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Jun 28, 2025

Obama Presidential Center Museum Tower Clad From Head To Toe - Chicago YIMBY

By: Daniel Schell 7:30 am on May 20, 2025 Granite cladding has reached the top of the Museum Tower at the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park. The richly-textured panels now cover all four

By: Daniel Schell 7:30 am on May 20, 2025

Granite cladding has reached the top of the Museum Tower at the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park. The richly-textured panels now cover all four façades of the structure, with Julie Mehretu’s glass art installation “Uprising of the Sun” facing north toward the Museum of Science & Industry and Hyde Park.

At the top of the tower’s north and west façades is a large opening wrapping around the exterior, where an excerpt in stone of President Obama’s 2015 “You Are America” speech at the 50th anniversary of the Selma-to-Montgomery marches will be featured. Windows are in place that will allow visitors to look out of the tower, through the lettering. The Obama Foundation expects to begin welcoming guests to the center in 2026.

Looking southwest from the Jackson Park cherry grove. All photos were taken on May 16, 2025 by Daniel Schell

The cutout atop the northeast corner of the tower

Looking across the West Lagoon from Wooded Island

In the foreground, improvements to the park on the west side of Stony Island Avenue

Construction crew at work high up the south façade

The southwest corner of the tower, where President Obama’s “You Are America” text will be installed

Looking east from 60th Street

Looking east from Midway Plaisance

Top of the west façade. “You Are America” text will wrap around to the south façade

Looking north across the athletic field. Home Court, also under construction, is in the foreground

Looking north up Stony island Avenue

Workers on the rooftop

Workers on the west façade

Looking southeast from Midway Plaisance

“Uprising of the Sun” glass art installation by Julie Mehretu on the tower’s north façade

The view from Wooded Island, looking northwest

From the south end of Jackson Park, near MSI, looking southwest

North and east façades

South and east façades from Wooded Island

At top left, President Obama’s “You Are America” will wrap around from the west façade

The west façade from the plaisance

The top of the southwest corner will feature President Obama’s “You Are America” text from 2015.

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