'Living celebration of community': Obamas open presidential centre in Chicago
Key takeaways
- The Chicago campus functions as a monument to the eight years the couple spent in the White House.
- The couple chose the Jackson Park neighbourhood on the South Side for the 19.3-acre campus, near their Windy City home ahead of moving to the White House.
- "For me, this centre could not be any place else," Obama told visitors during an opening ceremony.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Nardine Saadand Laura Blasey Getty Images Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama welcomed three former US presidents, dignitaries, celebrities and the public to the Obama Presidential Center on Thursday - an opening in the works in the decade since the 44th president left the Oval Office.
The Chicago campus functions as a monument to the eight years the couple spent in the White House. It combines elements of a museum and reading room with community centre amenities such as a playground, basketball court, recording studio and public library.
The couple chose the Jackson Park neighbourhood on the South Side for the 19.3-acre campus, near their Windy City home ahead of moving to the White House.