A museum dedicated to the career of former US president Barack Obama is set to open in Chicago on June 19, the US holiday Juneteenth commemorating the liberation of the African-American population from slavery in 1865.
The exhibition, housed in a large concrete tower, presents stages in the Democrat's life before and after his rise to become the first black president of the United States, including his arduous overhaul of health care that Obama pushed through and became known as Obamacare and the killing of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
Obama's diplomatic efforts are honoured in part with his speech at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate with former German chancellor Angela Merkel. Visitors can also walk through a full-scale replica of the Oval Office.
Obama set the direction for the museum concept and wants to review exhibits, Michael Strautmanis, the head of corporate communications and policy at the Obama Foundation, told dpa. "But generally speaking he sort of let people do their jobs," he said.
In addition to the museum, the campus covering around 7.8 hectares (about 11 football pitches) also includes a forum, a multipurpose hall and part of the public city library.
Obama's choice of Jackson Park to locate the museum was not haphazard. His wife Michelle grew up on Chicago's South Side, the couple married there and their daughters Malia and Sasha were born there. Obama taught at the University of Chicago for 12 years and began his political career on the South Side, eventually becoming the 44th president of the United States.
According to the foundation, construction costs of around $850 million were financed through donations. In recent years, supporters have included Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and the foundation of billionaires Bill and Melinda Gates.
The Chicago Tribune newspaper said completion was originally planned for 2020 or 2021. However, reviews by federal authorities and a lawsuit by park activists delayed the start of construction by around five years.
