Good Morning.

I hope that you are enjoying this weekend with family and friends.

…………………………………….

One of my oldest friends came into town. She came because she had secured tickets to the Obama Presidential Center. So, we went along with Peanut and her mother.
I have to say that I was impressed. It really is an entire campus. We were there from Noon until it closed at 5 pm.
What did I love?
There was no wasted space. There were exhibits and short movies and artwork everywhere.
There was a lot of sitting space. Every floor. For people with mobility issues, they maybe couldn’t take in everything, but, there was a lot for them to take in on every floor. While the rest of your party that could walk and linger, there were clear spots where you could sit and take in a lot of the exhibit on every floor.

Every floor told a different story about the Obamas and their lives together.
• Their beginnings in Chicago.
• The beginnings of their political journey in Chicago.
• The 2 years of running for President
• What President Obama faced and accomplished while President
• The People’s House and how the Obamas used the WH to display what is best in America.
• Their goodbye at the end of those 8 years.

There was something interactive on every floor.

The displays were wonderful.

It was a review of history, and I am glad to have lived through it. I appreciated the floor where it outlined all the policy that happened during the Obama Presidency. Had a long talk with Peanut about the substantial achievements of 44.

Loved the Michelle Gown collection.

Loved the Oval Office recreation.

Went through the list of people awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom over the course of his 8 years.

I loved the top floor, because of the views. You rarely get a view of Lake Michigan and downtown Chicago from the South Side like this.

We ate lunch in the restaurant and enjoyed everything that we had.

Even spending all afternoon there, we still didn’t see everything.

As I told someone else, it was crowded, but not overwhelming. Because they time the entrance for tickets, they are controlling the crowd size.

And, the crowds were diverse. A large contingent of Black Americans, of course. Entire families. The younger people were like Peanut, having to listen to the Elders as to what that time was like, and what it meant to Black people in America. As we went through the exhibits, we of course, discussed them with others, and shared our common disgust that the White people in America thought the appropriate response to a Black man being successful as President for 8 years, was to elect Donald Trump. That common disgust was everywhere you went.

I appreciate that there is a working branch of the Chicago Public Library on the campus, and that it’s open for the neighborhood. A brand-new library, with all the bells and whistles – that was an accomplishment for the Obamas to get for the neighborhood.

Didn’t get to see inside the athletic center, but was able to see the building, which is also something open for the neighborhood to use.

We also didn’t get a chance to see the garden, but people said it was lovely.

It is an entire campus, with no wasted space. I can see that it can be used for all kind of events. While we were there, as it was closing, we saw a group of elegantly dressed people arriving for some kind of reception.

If you have been thinking about going to visit it, please do.