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residential Libraries are not libraries in the usual sense. 

They are archives and museums, bringing together in 

one place the documents and artifacts of a President and 

his Administration and presenting them to the public for study 

and discussion without regard for political considerations or 

affiliations. Presidential Libraries, like their holdings, belong to 

the American people. 

During his second term in office, President Franklin D. Roosevelt 

surveyed the vast quantities of papers and other materials he and 

his staff had accumulated. In the past, many Presidential papers 

and records had been lost, destroyed, sold for profit, or ruined 

by poor storage conditions. President Roosevelt sought a better 

alternative. On the advice of noted historians and scholars, he 

established a public repository to preserve the evidence of 

the Presidency for future generations. Beginning a tradition that 

continues to this day, he raised private funds for the new facility 

and then turned it over to the United States Government for 

operation through the National Archives. In 1955, Congress 

institutionalized this policy through the Presidential Libraries 

Act, amended in 1986. Through archives, museums, and public 

programs, Presidential Libraries continue to preserve the documents 

and artifacts of our Presidents, helping us learn about our nation 

and our democracy. 

A Unique Heritage 

previous: The Reagan Library’s 

replica Oval Office above: 

President Roosevelt, 1935 

opposite: President Roosevelt’s 

Study at his Presidential Library 

remains largely as he left it in 

1945 below: President and 

Mrs. Reagan greet Margaret 

Thatcher at the Reagan Library, 

1993 background: Cherry 

Tree Quilt, gift to First Lady 

Pat Nixon. 

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Presidential Libraries have other important archival holdings 

that go beyond the scope of the Presidency, including the 

following unique collections that reflect on our cultural history: 

Laura Ingalls Wilder’s original manuscripts of Little House 

on the Prairie and other works documenting life in the 

Midwest, Hoover Library. 

The personal papers, manuscripts, and objects of Ernest 

Hemingway, Kennedy Library. The original sketches and manuscript of The Lorax, by Theodore 

Geisel (“Dr. Seuss”), Johnson Library. 

very day the President and his staff generate 

thousands of documents providing insight into the 

issues confronting our nation. Presidential Libraries 

preserve not only these official records, but also the personal 

papers of Presidential family members, associates, and friends. 

Enriching these resources are dynamic audio and visual 

collections. The Libraries’ vast photographic, film, and video 

holdings capture the Presidents confronting key issues or 

relaxing with friends and family. Dramatic sound recordings 

let us listen to Presidents and their closest advisors debating 

turning points in our changing society. Together, these 

archival materials provide a comprehensive view of our 

Presidents and our history. 

These diverse sources are the raw materials of history— 

evidence of democracy at work and of the continuing 

relevance of the Presidents’ past decisions in our own times. 

While a selection of these fascinating materials is on exhibit 

at Presidential Libraries, the vast majority of holdings are 

available through Library research rooms. More information 

can be found at www.archives.gov/presidential_libraries, the 

Presidential Libraries web site. 

Pages of American History 

counter clockwise from top: Page from 

diary kept by hostage Robert Ode during 

his captivity in Iran, 1980; President 

Truman with Winston Churchill and 

Joseph Stalin, 1945; President 

Roosevelt’s Day of Infamy speech with 

his handwritten corrections, 1941; 

President Hoover, 1931; President 

Hoover’s Child’s Bill of Rights, 1931 

opposite: President Clinton at the 

bill-signing ceremony for the Health 

Insurance Portability and Accountability 

Act of 1996; Publisher’s letter accepting 

Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House 

in the Big Woods, 1931; a dust jacket 

for Ernest Hemingway’s To Have and 

Have Not, from the Grosset & Dunlap 

reprint of the original Scribner edition; 

a sketch for The Lorax 

(Dr. Seuss propertiesTM & ©2004 Dr. Seuss Enterprises, 

L.P. All Rights Reserved) 

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rtifacts bring us even closer to the 

Presidents and their times. Their lives 

become tangible through a cherished 

childhood toy, a favorite article of clothing, 

or a priceless gift from a foreign head of state. 

Each Presidential Library holds artifacts that 

illuminate the times in which our Presidents 

lived and the decisions they made throughout 

their lives. Whether sentimental or monumental, 

artifacts such as a handmade quilt from an 

expert needle crafter, entire slabs from the 

Berlin Wall, or the contents in the boyhood 

home where President Eisenhower spent his 

formative years make a visit to a Presidential 

Library a memorable experience. 

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History at Your Fingertips 

counter clockwise: President 

Eisenhower paints at Camp 

David, 1954; Silver gilt humidor, 

gift to President Kennedy from 

Nikita Khrushchev; Bust of 

President Reagan, gift of Arnold 

Schwarzenegger; A microphone 

used by President Roosevelt 

for Fireside Chats; President 

Truman’s famous desk sign; 

President Carter’s Nobel Peace 

Prize, awarded 2002; President 

Carter, Anwar Sadat, and 

Menachem Begin celebrate the 

peace treaty between Egypt and 

Isreal, 1979; Campaign button for 

President Johnson background: 

Untitled landscape painted by 

President Eisenhower on longterm loan to his Library from 

Abilene High School 

Artifacts on exhibit represent only a fraction 

of Library holdings. Behind the scenes, 

Libraries house more than 500,000 items, in 

all shapes and sizes, ranging from President 

Eisenhower’s World War II staff car at the 

Eisenhower Library to a set of 51 miniature 

silver musical instruments, given to the 

Nixon Administration from Indonesia, held 

at the Nixon Library. 

