Lurie Garden Partially Reopens
Construction on the Seam is complete, and portions of Lurie Garden are now open to visitors.
The reopening offers a chance for visitors to see the garden’s plantings as they transition with the seasons. Summer blooms are giving way to grasses and seedheads that bring texture and movement to the landscape. The south walkway remains closed as additional improvements continue.
Thank you for your patience during construction. Fall is an especially beautiful time in the garden, and there is plenty to see as the season unfolds.
For information on the Seam construction please see below.
The Seam, Lurie Garden’s water feature, underwent construction to address necessary repairs and improvements to the infrastructure beneath and around the feature. The project required the garden to close while construction crews completed the work from March until September.
This project is supported by the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Foundation Endowment and Millennium Park Foundation.
Follow @luriegarden on Instagram for ongoing project updates.
More than just a walkway: The Seam within Lurie Garden’s design
Enclosed by the iconic Shoulder Hedge, Lurie Garden is divided into two interior “Plates” separated by a walkway known as the Seam. This corridor is where the past and future of Chicago exist face-to-face. On one side, the Dark Plate evokes the site’s wild history; across the Seam, the Light Plate celebrates the city’s bright future.
The Seam’s materials – stone, water, and wood – honor Chicago’s foundation. Its wooden boardwalk echoes the early sidewalks that once lifted the city out of its original marshy landscape. The orientation of the path reflects the hidden geometry of the city, aligning with th ehistoric retaining walls that originally separated the lake from the land.
Once, restored, the Seam will again invite visitors to sit and dangle their feet in the cool water – a peaceful place to relax and take in the garden’s vibrant community of plants and wildlife throughout the summer.