The Obama Presidential Center Is Getting Rave Reviews

• The Obama Presidential Center is a global hub designed to empower and connect people to create positive change.
• Early supporters are deeply moved by the center's honest and hopeful message, emphasizing individual responsibility to improve the world.

The Obama Presidential Center is just a month away from opening its doors on June 19, and visitors who’ve had an exclusive early preview of the new global hub are already blown away.

According to ABC 7 Chicago, an invite-only tour for early supporters and donors took place on April 4. While cameras weren’t allowed inside, attendees said the experience left them feeling inspired and emotional as they entered the building.

“It’s just amazing. It’s fascinating. You could spend hours in there,” Xenia Cotter, who attended the special viewing on Monday, told ABC 7 Chicago. “I thought it was just the museum, but it’s so much more. There’s a history of the U.S., how it’s developed, how it’s changed, the leadership, the roles the Obamas have had.”

What is the Obama Presidential Center?

Located on Chicago’s South Side, the Obama Presidential Center is designed as a global hub to inspire, empower, and connect people to create change. The 19-acre campus will feature a world-class museum, a new branch of the Chicago Public Library, a basketball court, and open areas for visitors to gather and reflect. As June approaches, construction continues, with landscaping, paving, and artwork installations still underway across the grounds.

Inside, however, select guests were given a first look at key spaces, including the museum tower and the forum building, which houses the Hadiya Pendleton Atrium.

“Hope has a home, and it’s time to open the doors,” the center’s website declares.

Former President Barack Obama also shared his excitement for the forthcoming center, telling fans in a video shared to YouTube on March 7:

“This is a place where a child from next door or across the globe can sit behind the Resolute Desk and imagine how they could help create a better world…This is not a monument to the past — it is a living destination for people who refuse to accept the status quo.”

More reactions.

Hira Qureshi, an Obama scholar, was among those invited for the preview.

“I’ve been a student at University of Chicago the last two years. We’ve slowly seen progress through the course of the two years, and it’s incredible to see it all coming together now,” Qureshi added.

Opening celebrations for the Obama Presidential Center will span two days. On June 18, the Grand Opening Ceremony will officially unveil the center, featuring livestreamed performances by global icons and remarks from prominent leaders, according to the center’s website. On June 19, the museum will open to the public, with general admission tickets going on sale May 6. Obama Foundation Founding Members will have early access to tickets, two weeks in advance.

Arne Duncan, who served as Secretary of Education during the Obama administration, told ABC 7 Chicago she’s excited for visitors to experience the center and its powerful installations.

“It’s beyond any expectations. I had to relive the memories and work we did. Deeply moving,” Duncan said. “We were really honest about creating hope, and that’s the spirit here.”

Duncan added that the exhibits serve as a reminder of the impact individuals can have.

“We all have a role to play to make things better. It’s obviously a very tough time in our country now. That’s not a time to quit; it’s a time to say, ‘Yes, we can. We must,'” Duncan said.

SEE MORE: 

8 Barack Obama Quotes That Still Inspire Us Today

Michelle Obama On Dating Barack When He Was Broke

'It's Just Amazing!': Visitors Rave About The Obama Presidential Center was originally published on newsone.com