The Famous Voices That Will Guide You at the Obama Presidential Center
The mobile digital guides will be voiced by President Obama, Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Tom Hanks and others.
The Obama Presidential Center official mobile digital guides housed on Bloomberg Connect will be voiced by President Obama, Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Tom Hanks, Stephen Curry and Cree Summer, and other renowned voices, the Obama Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies announced last week.
They will be available starting June 19, at the Center’s grand opening.
The Obama Presidential Center, a 19.3-acre campus and museum, is designed for community use and includes the Obama Presidential Center Museum, a new Chicago Public Library branch, a dynamic playground, a garden classroom, an NBA regulation-sized basketball court, and green spaces with commissioned works by leading artists, along with other amenities.
As the first presidential library on the platform, the Obama Presidential Center’s digital guides shed light on the Center’s mission, exhibitions, and commissioned art through compelling narratives intimately voiced by artists, cultural figures, and everyday people whose stories are woven together with those of the Obamas, according to the Obama Foundation.
The Campus Guide explores the history and vision of the Obama Presidential Center and its roots on Chicago’s South Side. Narrated by Oprah Winfrey, the guide features President and Mrs. Obama alongside perspectives from the Obamas’ friends and collaborators—from late artist Richard Hunt providing insight about his final commission, to Tafari’s Kitchen chef Cliff Rome talking about food’s power to bring people together and Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry speaking about basketball and democracy from Home Court. The guide offers a comprehensive look at the Center’s 19.3-acre campus and is also available in American Sign Language signed by Jeremy Lee Stone, April Jackson-Woodard, Alexandria Wailes, Tyrone Giordano and Amelia Hensley, and Christina Hopewell-Albert.
And, an interactive and imaginative version of the Campus Guide narrated by the Obamas’ dogs, Bo and Sunny (as voiced by Cree Summer), is geared toward elementary schoolchildren and includes prompts to inform and entertain the youngest visitors as they explore the Center.
Michelle Obama introduces the Art Guide, which explores 14 commissioned artworks, each representing what Mrs. Obama calls the “strong link between art and democracy.” Users can hear from artists including Mark Bradford, Nick Cave and Marie Watt, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Nekisha Durrett, Theaster Gates, Maya Lin, Julie Mehretu, Aliza Nisenbaum, Martin Puryear, Alison Saar, and others, on the inspiration behind each piece and the steps it took to bring them to fruition. A dedicated mini-tour highlights the works by Jenny Holzer, Carrie Mae Weems, and Idris Khan in the Museum’s Sky Room, which provides panoramic views of Chicago’s South and West Sides.
Introduced by President Obama and narrated by actor Tom Hanks, the Museum Guide provides an up-close-and-personalized look at the stories, moments, and artifacts that shaped the Obama administration. Users will be able to explore key exhibits and learn more about President Obama’s vision for the Center, the Obama family’s time in the White House, and key moments from the Obama campaigns and presidency from contributors including Michelle Obama and archival audio from campaign volunteers, White House visitors, and the media. The Museum Guide will also be available on free loaner devices for those who don’t have or want to use their own smartphone.
An Audio Described Guide, introduced by President Obama and guided by Kareem Dale, who served as President Obama’s special assistant for disability policy, also is available.
The guides are available via a user’s own mobile phone to enhance onsite visits and can also be used to explore the institution’s collection and artwork from anywhere in the world.
Calendar
June 12, 2026
Specialty Tour: Architecture of Tudor Place
Tudor Place in Washington, D.C., presents an architecture tour of the historic house from noon to 1 p.m. EDT on June 12, 2026. From the original 1795 portion to the 1870 kitchen addition, there have been several significant structural changes over the 200-plus year history of this house. Read more
June 12, 2026
Legacy Lecture: Louisa Catherine Adams in America
The National First Ladies Library & Museum presents an online, one-woman play at noon EDT on June 12, 2026, on Louisa Catherine Adams, one of America’s most fascinating first ladies performed by award-winning actress and historical interpreter Laura Rocklyn. Audiences will explore Louisa’s personal journey and consider her potential future as a widow. The year is 1848: John Quincy Adams has suffered a fatal stroke on the House floor, and Louisa reflects on her years in the White House, her decades of public service, and the sacrifices she made alongside her husband as he fought against slavery in the House of Representatives. Read more
June 12, 2026
Bush Birthday Celebration
Join the George and Barbara Bush Foundation on June 12, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library & Museum in College Station, Texas, for a family-friendly celebration honoring the birthdays of President and Mrs. Bush. The celebration will feature story hour with special guest readers, birthday cake, and refreshments. Read more
June 18, 2026
Third Thursday: First Ladies and Their Orchids
The National First Ladies Library & Museum presents from 6 to 8 p.m. local time on June 18, 2026, an in-person Third Thursday program exploring Cattleya orchids named for America’s First Ladies. Arthur E. Chadwick highlights 19 consecutive first ladies, from Edith Bolling Wilson through today, celebrated with orchid hybrids, offering a unique perspective on history, horticulture, and legacy. The evening includes a presentation on a century of first ladies’ namesake orchids and a live show-and-tell of the plants. Read more
June 19, 2026
The Obama Presidential Center Grand Opening
There will be music, dancing, food, art and sports among the festivities planned for the grand opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago taking place June 19 through 21.
