DOWNTOWN — The Bean is celebrating the big 1-0.
Cloud Gate, as it's supposed to be known, was dedicated in Millennium Park on May 15, 2006. Since then, millions have visited the Bean and taken selfies with it.
But why do people like the Bean so much? Is it the shape, the shininess, the way you can take a perfect selfie in the reflection? We asked readers. Watch the video above to find out why the Bean is so popular.
Check out DNAinfo Chicago's past stories on the Bean:
The Bean or Cloud Gate? We Found Something All Chicagoans Agree On
We call it The Bean, even over opposition from its creator, Anish Kapoor, who said his first reaction to our nickname was "Oh no!"
What's Inside the Bean? Photos Show the Building of 'Cloud Gate'
The stainless steel skin hides an internal skeleton with flexible connectors that allow it to expand and contract in Chicago's extreme weather. Thirty-three feet high, 42 feet wide and 66 feet long, its cost was a reported $23 million.
Are These 2004 Pics the First Selfies Ever Taken at 'The Bean'?
Roark Frankel didn't know he was starting a trend when he snapped photos of his reflection in the unfinished "Bean" of Millennium Park in 2004.
Frankel's photos appears to be one of the first, if not the first, selfies taken at what is now the selfie hub of Chicago: "Cloud Gate."
China Totally Ripped Off Chicago's Bean Sculpture
The structure appears to be the exact size, shape and composition of Millennium Park's Cloud Gate, more commonly known as "The Bean." Representatives for Cloud Gate's creator called the Chinese artwork "blatant plagiarism."
Read These Yelp Reviews of 'The Eiffel Tower of Chicago': The Bean
It's the place you take your family when they're in from out of town.
It's a selfie mecca.
It's the Bean.
'Seen at the Bean' Website Collects Cloud Gate Selfies
Faced with the smooth mirrored surface of the Bean in Millennium Park, few visitors are able to resist the urge to whip out a smart phone and snap a selfie.
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