Obama museum lets visitors sit behind Oval Office desk, touch iconic dresses

(4 Jun 2026) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ASSOCIATED PRESS Chicago – 28 May 2026 1. Pan up and wide of a replica of a replica of the Oval Office inside the museum of the Obama Presidential Center as a woman sits behind the desk and pose for photo 2. SOUNDBITE (English) Josh Harris, The Obama Foundation’s vice president of public engagement: “Many presidential libraries and institutions have some of these iconic features. There are some that have the replica of the limousine or Air Force One, but President Obama chose the Oval Office. If you remember, the White House was designed to be the people's house, and President Obama opened the White House to more people in our history than ever before.” 3. Mid of a people in silhouette standing next to a sign that reads (English) “The Oval Office” 4. Wide and pan right to left of people taking photo in the replica of the Oval Office inside the museum of the Obama 5. SOUNDBITE (English) Josh Harris, The Obama Foundation’s vice president of public engagement: “And so they wanted to again establish this replica to give people an opportunity to see what it's like to sit behind the resident desk and read the letter that president Bush gave to president Obama before he took office." 6. Tilt up and mid of Michelle Obama’s ballgowns on mannequins behind glasses 7. Mid of visitors looking at the ballgowns through the glass 8. SOUNDBITE (English) Josh Harris, The Obama Foundation’s vice president of public engagement: “There's Mrs. Obama's iconic dresses from both terms, located there as well. So you'll see some of those are iconic memorabilia and features throughout both terms in the campaigns as well.” 9. Close up of a pair of gloves 10. Close up of a pair of shoes 11. Swatches of the fabrics of Michelle Obama’s dresses 12. SOUNDBITE (English) Josh Harris, The Obama Foundation’s vice president of public engagement: “So the exterior of the building is designed in the shape of four hands coming together. And so with that, it's to hopefully have people reflect on the power of the collective we and people coming together to bring about change.” 13. Wide of the tower of the Obama Presidential Center behind fences 14. Mid and tilt up of the tower of the Obama Presidential Center 15. Wide and pan right to left of the tower of the Obama Presidential Center 16. SOUNDBITE (English) Josh Harris, The Obama Foundation’s vice president of public engagement: “So President Obama chose Chicago because it's a city that has given so much to them. Mrs. Obama, a native of the South Side of Chicago, President Obama, who got his organizing start right here on the South side of Chicago. They also wanted to give back to a community that's given so much to them, and that's why they chose the Southside of Chicago. This is home.” 17. Wide of a statue of Michelle and Barack Obama 18. Wide of a painting inside a library at the Obama Presidential Center 19. Mid of a photo of Michelle Obama and Nelson Mandela 20. Wide of a book shelf and a photograph of Barack Obama 21. SOUNDBITE (English) Josh Harris, The Obama Foundation’s vice president of public engagement: “So, but 90% of this campus is free and open to the public. We only have four floors of ticketed space, which is our exhibit space, but people can go to the branch of the Chicago Public Library. They can go to our fruit and vegetable garden in the teaching kitchen. They can go to the playground. They can sit inside our forum space and sit down at the Hadiya Pendleton Winter Garden. They can go to Tafari's kitchen and have a bite to eat. And they can also go to The Sky Room, all free of charge.” Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...