Obama Presidential Center

The Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park, imagined by New York’s Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects | Partners and Chicago-based Interactive Design Architects, comprises the 225-foot-tall granite-clad Museum tower, Forum, Plaza, Chicago Public Library branch, athletic facility and gardens and public green spaces. It’s possible to spend upwards of two hours perusing the museum’s eight floors. Highlights include Nigerian artist Njideka Akunyili Crosby’s intricate portrait, a full-scale replica of the Oval Office, memorabilia from the 2008 and 2012 elections, and a note handwritten by Barack Obama on a legal pad that details his domestic agenda. You'll need tickets to enter the museum, but Illinois residents get in free on Tuesdays, and children two and under are always free. But, you can still visit the campus, library branch, park and acres of outdoor spaces for free anytime the campus is open.