CHICAGO — The Obama Presidential Center officially opened its doors to the general public on Saturday, a day after a star-studded inaugural ceremony drew dignitaries, former colleagues, and civic leaders to Jackson Park on Chicago's South Side. The sprawling campus, years in the making and designed by architect Tod Williams and Billie Tsien, welcomed tens of thousands of visitors streaming through its gates from early morning, with queues stretching well beyond the park's perimeter.

Former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, who attended Thursday's ribbon-cutting alongside Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, were not publicly scheduled to appear at Saturday's open-access event, but their absence did little to dampen enthusiasm among visitors who travelled from across the country and abroad to mark the occasion. The centre's museum tower, public library branch, and outdoor recreation areas were all accessible to the public for the first time.

The opening brings to a close a saga that began nearly a decade ago when the University of Chicago was first selected to host the centre. The project survived multiple legal challenges from neighbourhood preservation groups concerned about parkland use, as well as sustained criticism from South Side residents and housing advocates who warned that the development would accelerate gentrification and displace long-term Black families from Woodlawn and surrounding communities. Community benefit agreements negotiated in recent years have partially addressed those concerns, though activist groups said Saturday they would continue monitoring their implementation.

City officials projected that the centre would draw an estimated 750,000 visitors annually, generating significant economic activity along the 63rd Street corridor and surrounding neighbourhoods. Local business owners near the park reported brisk trade on Saturday, with restaurants and vendors fully booked or sold out by midday. Chicago's transit authority added extra service on the Green and Red Lines to accommodate the surge in visitors.

International delegations from Kenya, Indonesia, and Germany — countries with symbolic connections to Obama's biography and presidency — attended the opening weekend, underscoring the global interest in the project. The Presidential Center's programming arm announced its first slate of civic leadership fellowships, aimed at young people from the South Side, which organisers described as the institution's core mission beyond its archival and museum functions.