History

Visiting George Bush Presidential Library and Museum is an Exercise in True Understanding

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Tony Maples Photography

 

A visit to the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum in honor of American’s 41st President (1989-1993) is an experience in learning and history which may not seem so long ago, but has many things to teach us still. Dedicated in 1997, the library’s exhibits and displays focus on preserving and making available to the public the official records, papers, and artifacts of President George H.W. Bush. The goal of supporting democracy, promoting civic education, and increasing the historical understanding of the term of which he was President of the United States is one in common with the other two presidential libraries in Texas, with the stand-out feature of this facility holding approximately 2 million photographs and thousands of hours of audio and videotape which wouldn’t have necessarily been as available a medium when LBJ was President.

Visiting George Bush Presidential Library and Museum is an Exercise in True Understanding

Photo: Facebook/George Bush Presidential Library and Museum

Also similar to the other two facilities in Texas (making three in total and the most for any State in the US!), the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum is one of the fourteen presently administered by the National Archives and Records Administration and although it is located on the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station, it is federally managed and operates independently of the university.

Visiting George Bush Presidential Library and Museum is an Exercise in True Understanding

Photo: Facebook/George Bush Presidential Library and Museum

In 2007, the library and museum underwent a renovation which saw the closure of the permanent exhibit while the temporary exhibit gallery remained open. When the George Bush Presidentially Library and Museum reopened, the official ceremony was an exciting time in Texas, and the man himself made an appearance by parachuting onto the property! Political history buffs will love the fact that with the reopening of the facility, guests can now fully enter the replica of the Oval Office, which is unlike any of the other presidential libraries. It’s also the first one that allows for souvenir photos to be taken of visitors sitting behind the presidential desk in that same exhibit.

Visiting George Bush Presidential Library and Museum is an Exercise in True Understanding

Photo: Facebook/George Bush Presidential Library and Museum

With 17,000 feet of permanent exhibit space and 3,000 more in temporary, a recent visit will give visitors access to over 44 million personal papers of the former president as well as such unique and popular exhibits as the “The Legacy of Ranching: Preserving the Past Embracing the Future,” featuring a focus specifically on the state of Texas and ranching culture as it was and is developing into. As one of many displays and exhibits with a depth and scope mirroring George Bush himself, together with a compendium of the influences and circumstances that shaped his presidency, a visit to the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum is an exercise in understanding complete with early 1990’s pop culture, political issues, and a tone of the day which you can physically experience upon entry. It’s a valuable component of both our country and our state’s history and one for which Texans can be proud, regardless of political persuasion.

Sources:

Kay Confidential

Wikipedia

George Bush Presidential Library and Museum