Obama Presidential Center tickets on sale for Chicago museum and library
If you want to visit the Museum at the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago after it opens on Juneteenth, you can buy your tickets online.
Tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. Wednesday, May 6, on the presidential library's website. The Obama Foundation warned that they expect weekend and summer tickets to sell out quickly.
You will be able to purchase up to nine tickets at a time, and the Obama Foundation said they anticipate a wait to purchase tickets, but your spot in the electronic line will be saved when you log on to purchase. With the expected demand, the foundation recommended that any prospective visitors have alternative dates and times in mind in case their first choice is already sold out.
As construction crews work on the final landscaping details around the 20-acre presidential center, the anticipation is seeping from the Obama Foundation's Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Mike Strautmanis.
"I don't know if you can be ready for something like this," he said. "There are people, guests, walking around ... in the restaurant, in the museum."
He says former white house and campaign workers are on invite-only tours. They see a sneak peek, and the foundation hears their feedback, but the general public will be able to buy tickets on Wednesday morning.
All entries will be timed tickets, and visitors are strongly encouraged to reserve tickets online in advance of a visit.
Tickets will be available to purchase for June 19 through Nov. 30, 2026. You can sign up for the Obama Foundation's mailing list for notifications about when tickets for future dates will go on sale.
General admission tickets cost $30 for adults (ages 12 and above) and $23 for children aged 3 to 11. Illinois residents – who must provide proof of residence through a valid photo ID – can purchase adult tickets for $26 and child tickets for $15. Entry for children 2 and under is free.
Strautmanis responded to those who say the ticket prices are high compared to other presidential libraries.
"Ticket prices are on par with all the other museums in the park, all the other museums in and around Chicago," he said.
No matter the price, Michele Groden says she's coming from Rochester, New York, and has already secured her ticket to visit the center in September.
"We decided to join the foundation because then we could get early access to tickets," she said.
Tickets are for personal use, not returnable, and cannot be sold or transferred. All entries are timed, and visitors should arrive within 10 minutes of their scheduled time.
The center will have a replica of the Oval Office, a Chicago Public Library branch, and a recording studio, just to name a few attractions. The foundation also hired 150 full-time employees this year, through a highly competitive process.
"We had thousands of people apply for just over 150 slots," Strautmanis said.
And former President Obama was part of many small but important decisions, from how the food tastes, the height of barriers at the overlooks, and the art pieces that all tell a story.
"It's a really hopeful, happy place," Strautmanis said.
The museum will be open on Mondays from 1 to 8 p.m. and Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Last entry to the museum will be an hour before closing.
General admission tickets include access to all four levels of the museum, access to the Oval Office and to the Sky Room.
Click here to buy your ticket to visit the Museum at the Obama Presidential Center.