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.

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.

Ways to explore

The Chicago Picasso is hard to miss—its gigantic, curved metal form looms large over downtown Chicago. 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 tours and architecture tours stop to discuss the statue’s history and significance.

Thanks to its proximity to other popular tourist attractions—including Millennium Park and the Chicago Theatre—The Picasso is easy to discover independently during a day out in the Windy City. Public events are often held around the statue, including farmers markets and the annual Christkindlmarkt.

Accessibility

The statue is located in Richard J. Daley Plaza, which is level and has step-free access.

Age limits

None

What to pack

Sun protection, umbrella, camera

What to wear

Wear weather-appropriate layers and comfortable walking shoes to sightsee in Chicago.

Not allowed

While the rules vary by tour, most don’t allow smoking, pets, or alcohol.

Amenities

Proximity to public transit, shops, and restaurants.

Address

The Chicago Picasso is situated in Richard J. Daley Plaza, located in the heart of Chicago’s downtown Loop neighborhood. The area is very well-served by public transportation, taxis, and rideshare services, while tours with included transportation offer another way to get there.

Driving

While you can drive to the Chicago Picasso, downtown Chicago can have very congested traffic. Instead, use taxis or rideshare services. If you must drive, make use of nearby paid parking garages.

Public transportation

Take the Blue Line of the Chicago L to Washington; the Red Line to Lake; or the Brown, Green, Orange, Pink, or Purple lines to State/Lake. Numerous bus routes also frequent the area.

Best times to visit

The Chicago Picasso—and Richard J. Daley Plaza more generally—is accessible to the public 24/7. Visit on a good-weather day to make the most of your time outdoors.

Best days to visit

The area around the Richard J. Daley Plaza is almost always busy, whether with weekday office workers or weekend tourists. It hosts a farmers market on Thursdays from spring to autumn.

Best months to visit

While summer is Chicago’s tourist high season, it comes with high temperatures. For outdoor attractions like the Chicago Picasso, spring and fall offer more comfortable sightseeing.

Special events

The annual Christkindlmarkt—one of Chicago’s most popular festive events—is held in Richard J. Daley Plaza from late November to Christmas Eve.