The Museum of Science and Industry is closing the day that the Obama Museum is opening (not forever)

One of Chicago's most beloved museums is taking an unusual day off this month and it's happening for a historic reason.

The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry will close to the public on June 18, the same day the long-awaited Obama Presidential Center holds its official dedication ceremony in Jackson Park. On its website, the museum said it will close “in coordination with the Obama Presidential Center and city partners to support their Grand Opening Dedication Ceremony.”

The museum sits just north of the new center and is expected to be affected by extensive security measures, traffic restrictions and road closures surrounding the event as thousands of visitors, dignitaries, media members and community guests descend on the South Side for the opening of the $850 million campus.

The day is already shaping up to be one of the biggest civic celebrations Chicago has hosted in years, with demand for the dedication ceremony already exceeding available capacity. Obama Foundation organizers have since created a free public watch party along the Midway Plaisance. (That event will feature a livestream of the dedication ceremony, food trucks, local vendors and entertainment throughout the day.)

Visitors heading to the area should prepare for significant disruptions. Portions of Stony Island Avenue, the Midway Plaisance and several surrounding streets will be closed between June 15 and June 19, with some restrictions extending through June 22. Officials are encouraging attendees to use public transportation and the CTA recently announced that its No. 10 Museum of Science and Industry route will be extended to serve the Obama Presidential Center year-round.

The museum will reopen on June 19 with a free admission day for Illinois residents, celebrating both Juneteenth and the institution's 93rd birthday. Anyone who purchased tickets for June 18 will automatically receive a refund and a 30 percent discount toward a future visit.

The Obama Presidential Center officially opens to the public on Friday, June 19, including its museum tower, a Chicago Public Library branch, athletic facilities, public art installations and landscaped green space spread across nearly 20 acres. Foundation officials estimate the center could attract up to 1 million visitors annually, making it one of Chicago's most significant new cultural attractions in decades.

For one day, however, Chicago's science museum is stepping aside so the city's newest museum can take center stage.