CHICAGO: The Obama Presidential Center, which documents the life and administration of former US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, officially opened to the public on Friday.
Thousands of visitors jammed the 20-acre plaza and building, which includes a museum and library featuring Obama-related relics and books, conference facilities, athletic spaces, gardens, walking paths, playgrounds and public art installations.
The Obamas kicked off the official opening with a special “story time for children and families” to “celebrate the power of imagination, curiosity, and storytelling.”
It began with a reading of the classic 1963 picture book “Where the Wild Things Are,” written by Polish-Jewish author Maurice Sendak.
“The event reflected one of the Center’s core goals: inspiring young people to dream bigger, explore new possibilities, and recognize their own potential to lead and create change in their communities,” according to a statement to Arab News from the center’s vice president of communications, Emily Bittner.
“Reading Where the Wild Things Are has become a tradition for President and Mrs. Obama. President Obama read the book to children while in the White House; and Mrs. Obama narrated a special 60th anniversary unabridged audiobook edition.”
Hollywood actor LeVar Burton, who starred as Kunta Kinte in “Roots,” the 1977 ABC TV miniseries on African-American history, joined Michelle Obama and award-winning librarian, author and mental health advocate Mychal Threets.
“As the Center opens its doors, it is intended to serve as a place where young people can discover their voices, explore new ideas, and develop the skills and confidence to shape the future,” Bittner said.
The Obamas personally greeted members of the public to celebrate the official opening. “The moment marked the culmination of years of planning, partnership, and community engagement, while underscoring a central message of the Center: that it belongs to everyone,” Bittner said.
“The Obama Presidential Center was created to be a place where people from across the street and around the world can gather, learn, connect, and be inspired to make a difference in their communities.
“Opening Day represented not only the launch of a new cultural and civic destination, but also the beginning of a new chapter focused on empowering future generations of leaders.”
Located in Jackson Park along Lake Michigan’s south shore, the center is eight stories tall and cost $850 million to build.
It is fully funded by private donations through the Obama Foundation and does not use public funds.
The center serves as the headquarters for the foundation, which is dedicated to “inspiring and empowering the next generation of leaders” and supporting initiatives that include operating the center, running global leadership and training programs, and supporting “youth development through targeted initiatives.”
Before opening to the public on Friday, the center hosted a pre-opening on Thursday for 3,000 invited guests, including former Obama aides, celebrities and elected officials.
Among those attending were former presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Joe Biden, as well as their wives; Illinois Gov. J. B. Pritzker; US Sen. Dick Durbin; Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson; former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi; former presidential candidate Kamala Harris; and California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
President Donald Trump, who has frequently criticized the Obamas and Biden, was not invited to the official opening.
Trump responded with an image of the center generated by artificial intelligence, with a large garbage bag on its roof.
A festival of musicians and entertainers included Bono, the Edge, Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Questlove, John Legend, Marc Anthony, Eddie Vedder and Christina Aguilera.
Other celebrities attending the pre-opening included Stephen Colbert, Dave Chappelle, Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Tyler Perry, Oprah Winfrey, George Lucas and David Letterman.
