Overview
- Deputy Director Kim Patterson said the 225-foot museum tower is shaped to resemble four hands coming together to emphasize collective action.
- She said the scarcity of windows was intentional to shield artwork and artifacts from damaging sunlight.
- The 20-acre Jackson Park campus is privately funded, its cost has risen from about $500 million to roughly $830–$850 million, and it is slated to open in June 2026.
- The center’s library will provide digital presidential records, with exhibits and spaces such as displays of Michelle Obama’s dresses and an audio studio for youth.
- Foundation officials cite community feedback for moving a planned parking garage underground, while criticism and a parkland lawsuit that ended in 2022 reflect ongoing scrutiny.