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residential Libraries offer thought-provoking 

and entertaining permanent exhibits that 

combine documents and artifacts, photographs 

and film to immerse you in the sights and sounds 

of the past. The Libraries also present exciting special 

exhibits designed to showcase their holdings in fascinating new ways or to highlight distinctive aspects 

of history and culture with materials borrowed from 

museums around the world. 

Conferences, symposia, and public forums sponsored 

by the Libraries are another means of participating 

in Library life. These events highlight new scholarship about the Presidents, American history, and 

current events, and provide opportunities to hear 

First Family members, key Administration figures, 

and foreign heads of state discuss history, politics, 

and the world today. 

Beyond exhibits and formal programs, the Libraries 

host special events to commemorate uniquely 

American holidays, such as President’s Day and the 

Fourth of July. Storytellers and actors portraying 

our Presidents make it possible to hear George 

Washington discuss the nation’s earliest days or 

Abraham Lincoln contemplate the Civil War. Many 

Libraries celebrate the holiday season with elaborate 

decorations originally used at the White House. And 

each Library observes its President’s birthday with 

a special celebration. 

Be a Part of History 

opposite: From the exhibit 

“Jacqueline Kennedy: The White 

House Years,” the First Lady is 

pictured wearing the exhibited 

gown above: Portrait of 

Presidents George H. W. Bush 

and George W. Bush from the 

exhibit “Fathers and Sons: 

Two Families, Four Presidents” 

background: Evening bag, 

gift to First Lady Betty Ford, 

Ford Museum 

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resident Reagan described Presidential 

Libraries as “classrooms of democracy.” 

This could not be more accurate. Libraries 

provide a broad range of educational opportunities 

for students of all ages. Each Library offers programs designed to introduce students to American 

history and the Presidency and to inform teachers 

about the use of primary source documents in 

teaching history. 

Highlights of Library education activities include 

the Truman Library’s “White House Decision 

Center,” where students or adults study historical 

crises from the Truman Administration. At the 

Ford Museum, you will find a replica of the Cabinet 

Room, an interactive media experience allowing 

students and adults alike to use the West Wing’s 

famous conference room and original documents 

to role-play through many of the complex problems that faced the Ford Administration. The 

Eisenhower Library’s Five Star Leaders is a document-based, experiential learning program in 

which students in grades 8 – 12 confront a crisis 

related to the Eisenhower Administration and 

develop democratic leadership skills. These are 

only a sample of the many diverse and enriching 

education activities hosted at Presidential Libraries. 

Classrooms of Democracy 

below: President Bush greets 

a family at the Bush Library; 

President Clinton visiting 

students, 1999; Students discuss 

policy issues at the Truman 

Library’s White House Decision 

Center opposite: Students in the 

Ford Museum’s replica Cabinet 

Room; President Johnson meets 

with President Nixon in the 

White House Cabinet Room, 

1968; President Ford in the 

Cabinet Room, 1975 

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NARA’s Presidential Libraries 

Presidential Libraries can be found across the country, from Massachusetts 

to California. Visit one soon, and give yourself and your family the opportunity to 

explore the history of our nation and the leaders who helped shape our society. 

Here is a chance to participate in your democracy. 

Ronald Reagan Library 

Simi Valley, CA 

Richard Nixon Library 

Yorba Linda, CA 

Lyndon Baines Johnson 

Library, Austin, TX 

George Bush Library 

College Station, TX 

Dwight D. Eisenhower 

Library, Abilene, KS 

Herbert Hoover Library 

West Branch, IA 

Gerald R. Ford Museum 

Grand Rapids, MI 

Gerald R. Ford Library 

Ann Arbor, MI 

Franklin D. Roosevelt Library 

Hyde Park, NY 

John F. Kennedy Library 

Boston, MA 

Harry S. Truman Library 

Independence, MO 

Office of Presidential Libraries 

College Park, MD 

Jimmy Carter Library 

Atlanta, GA William J. Clinton 

Library, Little Rock, AR 
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residential Libraries are one component 

of the National Archives and Records 

Administration (NARA), our nation’s official 

record keeper. An independent agency created by 

statute in 1934, NARA carries out its mission through 

its Washington, DC offices as well as a nationwide 

network of regional archives and records facilities to 

ensure that the American public can access official 

documents pertaining to the rights of citizens, the 

actions of government, and the national experience. 

NARA also works to improve opportunities for 

visitors to learn about the vital documents in its care 

through the National Archives Experience, which 

includes The Charters of Freedom: the Declaration 

of Independence, the Constitution of the United 

States, and the Bill of Rights. The 290-seat William 

G. McGowan Theater, a new Learning Center, and 

the exciting new Public Vaults exhibit, featuring 

immersive and dynamic interactive exhibits, and 

hundreds of records from NARA’s holdings, await 

you as part of the National Archives Experience 

in Washington, DC. 

A Vital Part of an 

Important Goal 

opposite: “The Charters of 

Freedom” housed in the Rotunda 

of the historic National Archives 

Building in Washington, DC, 

pictured above background: 

A version of the rare William J. 

Stone engraving of the 

Declaration of Independence, 

located at the Reagan Library 

next page: The White House 

Colonnade 

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