Obama legacy in focus
The Obama Presidential Center
A guide to the Chicago campus, its museum, and the public record behind the Obama family’s continuing civic work.
A new public campus on Chicago’s South Side
The Obama Presidential Center officially opened in June 2026. Its museum uses four floors of exhibits to examine the lives of Barack and Michelle Obama, the Obama presidency, and the movements and communities connected to that history.
The wider campus includes public outdoor space, community programming, recreation facilities, and a Chicago Public Library branch. The Obama Foundation describes the Center as a place for civic learning and action.
What visitors can explore
- Four levels of museum exhibits and interactive experiences
- Objects and stories connected to the Obama White House
- Accounts of the people and social movements that influenced the administration
- Views of Chicago’s South and West Sides from the Museum’s Sky Room
- Free public campus spaces and scheduled community programs
Museum and presidential records
The Center’s museum is operated by the Obama Foundation. The official Barack Obama Presidential Library is part of the National Archives and Records Administration, which preserves and administers the presidential records. The two institutions have distinct roles.