The Obama Foundation frames this as an elevated visitor experience that brings history to life through world-class storytelling and celebrity narration, with Valerie Jarrett emphasizing how ordinary people working together accomplish extraordinary things.
Notably absent from the star-studded audio lineup are any other major Hollywood voices—the Obamas clearly wanted their most trusted A-list allies narrating this monument to their legacy, and getting Hanks and Winfrey on board signals they pulled out all the stops for June 19's opening.
The Obama Presidential Center opens June 19, 2026 in Jackson Park on Chicago's South Side. Tom Hanks narrates the museum guide covering White House exhibits and Obama's campaign/presidency; Oprah Winfrey narrates the campus guide detailing the 19-acre grounds.
When your presidential library needs narration help, you don't call just anyone—you call two of the most recognizable voices in American culture. The Obamas are making sure their legacy sounds as prestigious as possible.
The Obama Presidential Center is about to get a serious upgrade in the voice department. According to reporting by The Hollywood Reporter, Tom Hanks and Oprah Winfrey have been tapped to narrate audio guides for the new Chicago museum complex—and they're bringing some seriously impressive star power to Jackson Park. The center, scheduled to open June 19 on Chicago's South Side, will feature both A-listers prominently in its Bloomberg Connects app-based audio tours.
Hanks will handle narration duties for the museum guide, walking visitors through key exhibits detailing the Obama family's White House tenure and pivotal moments from Barack Obama's historic campaign and presidency. Winfrey, meanwhile, takes on the campus guide, covering everything from the construction of the 19-acre grounds to the neighborhood roots that shaped the project. But wait—there's more star power in the mix.
Prolific voice actor Cree Summer will provide the voices for Bo and Sunny, the Obamas' beloved Portuguese Water Dogs, in a family-friendly interactive version of the campus guide designed specifically for elementary school-age visitors. That's right: even the First Dogs are getting proper representation. The celebrity involvement extends beyond just the headline names.
Winfrey's campus guide also features appearances from Barack and Michelle Obama themselves, artist Richard Hunt (whose final commissioned work stands on the grounds), chef Cliff Rome, and NBA star Stephen Curry. Michelle Obama introduces a separate guide focused on artworks at the library, complete with commentary directly from the artists behind those pieces. "We are excited to enhance the visitor experience at the Obama Presidential Center through our campus audio guide, created in partnership with Bloomberg Connects," said Valerie Jarrett, CEO of The Obama Foundation.
"Throughout our campus visitors will experience how ordinary people who work together are able to do extraordinary things through exhibits, storytelling, interactive exhibits, art, and programs." For accessibility, Kareem Dale—who served as Obama's special assistant for disability policy during his administration—will narrate the audio descriptive tour. The Bloomberg Connects platform already hosts guides for major cultural institutions including LACMA, the Guggenheim Museum, and the Academy Museum, giving the Obama Center instant credibility in elite museum circles.
The June 19 opening can't come soon enough for Chicago's South Side, which has been waiting years for the economic and cultural boost the center promises to deliver. Now they've got Tom Hanks and Oprah Winfrey as their tour guides—talk about rolling out the red carpet.
