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Massive beach-themed ball pit heads to Navy Pier in January

This is one Chicago “beach” worth visiting this winter

By Jay Koziarz
AFP/Getty Images

Later this month, a giant art installation hopes to put the “ball” back in Navy Pier’s Grand Ballroom—or more than one million to be more precise. Dubbed the The Beach, the audacious attraction will transform the 18,000-square-foot venue into an indoor ocean of antimicrobial, translucent white plastic spheres.

The Instagram-ready exhibition—which completes the waterfront themed aesthetic with all-white lounging chairs, lifeguard stands, and umbrellas—comes from designers at Snarkitecture. The New York-based group debuted the million-ball installation in 2015 in the Great Hall of the National Building Museum in Washington D.C. before making subsequent stops in Tampa, Sydney, Paris, and Bangkok.

The Chicago stint will run from Saturday, January 19 through Sunday, February 3 and is free to guests of all ages. The Beach Chicago is an EXPO CHICAGO 2019 program, presented by Navy Pier. Visit the pier’s official website for more information including hours of operation.

Eager for sneak peek? Check out the video above for footage of guests enjoying past installations as well as behind-the-scenes insight into Snarkitecture’s playful approach to public art and design. Surf’s up!