Dozens of streets in Washington will be closed for inaugural ceremonies . Tickets are required to see the ceremonies up close , while the National Mall is open for the general public . The inauguration ceremony itself begins at 9 a.m. and ends around 11 p.m. - Inauguration Day : President Obama takes office on January 20 after winning a second term with an electoral landslide over Republican nominee Mitt Romney. Banned from most secure areas are items like backpacks , pets and weapons . Inaugural day weather is expected to be cool with a low of 26 degrees and the day 's high to reach 37 .
Dozens of streets in Washington will be closed for inaugural ceremonies . Tickets are required to see the ceremonies up close , while the National Mall is open for the general public . The inauguration ceremony itself begins at 9 a.m. and ends around 11 p.m. - Inauguration Day : President Obama takes office on January 20 after winning a second term with an electoral landslide over Republican nominee Mitt Romney. Inaugural day weather is expected to be cool with a low of 26 degrees and the day 's high to reach 37 .