"Timeless:" Obama Presidential Center prepares for opening

OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL CENTER (WBBM Newsradio) -- Leaders of the Obama Foundation said the exhibits and space inside the museum at the heart of the center dedicated to Barack and Michelle Obama's history-making time in the White House reflect their vision.

"He didn’t want it to be simply a time capsule," Obama Foundation CEO Valerie Jarrett told reporters during Wednesday's media preview of the features inside the eight-story museum that rises above the intersection of 60th Street and Stony Island Avenue, just behind the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry. She added that while he considered other potential sites, he wanted it to be on the city's South side: "This is where his adult life really began."

Museum director Dr. Louise Bernard said the attraction is filled with exhibits designed to tell the story of the country, trace the Obamas' journey to the White House from Chicago, and inspire visitors to take action in their own communities.
"We're passing that baton, and inviting people to bring change home," Dr. Bernard said of the museum, which she described as "immersive" and "participatory."

"The everyday visitors sees themselves reflected back."

That reflection comes through multimedia exhibits, commissioned art and static displays covering everything from the Obamas’ upbringing to some of the President’s achievements in office, including the passage of the Affordable Care Act, the centerpiece of which is a full-size replica of the Obama Oval Office. Visitors will also be able to see an array of Michelle Obama’s dresses and accessories, featuring designers from Jason Wu to Target, as well as learn more about her initiatives including the "Let's Move" program aimed at improving children's physical activity.

"We left an enormous amount on the cutting room floor," Jarrett admitted.

The building is literally capped off by the Nelson Mandela Sky Room on the eighth floor, featuring views of the whole city, and a look to the west and south through a "text screen" featuring an excerpt of the former President's 2015 speech in Selma, Alabama. "It’s a view that’s never been seen before," Jarrett said.

"We believe that this campus will be timeless."