The Obama Presidential Center opened to the public on June 19, 2026, and with it comes a a campus that is redefining the presidential library. Located in Jackson Park on Chicago’s South Side, the center is designed to be experienced, not just visited. It surrounds the neighborhood, with pathways and gathering spaces meant to draw people in naturally. As such, there’s no singular entry point; visitors are meant to wander among the public art and greenery as they move between buildings on the 20-acre campus.

The campus includes multiple structures, including a branch of the Chicago Public Library—with a reading room containing the former president’s favorite books—a 60,000-square-foot athletic facility, and the Forum, which is a performance venue, recording space, and more. The crown jewel, however, is the Museum Tower.

The Museum Tower was designed by Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects (TWBTA) in collaboration with landscape architects Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates. Sitting at 225 feet tall and containing eight stories, it’s a contemporary take on the Chicago-style “treasure box museum,” which was popular in the 19th and 20th centuries. This type of building has a mostly solid facade with few windows. It’s meant to convey a protective structure that “expresses architectural seriousness,” and the style is seen in the city’s Art Institute, Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, and more.

The striking, faceted tower is covered in New Hampshire granite, which, based on its style, comprises a majority of the facade. But the blocky structure keeps things visually interesting with strategically placed windows and intricate detailing within the stone. In the upper corner of the Museum Tower is a brise-soleil of text—5-foot-tall letters of 103 words that quote the former president’s historic 2015 speech commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery marches.

The interior of the building is a mixture of exhibition space, offices, and sites for reflection. Four stories are for exhibitions, which include a replica of the Obama-era Oval Office and displays of milestones and missed opportunities during his two terms. It also looks forward, first looking back at a history of Civil Rights legislation, and then with calls to action that implore visitors to explore civic service now.

The top floor of the Museum Tower is meant as a place of quiet contemplation. Known as The Sky Room, its floor-to-ceiling windows look at the South Side, partially obscured by the letters on the exterior. Tying that view with the interior is a site-specific painting by Idris Khan, whose work features thousands of hand-stamped words from Obama’s Selma speech.

The Obama Presidential Center was over 10 years in the making, and architects worked closely with the former president, who helped inform the overall design—including the inception of the Museum Tower. “(Obama) spoke of Brâncuși as being a sculptor who he liked,” architect Billie Tsien recalled to The Chicago Tribune. “He made many good suggestions, and he made a few not so good suggestions.”

Learn more about visiting the institution on the Obama Presidential Center’s website.

The Obama Presidential Center opened to the public on June 19, 2026, and with it comes a campus that is redefining the presidential library.

Located in Jackson Park on Chicago’s South Side, the center is designed to be experienced, not just visited. It surrounds the neighborhood, with pathways and gathering spaces meant to draw people in naturally.

The campus includes multiple structures, including a branch of the Chicago Public Library, but the crown jewel is the Museum Tower.

The Museum Tower was designed by Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects (TWBTA) in collaboration with landscape architects Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates.

In the upper corner of the Museum Tower is a brise-soleil of text—five-foot-tall letters of 103 words that quote the former president’s historic 2015 speech commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery marches.

The interior of the building is a mixture of exhibition space, offices, and sites for reflection.

Four stories are for exhibitions, which include a replica of the Obama-era Oval Office and displays of milestones and missed opportunities during his two terms.

The top floor of the Museum Tower is meant as a place of quiet contemplation. Known as The Sky Room, its floor-to-ceiling windows look at the South Side, partially obscured by the letters on the exterior.

Tying that view with the interior is a site-specific painting by Idris Khan, whose work features thousands of hand-stamped words from Obama’s Selma speech.

The Obama Presidential Center was over 10 years in the making, and architects worked closely with the former president, who helped inform the overall design—including the inception of the Museum Tower.

Obama Presidential Center: Website | Instagram | Facebook

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by the Obama Presidential Center.

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