Barack Obama Presidential Center
The world's first fully digitized presidential library opened on Juneteenth 2026 — history in pixels, anchored on Chicago's South Side.
Coming soon on iOS — be first to walk Chicago offline.
A 19.3-acre campus in Jackson Park that functions as museum, Chicago Public Library branch, community athletic facility, and open parkland in one. NARA loans original presidential documents and artifacts for display here, while the full archive is preserved off-site — so what you see is a curated selection of the record, not a storage vault.
What to look for
- John Lewis Plaza, the campus's main entry point
- NARA-loaned presidential documents and artifacts on display inside the museum
- The landscaped public park, gardens, and playground spread across the 19.3-acre grounds
Located in Jackson Park on the South Side, directly adjacent to the University of Chicago campus; projected to draw over 700,000 visitors a year.
Barack Obama Presidential Center is one of 37 sights worth the detour in Chicago, all bundled offline in Voyage GO — download the Chicago pack and it sits on your map with no signal, filling your travel passport the moment you walk past.
More to see in Chicago
- Willis TowerIt held the world's tallest title for nearly 25 years after opening in 1973 — and the Skydeck is still the highest observation deck in the United States.
- Art Institute of ChicagoFour paintings you've seen your whole life — Nighthawks, La Grande Jatte, The Old Guitarist, American Gothic — hang in the same building.
- John Hancock Center (875 N Michigan Ave)A moving platform pivots you 30 degrees outward over the Magnificent Mile — 1,128 feet of nothing beneath your feet.
- Aon CenterWhen it opened in 1973 as "Big Stan," this 83-floor tower was the fourth-tallest building on Earth — and clad entirely in marble.
- United CenterThe Bulls hardwood floor is literally assembled over the Blackhawks ice and taken apart game by game — two teams, one frozen surface, shared by puzzle.
- Soldier FieldThe NFL's oldest stadium lost its National Historic Landmark status because of the renovation meant to save it.