The programming will offer diverse experiences connected to arts and culture, civics and democracy, gardening and food, and sports and well-being, according to the Obama Foundation.
Tickets to the museum are sold out for the opening, but no admission is required to attend the festival. Organizers are asking people to register for some events open to the public because of limited capacity. The grand opening will also be livestreamed. Read more
June 27, 2026
The Story of Arthurdale: Eleanor Roosevelt’s Vision of Community
The Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val-Kill presents the fundraising panel discussion “The Story of Arthurdale: Eleanor Roosevelt’s Vision of Community” on June 27, 2026, from 12:30 to 3 p.m. local time. Following an informal lunch, join the Eleanor Roosevelt Center and Arthurdale Heritage for a special fundraiser and panel discussion exploring the extraordinary history of Arthurdale and Eleanor Roosevelt’s enduring connection to the community she called her “pet project.”
The afternoon will feature a panel discussion with Franceska Urbin, Supervisory Park Ranger at National Park Service, and Elizabeth Satterfield, Curator and Director of Education at Arthurdale Heritage, and moderated by Anna Fierst, Board Chair of the Eleanor Roosevelt Center (ERVK). They will examine the origins of Arthurdale, Eleanor Roosevelt’s advocacy for struggling families during the Great Depression, and the continued relevance of her vision today. Read more
June 27, 2026
The Grants’ World Tour
The bicentennial celebration of Julia Dent Grant at the Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site at White Haven continues with a Ranger Talk on The Grants’ World Tour from 10 to 11 a.m. local time. For more information about the events call 314-842-1867.
June 27, 2026
First Ladies for Kids – Celebrate Ida McKinley
The National First Ladies Library & Museum in Canton, Ohio, invites parents to bring their young historian to First Ladies for Kids in the First Ladies Park at the historic site from 11 to 11:30 a.m. local time
The free monthly event is designed for children ages 7–10. This month, Ida McKinley, a Canton native who became one of the most beloved first ladies of her era will be introduced with hands-on activities that bring history to life through creativity and play, a complimentary take-home workbook with interactive exercises in art, reading, spelling, and math and exploration of the historic Saxton-McKinley House with a National Park Service Ranger. Registration is requested. Read more
July 1, 2026
People’s House Party: White House History Ball
The People’s House: A White House Experience in Washington, D.C., presents a Civic Season after-hours ball on July 1, 2026, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. local time inspired by the dramatic burning of the White House by British troops in 1814. This evening transports attendees back in time to Federal America.
Tickets includes two drink tickets, tea cakes and desserts, history pop-ups about the US-UK relationship, and period-inspired activations like live traditional silhouettes from Silhouettes by Hand and Regency fan decorating. Regency/Federal Era-inspired fits are highly encouraged! Read more
July 4, 2026
Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Grand Opening
The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library (TRPL) will celebrate its grand opening on July 4, 2026, aligning with the 250th anniversary of the United States. Following an official dedication ceremony in the morning, the Library will formally open its doors to the public for the very first time.
Grand opening ticket holders will be among the first to experience what the Library has to offer. Going beyond traditional displays, visitors will step directly into Roosevelt’s life through galleries using AI, holograms, and immersive storytelling. Tickets are required and in high demand. It is strongly encouraged to become a Founding Member if visitors want to attend the grand opening.
The July 4th celebrations will conclude with “Eyes on the Stars,” an immersive drone show serving as a celebratory close to the day’s events. Choreographed to celebrate the American West and the night sky that Roosevelt cherished, the aerial exhibition uses light and storytelling to narrate his legacy directly above the Badlands.
Throughout the celebration week, programming will feature live music, author talks, and guest speakers, including Secretary Doug Burgum, Edward F. O’Keefe, Douglas Brinkley, and Doris Kearns Goodwin. Read more
July 10, 2026
Legacy Lecture: A Tea with Ohio’s First Ladies
Experience history in a new way as Women in History Ohio brings Helen Taft, Ida McKinley, and Florence Harding together for a virtual tea. The First Ladies Library & Museum in Canton, Ohio, presents a virtual program from noon to 1 p.m. EDT on July 10, 2026, featuring the three former first lady portrayals as women connected to Ohio and the White House whose lives spanned very different eras of American history. Read more
Send calendar items, press releases and announcements to jtaylor@eastwingmagazine.com.