Obama Presidential Center's grand opening celebrations to begin in June
Source: ABC News
March 7, 2026, 1:47 PM
The Obama Presidential Center’s grand opening celebrations will begin in June, almost five years after its groundbreaking in Chicago, the Obama Foundation announced.
The center -- a museum and public gathering space in honor of former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama -- will be dedicated on Thursday, June 18, and the campus will open to the public the next day, the foundation said in a press release.
The celebrations will run through June 21 "with a series of events that bring together the changemakers, community members, volunteers, and supporters who made the Obama presidency a reality and that welcome visitors to celebrate the power of hope and change," the foundation said.
"It is easy to look around right now and feel like the challenges we face are simply too big," President Obama said in a video posted to social media. "But hope is not about ignoring the hard stuff. It is that thing inside us that insists something better awaits if we are willing to work for it. Here on the South Side of Chicago, hope is getting a permanent home."
Read more: https://abcnews.com/US/obama-presidential-centers-grand-opening-celebrations-begin-june/story?id=130859041
Today, Michelle and I are proud to announce that we will be hosting the dedication ceremony for the Obama Presidential Center on June 18th in Chicago, and welcoming the public on June 19th.
— Barack Obama (@barackobama.bsky.social) 2026-03-07T15:12:39.142Z
We can’t wait for you to visit. Go to obama.org to learn more.
Opening to the public on "Juneteenth".
Opening This June