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POLITICS
Barack Obama

Photos show exterior of new Obama Center ahead of opening

Portrait of Fernando Cervantes Jr. Fernando Cervantes Jr.
USA TODAY
June 2, 2026, 3:40 p.m. ET

With the Obama Presidential Center set to open in less than three weeks in Chicago’s Jackson Park, the building's imposing structure is ready to go.

The center, which is set to open on June 19, will feature a variety of shared spaces, open and free, for the public, including a playground, a branch of the Chicago Public Library, gardens and walking trails.

According to the Obama Foundation, the campus will also host nearly 30 newly commissioned artworks and panoramic views of the surrounding South Side neighborhood and Lake Michigan from the Sky Room.

Celebrations for the opening of the new Obama Presidential Center will run from the grand opening on June 19 through June 21.

See photos of the new Obama Presidential Center.

See photos of the Obama Presidential Center

An aerial view shows the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park on May 15, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois.
The Obama Presidential Center towers over Jackson Park on May 15, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois.
A sign sits outside of the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park on May 15, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois.
The Obama Presidential Center towers over Jackson Park on May 15, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. The Center is scheduled to open to the public on June 19th.
The Obama Presidential Center towers over Jackson Park on May 15, 2026, in Chicago, Illinois. The Center is scheduled to open to the public on June 19th.

USA TODAY Network’s Hannah Hudnall contributed to this report.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected] and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.

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