Tickets to the museum at the Obama Presidential Center, which opened in June 2026, are sold out until at least October, but there’s more to see and do there than visit the museum. The 19.3-acre campus, located at 6001 S. Stony Island Ave. in Chicago, is also home to a garden, playground, walking paths, picnic areas, a library, and more.
My family and I recently made a day of visiting the Obama Center. We parked in the center’s parking garage, which costs $22 for up to four hours, but you can likely find parking on neighboring streets.
Our first stop was the Chicago Public Library branch at the center. It features a Presidential Reading Room with a collection of books and other works that President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are interested in. Several of Obama’s own books, some of which are signed by the authors, are also displayed behind glass. The children’s area had a time capsule station where visitors could write down their hopes for the future of the country and drop it in a bin to be placed in a time capsule. The form had an option to check whether you want to be notified when the time capsule is opened. The library’s outdoor spaces feature sculptures and sitting areas for people to enjoy when it’s not 100 degrees.
The John Lewis Plaza is a place to gather, where you can snap a photo with a sculpture of the Obamas on the night of his first election win, eat a paleta sold by a local vendor, or just sit and relax. Check the events calendar to see when you can catch a movie under the stars at the plaza; “Encanto” and “Hamilton” were set to air in July and August.
Next to the plaza is The Forum, where programming such as concerts and talks are scheduled. There’s also a restaurant, Tafari’s Kitchen, with such offerings from the Obama and Robinson families’ own recipes, and a cafe with quick bites like sandwiches and pastries. The Tafari name is in honor of former White House chef Tafari Campbell. The Forum also has a media suite and a “Democracy in Action” room.
Next we checked out the museum building, which you can enter even without tickets. You can access the lobby areas (which feature some artwork), gift shop, and cafe. Want tickets? Be sure to check the museum website every second Wednesday of the month when they release more tickets at 10 a.m. Central.
The outdoor spaces are gorgeous, and I imagine the visit would be much more enjoyable on a day when Chicago isn’t experiencing a heat wave. We walked around the fruit and vegetable garden, strolled the walkways, and let my girls play at the playground. You can bring a picnic and use the many tables and grills on the campus, or enjoy your snacks on the Great Lawn.
Besides those attractions, the Obama Presidential Center also has a basketball court, which I did not see. It is a 60,000-square-foot athletic and events space that is open Monday to Sunday from noon-8 p.m.
Wondering if you should bother visiting if you don’t have those in-demand museum tickets? Of course! I can see this being a place that you visit many times a year, depending on how far of a trek you have to make.
Have you visited the Obama Presidential Center yet?
Marette Flora is the founder of Floradise blog and personalized gift shop. Marette is a passionate storyteller and creator. She attended the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University and obtained a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication.
She is passionate about creating helpful and meaningful things.