The Obama Presidential Center is “requiring photo ID to enter.”

When the Obama Presidential Center opened its doors to visitors June 19, a longstanding voter ID debate snuck in as well.

Five years after breaking ground on Chicago’s South Side, the center celebrated its grand opening with celebrities, international dignitaries, former presidents and speeches by Barack and Michelle Obama that generated standing ovations.

But Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., was paying attention to something else.

“Democrats are fine with requiring photo ID to enter the Obama Presidential Center, but not to vote in U.S. elections,” Blackburn said on X, sharing a screenshot of the center’s website.

“*Must be able to provide proof of residency,” the screenshot read. “Be prepared to show proof of residency at the Museum with a valid photo ID, Illinois driver’s license, state ID, or city-issued ID. Guardians must be able to provide proof of residency for accompanying children.”

Blackburn has staunchly supported the SAVE America Act, a bill that would require photo ID to vote. But the policy she shared online applies only to the Obama Center’s discounted museum tickets for Illinois residents. Blackburn and her office did not respond to PolitiFact’s questions.

“No ID required to get into the museum, unless you want the discounted rate for Illinois residents or the Illinois free day,” a statement from the Obama Center press team said.

The center’s museum offers Illinois residents free admission every Tuesday. As of June 23, reservations for those tickets were fully booked through November, the website said. On other days, Illinois residents get $4 off adult admission and $8 off child admission. 

In addition to the museum, the center’s campus includes a basketball court, public library, playground, vegetable garden and plaza, all of which are “free and accessible to all without a photo ID,” the center’s statement said.

Discounts for residents are fairly common at museums and other cultural institutions, in Illinois and elsewhere in the country. The Field Museum, a private-public natural history museum in Chicago, offers deals for Illinois residents, such as free-entry Wednesdays. Residents must show ID when buying tickets and when entering the museum.

With the 2026 midterm elections looming, Senate Republicans continue to back the SAVE America Act, one of President Donald Trump’s legislative priorities. 

The act has yet to pass the Senate. At Trump’s request, Republicans added the SAVE America Act to their immigration enforcement bill, but the amendment most recently failed 48-50, with Democrats opposing the measure.

Voter ID is already required in most states, and some require a form of photo ID.

Our ruling

Blackburn said the Obama Presidential Center is “requiring photo ID to enter.”

ID is not needed to buy a general ticket for the center’s museum, and the rest of the center’s campus is free and accessible to all without any identification requirement. Illinois residents seeking free or discounted admission to the museum must provide photo ID to confirm their place of residence. 

We rate Blackburn’s statement False.