The Ravinia Festival grounds in Highland Park exude pastoral charm. Opened as an amusement park in 1904, Ravinia has been the summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 1936. Structures on the grounds range from the original entrance gates and small theater to the 1950s music pavilion and other more recent additions. The renovation project touched almost every aspect of the park while preserving the cherished ambiance.

The main entrance now provides a greater welcome, with box office pavilions bracketing the historic Tyler gate and framing a new plaza for the 1904 Martin Theatre. This 880-seat Arts and Crafts-style theater was restored to its original character. The park's centerpiece, the 3300-seat pavilion built in 1950, received a new stage shell to improve the acoustics and aesthetics. Pavilion seating was reconfigured, backstage areas were renovated, and administrative space was added. Support facilities throughout the park were upgraded and some were relocated so that the large lawns are more conducive to establishing meeting places as well as listening to the new sound system.



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