Grand Opening of the Obama Presidential Center

The Obama Foundation is organizing a complimentary watch party at the Midway Plaisance to mark the opening of the Obama Presidential Center on June 18. The official opening ceremony, planned for 11 a.m., is exclusive to invited guests. This event will feature performances by international figures and storytelling focused on the Foundation’s mission to motivate, empower, and connect individuals to enact changes in their communities, according to the foundation’s release.

The public can participate in the watch party at Midway, situated west of the presidential center. The Midway Plaisance is located on the University of Chicago campus. Interested attendees can request up to four free tickets for the watch party at obama.org/grandopening. Applications need to be submitted by May 26, keeping in mind that space is limited. Parking will not be provided, and submitting an application does not ensure a ticket.

For those unable to attend in person, the opening will be streamed at obama.org. The watch party offers a picnic-style setting, accessible from 9 a.m., including music, an art market, local food vendors, and unique merchandise. Museum tickets for the opening weekend, coinciding with Juneteenth, are already sold out. Prices were $30 for adult visitors from outside Illinois and $23 for children, while Illinois residents paid $26 for adults and $15 for kids.

Most summer museum tickets are sold out, though some are occasionally available from August 10 onward. Locals have also quickly reserved spots for free admission on Illinois Free Days on Tuesdays, which are booked until November. The center offers a 90-minute campus experience tour, inclusive of art, architecture, and landscape design, alongside museum access and a line-skipping pass. These vary from $75 to $95 based on the day and are sold out until September 20.

Museum tickets are time-specific, but other campus areas, including the Chicago Public Library branch, playground, athletic center, surrounding park space, and the Sky Room atop the museum, are open to the public without charge.

Recent announcements shed light on the eagerly awaited opening of the Obama Center, with new artistic commissions, finalized names for museum spaces, and glimpses of the Oval Office replica. These openings form part of the ongoing preparation for this significant event.