Obama Presidential Center Museum
Jackson Park, Chicago, IL
The Obama Presidential Center Museum, in Chicago, Illinois, shares the story of President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, America’s first Black president and First Lady, through a journey rooted in the power of people to enact change. The narrative situates the work of the Obama presidency within a broader story of individuals, movements, and actions that reflect the promise and challenges of democracy.
Civic Projects has served as the local partner throughout the Obama Presidential Center Museum project, contributing from the proposal phase through implementation. Invited to join the team by Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA), Civic Projects helped identify local and creative collaborators and brought critical local knowledge to the project from the outset.
RAA led the exhibition design effort in collaboration with a broad team of creative partners and specialists. The design team included firms and individuals with expertise in public interest design, artistic practice, architecture, media, lighting, acoustics, and civic storytelling, with significant contributions from Chicago-based creative collaborators including Civic Projects Architecture, who served as exhibit design and documentation partners, and Normal Studio, as exhibit graphic design partners.
Artists and educators Amanda Williams, Andres L. Hernandez, and Norman Teague played an important role in the formative concept phase, helping shape the artistic vision and civic spirit of the work; Teague continued with the project through design and production of the Museum galleries’ exhibit furniture.
From the outset, the team structure reflected the values of the project itself: collaboration, local engagement, creative excellence, and inclusive participation. Nearly half of the exhibition design work for the Obama Presidential Center was performed by minority- and woman-owned businesses.
Museum Design
Inside the museum, exhibits will explore the fullness of the American story—from the promise of America’s founding documents to the social movements that challenged us to live up to them. Visitors will learn about the volunteers who worked on the historic campaign and explore the eight years of progress, setback, and hope that followed. The Center will be a place to reflect and grow, connect and create; to tap into your own sense of purpose and discover the change you want to make in the world.
Community Workshops
The museum design team has hosted a series of workshops focused on the development of the Obama Presidential Center Museum. Our goal is to get feedback and insights from participants that help validate and improve our expectations for the design process. Participants learn about how museums engage visitors and inspire them to create change in their own communities through storytelling and interactive exhibit design.
Client: The Obama Foundation
Size: 35,000 SF
Completion Date: June 2026
Services: Museum & Exhibit Design, Community Engagement
Photographs courtesy of Civic Projects and The Obama Foundation.