Barack Obama Presidential Center facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Barack Obama Presidential Center |
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Logo of the Obama Foundation, the non-profit organization that is overseeing the construction of the Barack Obama Presidential Center
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April 2025
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| General information | |
| Location | Jackson Park, Chicago, Illinois |
| Coordinates | 41°46′57″N 87°35′08″W / 41.78250°N 87.58556°W |
| Named for | Barack Obama |
| Construction started | August 16, 2021 |
| Inaugurated | Spring 2026 (planned) |
| Cost | $482 million |
| Management | Valerie Jarrett, CEO Kenvi Phillips, Director |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, and Interactive Design Architects: Landscape architect: Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Site Design Group, and Living Habitats |
The Barack Obama Presidential Center is a special place being built in Chicago, Illinois. It will be a museum, a library, and an education center. This project will honor the time Barack Obama was the 44th President of the United States.
The center will also have places for community events and meetings. It will be home to the Obama Foundation, a group that works to inspire young leaders. Construction on the 19.3-acre campus started in 2021. The main tower reached its full height in mid-2024. The center is expected to open in the first half of 2026.
A big part of the center's work is making the Barack Obama Presidential Library digital. This is being done with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). It will be the first fully digital presidential library. NARA will keep paper copies of documents in a separate place. However, many will be loaned to the Presidential Center for people to see.
The center is located in Jackson Park on the South Side of Chicago. It is right next to the University of Chicago campus. The university helps with planning and programs. The center will also include a new branch of the Chicago Public Library.
Contents
Choosing the Location
In 2014, the Obama Foundation looked for places to build the center. Several universities offered to host it.
Where the Center Could Have Been
The foundation received proposals from four different places:
- Columbia University in New York City
- University of Chicago in Chicago
- University of Illinois at Chicago in Chicago
- University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in Honolulu
In May 2015, the foundation decided to build the center with the University of Chicago. Barack Obama used to teach law at the University of Chicago Law School.
After choosing Chicago, they had to pick between two parks: Washington Park and Jackson Park. They finally chose Jackson Park. The University of Chicago's plan included combining golf courses and closing some streets. This would create more green space for nearby museums.
Designing the Center
A special committee helped choose the architects for the project. This committee included famous people like sculptor Don Gummer.
Who Designed the Buildings
Seven architecture firms were chosen as finalists in December 2015. These were picked from 140 applicants. In June 2016, the foundation selected Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects from New York. They also chose Interactive Design Architects from Chicago to lead the design.
For the exhibits inside, Ralph Appelbaum Associates is leading a team. The landscape architect, who designs the outdoor spaces, is Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates. A group called Lakeside Alliance is building the center. This group includes Turner Construction and several local African-American owned companies.
What the Center Looks Like
Preliminary plans were shown in May 2017. The center will have three buildings made of light-colored stone. The museum building will be the tallest, about 180 feet high. It will also have educational and meeting spaces.
The other buildings, a library and a forum, will be one story tall. The forum building will have an auditorium, a restaurant, and a public garden. In 2018, it was announced that a Chicago Public Library branch would be part of the complex.
The design includes changing part of Jackson Park. A six-lane road, South Cornell Drive, will be closed to create more green space. This change will require government funding.
In 2024, a fourth building, called Home Court, started construction. This building will have a basketball court, other sports facilities, and community meeting rooms.
Community and Park Discussions
Building the center in a public park led to many discussions. Local groups wanted to make sure the community would benefit.
Community Benefits
A group called the Obama Library South Side Community Benefits Agreement Coalition wanted an agreement. They asked for jobs for local residents and protection for affordable housing. They also wanted support for Black-owned businesses and local schools. Some residents worried about rising property taxes and rents. These changes could make it hard for low-income residents to stay in their homes.
The Obama Foundation has plans for hiring people from the community. An study estimated that many construction and long-term jobs would go to South Side residents. These jobs are expected to bring a lot of income to the area.
In July 2019, local leaders proposed a plan to protect affordable housing. This plan would require new housing units to be affordable. It also aimed to help current tenants stay in their homes. In July 2020, a compromise was reached. This agreement set aside affordable housing units on city-owned land. It also offered funds for home improvements for current residents.
Using Public Park Land
A group called Friends of the Parks was against using parkland for the center. They even threatened a lawsuit. In May 2018, another group, "Protect Our Parks," filed a lawsuit. They wanted to stop public parkland from being given to a private group.
In September 2018, it was announced that the City of Chicago would own the center once it was finished. The Obama Foundation would be responsible for maintaining and operating it. The Chicago City Council approved the plans in October 2018.
The lawsuit to stop construction was dismissed in June 2019. The case was appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court in August 2021, but they refused to block the construction.
Construction Progress
Construction was originally expected to start in late 2018. However, a federal review of the project caused delays. This review looked at how the project might affect Jackson Park's historical status.
The architects estimated the museum and library would cost about $300 million. They also said the center would need a large fund of $1.5 billion to operate. The Obama Foundation raised a lot of money for the center. In June 2019, the MacArthur Foundation gave $5 million for the new Chicago Public Library branch.
Construction officially began in August 2021. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on September 28, 2021. Barack and Michelle Obama, along with Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, attended the event. In November 2022, construction was briefly stopped after a noose was found on the site. The center's main tower reached its highest point in June 2024.
Obama's Presidential Records
The documents and items from the Obama administration are kept in a secure facility. This facility is in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. These records are being digitized. By law, they can be requested by the public starting in 2022.
See also
In Spanish: Biblioteca y Museo Presidencial de Barack H. Obama para niños
- Presidential Records Act
