The Exposition opened in May of 1893 with centerpiece of the Fair was the Observation Wheel. The wheel measured 250 feet in diameter and was supported by two massive tower each 140 feet high. The highest point of the wheel was 295 feet, higher than a 25 story building. The wheel held 36 cars each the size of a small bus holding 45 passengers. A total of 2500 passenger could be carried in the Observation Wheel at one time. Admission charge was 50 cents for a ride that circled twice and lasted 20 minutes. A spectacular sight at night, the wheel could be seen from the far reaches of Chicago, illuminated by more than 3,000 incandescent lights