The last installation in the museum journey is the Nelson Mandela Sky Room, a viewing lounge at the top of the Center’s tower with panoramic views of Chicago’s South Side, Jackson Park, Lake Michigan, the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, and the University of Chicago campus.
Visitors can access the Sky Room only via an express elevator that takes them from the fifth floor to the top floor. The elevator skips two levels, which a museum guide mentioned house administrative and utility facilities, as well as the offices of the former President and first lady.
The sudden transition from the mostly windowless galleries to the bright, panoramic room made the arrival feel almost cinematic.
The ceiling installation, Idris Khan’s “Sky of Hope,” displays thousands of hand-stamped words drawn from Obama’s 2015 “You Are America” speech, marking a reflective and inspiring end to the museum journey. The transition from the galleries to the sun-filled room felt like moving from the past toward the future. I saw many visitors sit down, take in the views, and appreciate the space.
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