President Obama and Mrs. Obama Arrive in Chicago Ahead of Obama Presidential Center Grand Opening Celebration

Photo credit "The Obama Foundation."

CHICAGO — President and Mrs. Obama have arrived in Chicago ahead of this week's grand opening celebration for the Obama Presidential Center. President and Mrs. Obama toured the campus, enjoyed the final art installations and saw the completed museum exhibits for the first time. 

President Barack Obama also spent time with children and families enjoying the playground and christened Home Court, where he played basketball for the first time on the center’s NBA-regulation sized court. 

The visit highlighted one of the core visions behind the Obama Presidential Center: creating a welcoming gathering place where people from different backgrounds can connect, learn, play, and build community.

The Center will be a destination for people from across the street and around the world—a place where neighbors, families, students, and visitors can come together and experience the power of community, civic engagement, and joy.

“As we prepare to welcome visitors to the Obama Presidential Center, the President and Mrs. Obama can't wait to see community members make the campus their own,” said Valerie Jarrett, CEO of The Obama Foundation. “The Center was built to be a place where people can gather, have fun, find inspiration, make connections, and bring change home.”