Why you should experience the Clarence F. Buckingham Memorial Fountain (Buckingham Fountain) in Grant Park of Chicago.
The Clarence Buckingham Memorial Fountain in Grant Park isn’t just Chicago’s centerpiece, it’s the city’s heartbeat cast in stone, bronze, and light.
Set within Grant Park, this monumental fountain feels almost theatrical, its four sea horses symbolizing the states that border Lake Michigan, its central jet erupting with drama up to 150 feet high. When the water arcs skyward against the skyline, it mirrors the city’s own rise, bold, fluid, and relentlessly aspirational. Daylight brings a sense of grandeur, but at dusk, the fountain transforms. Colored lights pulse in rhythm with choreographed water displays, and the sound of rushing streams blends with jazz drifting across the park. It’s here that you feel Chicago’s spirit distilled, artistic yet unpretentious, mechanical yet alive. The fountain doesn’t simply decorate the park; it animates it, commanding attention with every surge and shimmer.
What you didn’t know about the Clarence Buckingham Memorial Fountain.
Commissioned in 1927 by philanthropist Kate Buckingham in memory of her brother Clarence, the fountain was designed by architect Edward Bennett, the same visionary who helped shape Chicago’s Plan of 1909.
Its sculptural basins, inspired by the Latona Fountain at Versailles, were crafted by French artist Marcel Loyau, whose work evokes both myth and modernity. Beneath its Art Deco surface lies an astonishing feat of engineering: over 14,000 gallons of water circulate through the system each minute, controlled by a network of hidden pumps and valves that once represented the cutting edge of 20th-century technology. The nighttime light-and-water choreography, added in the 1920s and later upgraded with LEDs, was among the earliest examples of illuminated public art in America. Few realize that the fountain sits atop a massive underground control room, a mechanical cathedral dedicated to motion and symmetry. It’s not just a fountain, it’s Chicago’s liquid monument to imagination and progress.
How to fold the Clarence Buckingham Memorial Fountain into your trip.
Visit the Clarence Buckingham Memorial Fountain in the early evening, when the crowds thin and the lights begin to glow in subtle gradients of rose, amber, and blue.
Start at the fountain’s southern edge for the best alignment of water, skyline, and lake, a composition that photographers chase endlessly. From here, wander along Grant Park’s promenade toward the lakefront or pause on a bench as the fountain erupts into its hourly display. If you’re nearby after sunset, stay for the full light-and-music show, when the jets dance to symphonic crescendos and the fountain becomes an open-air stage. Pair your visit with a stroll north to Millennium Park or south toward the Museum Campus for a seamless evening route through Chicago’s cultural corridor. Standing at the Buckingham Fountain’s rim, mist brushing your face, you’ll understand why this landmark endures, it’s not merely a memorial, but a masterpiece in motion, forever reflecting the grandeur of the city it celebrates.
Hear it from the Foresyte community.
“Came for a quick picture and ended up staying an hour just watching the water and lights play off the skyline. Whole thing feels like Chicago showing off, and honestly, it works.”
Where meaningful travel begins.
Start your journey with Foresyte, where the planning is part of the magic.
Discover the experiences that matter most.
