Obama Presidential Center construction update for the end of 2025

Take a sneak peek into construction of the Presidential Center campus including the completion of Home Court.

An image of Main Court, the basketball court located in Home Court. The image features the wood net-themed basketball backboard, the basketball net, and the basketball court floor.

We’re capping off 2025 with a major construction milestone: Home Court is now complete! The 60,000 square-foot building, inspired by President and Mrs. Obama’s commitment to athletics and wellness, will empower, inspire and connect people through sports, learning and play. 

A behind the scenes look at President Obama’s visit to the Obama Presidential Center 

President Obama could barely contain his excitement when he visited the Obama Presidential Center campus in December to see first-hand how construction is progressing.

He spent several hours examining the museum exhibits with the curators, viewing some of the massive public artwork for the first time and describing the wonder (Opens in a new tab) visitors from the South Side and around the world will experience when the doors open in June 2026. As part of his visit, The Obama Foundation is showing some never-before-seen images inside the museum, athletic center and the former President’s reaction to one of the best views of Chicago that people will ever get. 

Take a look at more of the incredible progress being made on the Presidential Center campus as we head into 2026.

Home Court at the Obama Presidential Center

An image of Main Court, the basketball court located in Home Court. The image features the wood net-themed basketball backboard, the basketball net, and the basketball court floor.

The completed Home Court will be the South Side’s new destination for sports, health and well-being. The 60,000-square-foot building includes an NBA regulation-size basketball court with two crossway practice courts, several multipurpose rooms, and will host leadership and career development programs for youth throughout the year.  On the basketball court, iconic phrases from President Obama are emblazoned on the floor. 

A look at Main Court. The basketball court features a wood floor with several words written on the floor. In the background are glass windows. To the right is a wood net-themed basketball backboard.
A nighttime look at Main Court from the bleachers.
The image is a close-up shot of a basketball net hanging on Main Court located in Home Court at the Obama Presidential Center. The basketball net is hanging from a black backboard. The net is white and the rim is red.
An image of one of the basketball nets located in Main Court.
A look at a multipurpose room in Home Court. The room features several long white tables with several dark colored chairs. In the front of the room is a light-colored wooden podium. Behind the podium are several windows.
One of the multipurpose rooms located in Home Court.
An image of the exterior of Home Court. The building is dark steel and grey, made to reflect the netting of a basketball net. Near the building, snow sits on the ground.
A look at the exterior of Home Court

The Obama Presidential Center Museum

A look at the southwest corner of the Museum Building. The image features crews preparing various support structures that will be used to install Selma screen text.
A look at the Museum Building from S Stony Island Ave. The Museum Building is made of granite and stone of varying shades of gray and pink. On the top left is an image of crews preparing various support structures that will be used to install Selma screen text.

At the Museum Building, crews are preparing support structures ahead of the installation of screen text taken from President Obama’s speech “You Are America,” which marked the 50th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery marches. 

The Forum Building

Artist Spencer Finch standing next to his artwork, To Disappear Enhances – (Memory Landscapes).” Spencer has a pale complexion. He is wearing glasses, a white hard hat, black work gloves, an orange construction vest, and a blue puffer jacket. Behind him is a yellow crane.
An image of Spencer Finch’s tile artwork, “To Disappear Enhances – (Memory Landscapes).” The artwork is made up of several square tiles on a wall. The tiles are different colors including light blue, yellow, red, green, and different shades of brown.

Spencer Finch – one of several commissioned artists for the Obama Presidential Center campus – was onsite for the installation of his tile artwork, “To Disappear Enhances – (Memory Landscapes)”  on the lower level of the Forum Building. Drawing on inspiration from President Obama’s autobiography “Dreams from My Father,” the tile wall mural installation evokes memories of places from the President’s formative years, including Honolulu, Jakarta, Chicago, and Nairobi. The colors for each location were personally selected by President Obama.

An image of the construction of the Elie Wiesel Auditorium located in the Forum Building on the Obama Presidential Center campus. The picture features wood panels across the walls and on the ceilings. In the center of the floor are wood planks that will become the seating area of the auditorium. Metal adorns the sides to support handrails.
An image of the construction of the Elie Wiesel Auditorium located in the Forum Building on the Obama Presidential Center campus. In the center of the image is the Auditorium stage. Around the stage are wooden planks that will become sectioned adjustable risers.

Wood panel installation on the Elie Wiesel Auditorium is nearly complete. The 299-capacity auditorium features a rounded stage encircled by seating. The first three rows of seating are adjustable and can be raised and lowered for different types of programs or mobility challenges. 

The Playground

An image of the upper level of the Playground. The image features a playset in the background, a lotus flower play element with pink flowers and green stems and a green and yellow dragonfly.
An image of construction workers installing a purple climbing wall element on the hill inside the Playground. The workers are in blue construction hats and yellow construction jackets. In the background of the image is the exterior of the Museum Building.

On the lower level (left) of the Playground, lagoon-inspired elements such as a dragonfly,  lotus flowers, and willows have been installed. On the upper level of the Playground, construction crews are installing a purple climbing wall (right.)

Outdoor Spaces

A view of the far north end of Obama Presidential Center campus. The Museum Building is in the center of the image. Around the Museum Building are dirt mounds and a yellow construction truck. In the forefront of the image is a concrete circular path. This path will eventually become a part of the Women’s Garden.
An image of the Ann Dunham Terrace located between the Forum and Museum Buildings. The picture shows concrete being poured in front of arched retaining walls.

Concrete and landscape preparation continue on the far north end of the campus (left.) Part of this concrete work will form an accessible circular path around the historic Women’s Garden. The first slab of concrete has also been poured in the Ann Dunham Water Terrace (right.) The stunning oasis, honoring the life of President Obama’s mother, will feature stone seating and a water installation by famed artist, Maya Lin.

This is a sneak peek into what’s happening across the campus today. Keep an eye out for more updates as we build the Obama Presidential Center! 

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