As preparations continued, media were invited to preview the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park. The public opening is scheduled for June 19, preceded by a dedication event the day before. The Obama Foundation has yet to reveal the performers for the ceremony, but it will be streamed at a neighborhood watch party at the Midway Plaisance and online.
Inside the Museum
The museum spans four floors, ending in the “Sky Room” with panoramic views. The first floor focuses on progressive movements preceding Barack Obama, highlighting labor, voting rights, the New Deal, and cultural changes from the 1960s to the 1980s. It directly addresses resistance to racial progress and economic disparities. Chicago is well-represented, notably on the first floor, with mentions of Jane Addams, Harold Washington, and the early careers of Barack and Michelle Obama.
Obama’s political career in Illinois receives brief mentions. Visitors will find videos narrated by Obama, a wall of 2008 campaign buttons, and essays from his school and community organizing days. The President’s Reading Room is set within a Chicago Public Library branch on the campus.
A panel discusses the racist backlash faced by the Obamas, including false claims about Obama’s birthplace and caricatures of Michelle Obama. This section features a draft of Obama’s 2008 speech on race relations post-Reverend Jeremiah Wright controversy.
The Second and Third Floors
The second floor documents Obama’s two terms with exhibits on the auto bailout, financial crisis, Affordable Care Act, and wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Video installations include interviews with officials like Elizabeth Warren and Austan Goolsbee. The “Work that Remained” sections emphasize ongoing issues like labor rights and minimum wage.
A kid-friendly section teaches American democracy basics, like the separation of powers and voting rights. The interactive third floor features a replica Oval Office, first lady’s dresses, sports memorabilia, and miniatures of White House events styled after the Thorne Miniature Rooms at the Art Institute.
The fourth floor explores efforts in tribal, disability, and LGBTQ rights, gender equity, criminal justice, and climate change. It includes a story booth and station for designing digital buttons.
Additional Site Highlights
- The site reconnects to Jackson Park pathways, now bike- and pedestrian-friendly, connecting to the Museum of Science and Industry.
- A significant portion of the campus is underground, like the parking garage, with courtyard levels designed to maximize park space above.
- Named spaces honor major donors, organizers, politicians, and artists. The atrium is named after Hadiya Pendleton and the restaurant after Tafari Campbell.
- Controversy arose over the removal of old-growth trees. These trees help maintain the park’s microbiome. New plants are native or climate resilient.
- The building’s granite exterior and design elements like bas-relief rows and chamfers have been points of architectural discussion.
- Influential figures like Harold Washington and foundation CEO Valerie Jarrett feature in exhibits and video installations.
Visitor Information
Following the June 19 opening, free “open house” events offer entertainment and activities. Tickets for museum entry are sold out through August, costing $30 for adults and $23 for kids outside Illinois. Illinois residents pay $26 for adults and $15 for kids, with free entry on Tuesdays. The surrounding campus remains open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., including parkland, playgrounds, and public art spaces.
Parking is limited with about 400 spots available, while public transportation options are plentiful. The Metra Electric Line and various CTA bus lines provide access, with nearby hotels like Sophy Hyde Park, Hyatt Place Chicago-South, and The Study offering accommodations.
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