CHICAGO (WLS) — Construction on the Obama Presidential Center began in September 2021.
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Less than five years later, the center is set to welcome visitors on June 19 with a free open-house event.
Obama Foundation CEO Valerie Jarrett has described the center as a “permanent home for hope.”
Located on a 19-acre campus on Chicago’s South Side, the site will feature more than just a museum. It will also include a basketball court, a playground, outdoor community spaces and a branch of the Chicago Public Library.
John Roberson serves as the incoming executive vice president of the Obama Presidential Center.
“So many people have devoted years of time and energy to making this vision a reality,” Roberson said. “And now, next week, on June 19, we get to open the Obama Presidential Center on the South Side of Chicago. Can you believe it?”
Roberson said he thinks Mr. and Mrs. Obama wanted a presidential center that was different from others.
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“They wanted something that was really rooted in what they believed are the values that they grew up with. And that ground them. And so, having a museum that not just tells the story of their presidency, but really makes a presentation that allows people to see themselves. And to be able to see and understand how they can effectuate change in their communities,” he said.
According to Roberson, Obama was involved in every aspect.
So what can visitors expect when they go to the Obama Presidential Center?
“The number one thing they can expect is a staff that is going to be welcoming,” Roberson said. “A staff that is going to insure that they do everything possible to insure that they have a once-in-a-lifetime great experience. They’re going to come to a place where they’re going to see art. Available and public free spaces. They’re going to have the opportunity to really learn about the things that were formative in our country’s history through the exhibits. They’re going to have the opportunity to go to the eighth floor where our sky room is located and see the most extraordinary panoramic views of the city of Chicago that cannot be found anywhere else,” he said.
Roberson suggests visitors bring comfortable shoes for walking through all of the exhibit space and the large campus.
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