Obama Library and Foundation - thanks efamily member Pat Evans for sharing!!

 The Obama Presidential Center in Chicago's Jackson Park, constructed by the Obama Foundation, is set to open on Juneteenth, June 19, 2026, to the public (closed dedication ceremony on June 18) featuring a museum, library, and community spaces designed to inspire action. Located on the South Side of Chicago, the 19-acre campus aims to serve as a hub for community engagement and economic development, with construction costing roughly $850 million. [What a wonderful way to celebrate President Obama in the nation's Semiquincentennial (250th Birthday)  - where Semi is HALF, QUIN is 5, Centennial is 100 = so, Semiquincentennial (250) is HALF of 500 years...! ] The center's work includes digitizing the Barack Obama Presidential Library (NOT the Center) with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), to create the first fully digitized presidential library. The Library is administered by NARA in D.C., which will preserve hardcopies of documents at a separate NARA facility in Illinois; however, many will be loaned to the Presidential Center for display. An estimated 95 percent of the Presidential records of the Obama administration were born digital, such as photos, videos, word-processing documents, tweets, emails, and other standard digital formats. NARA also received approximately 30 million pages of unclassified paper Presidential records.

 The remainder of the 19.3-acre Obama Presidential Center (OPC) campus, not counting the Museum,  is free and open to the public, including welcoming green spaces and shared public amenities, as well as select community programs and educational experiences. Rooms may be rented by the Community. 

Key Details for the Obama Presidential Center:

• Opening Date: The center opens to the public on Friday, June 19, 2026, with a dedication ceremony on June 18.
• Location: Situated in Historic Jackson Park on the South Side of Chicago (6001 S. Stony Island Ave).
• Cost & Funding: The total investment is estimated at $850 million, funded through private donations.

• Features: The center includes a museum (the Obama Tower), a branch of the Chicago Public Library, a gymnasium ("Home Court"), and a fruit & vegetable garden.
• Tickets & Access: Tickets for the museum went on sale May 6, 2026, for the public, costing $30 for adults (12+) and $26 for Illinois residents.
• Getting Involved: People can sign up to be a member of the Obama Foundation, attend the June 20-21 festival, or visit the Obama Foundation website