Please be aware that the content on this webpage was authored more than 6 months ago, so some information may be outdated or no longer accurate. Please visit our event calendar for information on current events.
Navy Pier Continues its Mission-Driven Evolution, Transitions Website to .org
Navy Pier, Chicago’s mission-driven cultural district, has transitioned its website and all other digital assets from navypier.com to navypier.org as the iconic lakefront destination continues on its trajectory to becoming a globally recognized nonprofit organization and world-class platform for free arts and cultural programming.
The change comes as Navy Pier concludes its Fifth Third Bank Centennial Celebration, which included a major Pier-wide physical and programmatic redevelopment, still underway, and introduced a robust lineup of special events and cultural programming. The Centennial Vision, the framework that catapulted the re-imagination for the People’s Pier, called for an organizational transformation that would establish Navy Pier as a mission-driven institution and lay the groundwork for its next 100 years. The shift to .org is a key element of that transformation and marks a significant moment in the Pier’s longstanding history as it continues its nonprofit evolution.
Navy Pier became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in 2011, separating from the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA). Navy Pier now operates independently and is governed by a voluntary board of directors, and has since been charged with maintaining the historic Pier and overseeing the redevelopment of one of the most important and visited civic landmarks in the United States.
For more information on Navy Pier, please visit www.navypier.org.
NAVY PIER MISSION STATEMENT
Navy Pier is the People’s Pier, Chicago’s lakefront treasure, welcoming all and offering dynamic and eclectic experiences through partnerships and programs that inspire discovery and wonder.
ABOUT NAVY PIER
We are now navypier.org. This change is small, but impactful. We are excited to move in to our second century as a mission-driven cultural district, welcoming all and inspiring our more than 9 million guests.
Located on Lake Michigan, Navy Pier is one of the top-attended nonprofit cultural destinations in the Midwest, stretching more than six city blocks and welcoming more than nine million guests annually. Originally opened in 1916 as a shipping and recreation facility, this Chicago landmark showcases more than 50 acres of parks, restaurants, attractions, retail shops, sightseeing and dining cruise boats, exposition facilities and more. In 2017, Navy Pier continues to celebrate its centennial with a series of special events and programming, year-round rides on the Centennial Wheel and ongoing pier-wide redevelopment efforts as part of the Centennial Vision. Navy Pier, as a nonprofit organization, maintains and manages the 50-acre pier that is being redeveloped as a contemporary, environmentally responsible urban space. More information is available at www.navypier.org.
About Navy Pier
Located on Lake Michigan, Navy Pier is the top nonprofit tourism destination in the Midwest, stretching more than six city blocks and typically welcoming nearly 9 million annual guests. Originally opened in 1916 as a shipping and recreation facility, this Chicago landmark showcases more than 50 acres of parks, restaurants, attractions, retail shops, sightseeing and dining cruise boats, exposition facilities and more.
The Pier celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2016 with the unveiling of the iconic Centennial Wheel, Polk Bros Park, Family Pavilion and Peoples Energy Welcome Pavilion. In 2021, Navy Pier continued to usher in its second century with ongoing Pier-wide redevelopment efforts—including Sable, a 223-room Hilton hotel, new restaurants and partnerships, and thrilling additions to Pier Park. The Pier is also proud to continue providing free, year-round arts and cultural programming designed to inspire, educate and connect communities across the city and globe. Click here to donate to Navy Pier, a mission-driven 501(c)(3) organization, in support of the organization’s post-pandemic revival and free public programming. For more information, visit www.navypier.org.