the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place, the Cadillac Palace Theatre, and the James M. Nederlander Theatre which broke records when it housed Wicked from 2005-2009. Let Broadway In Chicago take you through a tour of the theatres that make up the Chicago Theatre District.

Chicago Historic Theatre District

Choose Chicago® is the official destination marketing organization for Chicago, Illinois. When you’re in Chicago, you’re home. With the countless experiences there are to have here, you're absolutely welcome to do any and all of them.

Navy Pier: A Chicago Landmark

Naval History

Naval History

Nautical History

Nautical History

The Burnham Plan

The Burnham Plan

Chicago Harbor Lighthouse

Chicago Harbor Lighthouse

Navy Anchor

Navy Anchor

Head House History

Head House History

UIC History

UIC History

Dime Pier

Dime Pier

Aon Grand Ballroom

Aon Grand Ballroom

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