The Obama Foundation shared two big updates on the progress of the Obama Presidential Center. They revealed more about the Programs & Athletic Center and announced a visit from President Obama. During his visit, the former president viewed the digital media exhibit for the Center’s Museum.
President Obama, known as our “First Digital president,” aims to use technology to tell his presidency’s story vividly and involve visitors in living history. During the visit, he explored a two-story prototype of a digital media experience called the ‘Power of Words.’ This exhibit showcases how words, including those from the Obamas and other influential figures, shape history through speeches, voices, songs and poetry. Visitors can discover new perspectives each time they engage with it.
The ‘Power of Words’ exhibit, reaching a towering 88 feet, will be a central feature of the museum, integrating creativity and storytelling into its monumental architecture.
“The Obama Presidential Center is a platform to create positive change for our shared future. So we are creating innovative and immersive new forms of storytelling to help inspire people who visit the Center,” said Foundation CEO Valerie Jarrett.
During his visit, President Obama was scheduled to meet with leaders from Moody Nolan, the largest African American design firm in the US, and Elevate Design Builders, a collaboration between Bowa Construction and AECOM/Hunt. The Obama Foundation also announced plans to start building its Programs & Athletic Center on Monday, March 11. Before the President’s visit, they revealed new images of the center to give people an idea of what to expect.
The Programs & Athletic Center will be one of four buildings on the campus, serving as a focal point for activities and gatherings for the South Side community. Inside, there will be a top-notch gymnasium and studios for various recreational, wellness, and community events. Outside, visitors can look forward to play areas, walking trails, and even a sledding hill.
The Obama Presidential Center is set to be a unique civic hub focused on nurturing democracy and positive transformation. It’s more than just a static institution—it’s a dynamic space aimed at inspiring and empowering everyone to make a difference in their communities, countries and globally. Spread across a lively 19-acre campus, it will offer a range of spaces, programs, art and events designed to engage and empower visitors to tackle the pressing issues of our era.
The Programs & Athletic Center and the park space are expected to open to the public in late 2025. The Obama Presidential Center Museum is scheduled to open to the public in 2026. To learn more about the Center, visit https://obama.org/presidential-center/.
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