Bridge to somewhere

That would be to the new modern wing of the Art Institute.

Actually, in some ways it is a bridge to nowhere. You take it from Millennium Park over Monroe St. straight up to the top floor of the museum. Where there's a cafe. To get to the exhibits, you then take an elevator or escalator down to the ground level.

You could also just go right in from the ground level, but then you don't get to cross over on the cool bridge. Cool, actually, is a misnomer. Its surface is metal and even on a 60 degree day it felt like we were cooking in a broiler. I can't imagine what it will be like on an actual hot day.

Still, I love the underside. It's supposed to resemble the hull of racing yacht, and I think it succeeds. A nice little gesture to the boaters a few blocks east.

The museum itself is beautiful. Another incredible architectural landmark for Chicago.

It reminds me a little of the East Wing at the National Gallery of Art. I mean, they're totally different in appearance, but the idea that the building itself can be as much of an attraction and work of art as the paintings and sculpture it holds.

Someday when the crowds die down maybe I'll actually get close enough to some of that art to actually see it. But for now a quick stroll through is good enough.