Bridge Lifts
It is quite a scene when Michigan Avenue meets the sky.
To accommodate sail boats and other tall vessels traveling between the Chicago River and Lake Michigan, the Michigan Avenue Bridge is opened approximately 100 times a year from April to November. Witnessing a bridge opening from the McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum is quite a treat. One spectator raved, “There is nothing I have seen that is as amazing as watching the massive Michigan Avenue Bridge rise to the sky powered by a tiny 108 horsepower motor from inside the bridge. The gears turn, the bridge rises, and you can’t help but be amazed by the ingenuity of it all.”
The museum will be open regular hours through October 31, 2009, and bridge lift viewings will resume in spring 2010.
Due to bridge improvement work on the south leaf of the Michigan Avenue Bridge, the McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum has canceled all bridge lift viewings during fall 2009. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Entry fee is $10 per person. Members of Friends of the Chicago River receive a $2 discount.
Advance registration is recommended. For reservations call Ozana Balan King at (312) 939-0490, ext. 23.
Read about Bridge Lift viewing details and cancellation policy (PDF)
