Group Visits

Groups of 10 or more visitors receive access to personalized booking services and streamlined entry. Group Museum Admission Tickets include timed-entry access to all four levels of the Museum.

Due to a high volume of requests, and unprecedented demand, we currently have a waitlist for date requests, please fill out the form below to include your request into the waitlist. We will follow up when additional dates and times become available.  

A few things to know before heading to the Obama Presidential Center.

• Do you have guided tours?

  Unfortunately, Group Sales does not offer guided tours. However, we have Campus Experience Tours. Space is limited to 15 people and cannot be pre-booked for groups. To book a Campus Experience Tour, please visit  tickets.obama.org (Opens in a new tab) . 

  Explain self-guided tours - 

  If your group would still like the guided experience, we have complementary audio guides! You can access them as an app on your phone. The app is called Bloomberg Connects.

  As an alternative, you can also loan a device from the ticketing desk, though that would only be usable inside the museum. They will also be first-come first-served, so make sure to ask as soon as you can

  If you have any more questions, we recommend looking at https://www.obama.org/visit/audio-guide/ .

• Can we get a reservation at Tafari’s Kitchen?

  While we do not offer group catering or reservations at Tafari’s Kitchen, your group is more than welcome to visit the restaurant and cafe as walk-up guests.

• What are the Group Rates/Are there any discounts?

  We do not offer any discounted tickets for group visits. 

• Do Illinois Free Days Apply to Group Visits?

  Group tickets do not apply to Illinois Free Days.  

  Our group rates are $23 per child under 12 and $30 per guest older than 12. If you have children under 3, they will be granted access to the museum at no extra charge. The same applies to Caregivers (need to clarify what qualifies as a caregiver).

  If you are an Illinois resident, the prices will be $15 per child under 12 and $26 per guest older than 12. We do not offer any other discounted tickets at this time.

• How do we pay?

  When we are able to hold your tickets, we will send a payment link invoice to your email address. We only accept payments through card.

• How many tickets can I purchase for a group?

  The maximum number of tickets we can book at this time is 120 per group, but subject to availability. Please note that any group over 20 may need to be split into consecutive time slots, so please be prepared to have designated group leaders to have each group enter separately.

• Should I make travel arrangements before purchasing my self-guided group tickets?

  We strongly recommend that you do not advertise or book hotels, flights, buses for a speculative group trip until group tickets are paid in full with Group Sales @ The Obama Presidential Center. 

  
  Please note that we cannot guarantee or confirm any tickets that were not directly booked by the Group Sales Department at the Obama Presidential Center. 

• How will we get there? (Cars)

  If your group is arriving in individual cars, we have an on-site parking garage that is open from 7 AM to 11 PM. All parking operates on a first-come, first-served basis. You can find out more info at: https://www.obama.org/visit/directions-and-parking/ .

  0 - 4 Hours……………………………………………………$22

  4 Hours to close………………………………………… $34*

  Evening Special……………………………………………$15
  (In After 5pm)

  Special Events……………………………………………...$50+

  Parking rates are subject to change.

  *With validation, 4 Hours to close is $22.  Museum ticket holders can claim the validation at the Museum and Forum coat check areas.

• How will we get there? (Buses)

  • General Drop-Off: Charter buses and cars must drop off and pick up passengers from the northbound curb lane on Stony Island Ave, directly in front of the Forum building. This zone is strictly for active loading and unloading—buses may not stage or idle in this area.

  • Bus Parking: On-site bus parking is not available. We recommend the Chicago Park District’s bus parking lots—just head to their Official Parking Guide (Opens in a new tab) and you’ll be able to see their prices and locations. These lots are owned by the Chicago Park District and managed by SP+. The Obama Foundation does not have any formal or informal agreements related to bus parking. Bus drivers park at their own risk, and must reserve and pay for their parking if they are utilizing park district lots. 

  • For more transportation information and directions visit here. 

• Can I borrow a wheelchair on campus?

  Yes. A limited number of wheelchairs are available to borrow for your campus visit on a first-come, first-served basis.

  • Where to find them: Inquire at the Coat Checks located in the lobbies of the ground floors of the Museum, Forum, or Home Court.

  • Sizes: We offer different sizes to comfortably fit our visitors, including three narrow-fit chairs for smaller bodies and a couple of wider, higher weight-capacity chairs.

  If visitors want to rent a scooter, other patrons have had good experiences with Chicago Mobility Rentals. It is an outside company. They will arrange drop off and pick up with you. We suggest meeting them outside the Plaza, on Stony Island Ave. Here is the information: Chicago Mobility Rentals $120 for the day, 872-219-1500, chicagomobilityrentals.com (Opens in a new tab) .

• What resources are available for blind or low-vision visitors?

  • Tactile Maps: Tactile wayfinding maps are located on each level of the Museum, and general tactile wayfinding maps of the Museum and Forum can be found at their respective information desks. 

  • Exhibits & Artifacts: Braille signs, tactile stations, and tactile replicas/reliefs of key artifacts are available at a number of Museum exhibits.

  • Large Print Guides: Book-format large print guides of key exhibition texts can be borrowed from the Amenities desk in the Entry Pavilion.

  • You can also download our Audio Guide via the Bloomberg Connects app .

• What resources are available for Deaf or hard-of-hearing visitors?

  • Exhibition Media: Museum gallery films and digital media exhibit displays feature closed captioning and on-screen American Sign Language (ASL) interpretations.

  • Amplification & Loop Systems: Programmatic areas such as the Auditorium and Program Rooms are equipped with assistive-listening devices (ALDs).

  • Guided Tours: For visitors taking a guided tour, we use ListenTalk brand tour amplifiers consisting of specialized headset units for the tour leader and attendees.

  • Live Interpretation: ASL interpretation can be provided for our programs upon request. We generally require two weeks' notice to secure an interpreter.