See inside the Obama Presidential Center, set to open in Chicago Friday

In a city famous for its architectural landmarks, the Obama Presidential Center's museum rises on Chicago's south side. The presidential center is not just a building. It's a 19-acre campus with a public library, an indoor basketball court, public places and gardens. Paul Schulhof, one of the key architects, describes the 225-foot museum structure as much inspirational as intentional. "This is also a building that tells the story of the Obama presidency, the first Black president of the United States, and there is a time where things should stand out as well. And that was the idea of this museum. It is a tower. It is meant to be seen," Schulhof said. So are the words embedded at the top of two sides of the museum, from President Obama's speech on the 50th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery marches. "The first line of the portion of the speech that's inscribed on the screen of this building is 'You are America,' and that is an inherent part of what that speech is about and it is also about what this building is about," said Schulhof. It's that experience that John Robertson says the Obama Foundations wanted to capture: Four floors that walk visitors through "yes we can," and more. ------------------------------------- Follow Scripps News on other platforms— Join our newsletter at https://bit.ly/2q1tepr Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scrippsnews/ Follow us on X: https://x.com/scrippsnews Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scrippsnews/ Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@scrippsnews