Obama Presidential Center
The brand-new Obama Presidential Center opened on Juneteenth (June 19). The star-studded dedication ceremony was on June 18, with live performances by many of my favorite musicians, appearances by world leaders and celebrities, and inspiring speeches by Michelle and Barack Obama. After such a splash, I was very excited to see the new center. It’s a good thing I obtained our tickets months ago - they are now sold out until November!
The Center is in Jackson Park in the South Side of Chicago. It was a bit tricky finding the Millennium Park Metra Station - the entrance we had hoped to use was closed - but we made it to the 59th Street Station, where the distinctive museum tower was easily visible. At the top of the building, five-foot-tall concrete letters spell out excerpts from President Obama’s 2015 speech in Selma, Alabama. Critics have called the tower “the Obamalisk.” I agree it is monumental, but I like its unusual geometric shape and its simple stone facade. This is Chicago, after all, the city known for distinctive and often controversial architecture. In aerial views of Jackson Park, the new tower seems to fit right in.
The museum lobby had a soaring atrium showcasing large-scale artworks. My favorite was a mixed media portrait of Michelle and Barack Obama by Njideka Akunyili Crosby. As we entered the first gallery, we came upon a digital wall nearly 90 feet tall! It could be viewed from four different gallery levels, and was VERY impressive.
The museum was extensive. The galleries on Level 2 had stories and memorabilia from the Obamas’ early lives and careers. I enjoyed the photos from Michelle’s time at Princeton. There was even one of her English Lit papers, handwritten! It was inspiring to learn how both Obamas were committed to helping communities to bring about change. And the exhibit on the 2008 presidential campaign was a nice trip down memory lane. Now we know how historic it really was.
Level 3 had an exhibit called Democracy 101, which covered the basics of how our government works and the highlights of the Civil Rights movement. The rest of this level was all about the work of the Obama administration. The exhibits were nuanced, celebrating historic policy achievements (like the Affordable Care Act), but also mentioning work that was only partially successful or left unfinished. My favorite artifact here was President Obama’s handwritten list of domestic priorities - the ultimate To Do List! In a poignant video, the President talked about June 26, 2015, the day the United States Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage. After celebrating that historic decision, Obama traveled to South Carolina to eulogize one of the victims of the Charleston church shooting. Clearly, being President of the United States is NOT an easy job.
Level 4 was about life at the Obama White House. There were miniature dioramas of events in the East Room and the State Dining Room. A fascinating floor-to-ceiling video montage immersed us in scenes from Air Force One, the Situation Room, Camp David, and the White House Kitchen Garden. Glass cases displayed diplomatic gifts, state china, and “Mrs. Obama’s Fashion Diplomacy.” It was fun to see a dress from Target displayed alongside the haute couture! As nice contrast, one long wall focused on President Obama’s love for sports.
In the center was a reproduction of the Oval Office, where Stephen Colbert recently filmed an opening sketch with President Obama. And just outside the Oval Office was President Obama’s favorite exhibit, titled Ten Letters a Day. Every day, staff and volunteers sifted through tens of thousands of letters and selected ten for the President to read. Obama often wrote back, and occasionally met with letter-writers and shared their stories in his speeches.
Level 5 was about the role we all play in democracy. An interactive exhibit with a curved digital wall prompted us to watch people’s stories and explore ways to get involved in issues that matter to us.
My favorite part of the Center was the Sky Room on Level 8. Huge windows offered panoramic views of Chicago. To the north was the Museum of Science and Industry and the downtown skyline. To the northeast was Lake Michigan. To the east and south, viewed through the large letters of Obama’s speech, were the other structures of the Obama Presidential Center, including a new branch of the Chicago Public Library with its rooftop garden. Above us was an enormous installation by Idris Khan, in which President Obama’s speech from Selma was hand-stamped, in its entirety, on walls sloping up to an opening in the ceiling. The Sky Room was spectacular!
Chicago was experiencing a heat wave, so we didn’t explore the (many) other parts of the Center this time.
Thoughts
The museum is an appealing mix of beautiful art, educational exhibits, and fun memorabilia. I loved the content, but I thought the text for the displays was overly dense. It required a lot of reading, which sometimes impeded the flow of traffic. Perhaps that wordiness - clear, eloquent, and rather verbose - is a reflection of President Obama’s style.
It was heartening to be reminded of what it felt like when Obama was President. It was also bittersweet, as some of the groundbreaking advances in civil rights policy put in place by the Obama administration have been lost or are at risk of being lost.
I think the themes of Hope, Connection, and Community resonated, but most visitors will need repeat visits to digest the messages and determine how to take action.
