From the JFK Library in Boston to Lincoln’s Cottage in Washington DC, visiting US presidential libraries and houses can offer great insights into both the men and their eras.
JFK Presidential Library and Museum, Boston
In the southern outskirts of Boston, Massachusetts, the John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum makes brilliant use of recordings made during JFK’s lifetime. The assassinated president himself effectively becomes the tour guide as the story goes from childhood amongst a political dynasty to the untimely end in Dallas.
There’s plenty of detail on big events such as the Cuban Missile Crisis, and Kennedy emerges as more of a pragmatist than an idealist on many issues.
- Read a more detailed John F Kennedy Library review.
George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Virginia
Start with the first – and most reluctant – US president. George Washington’s family home is at Mount Vernon in Virginia. The house and gardens have timewarp atmospherics, while the exhibitions inside paint a picture of a man who was both heroic and cowardly.
His wartime leadership and lack of lust for power shine through. But they’re somewhat eclipsed by wandering through the slave quarters and learning that he never freed his slaves during his lifetime.
Lincoln’s Cottage, Washington DC
In the northern reaches of Washington DC, Lincoln’s Cottage was where Abraham Lincoln spent significant chunks of his presidency. Tending to use it as a proper home and the White House as a place of work, Lincoln developed the Emancipation Proclamation at the Cottage when given respite from petitioners who would randomly turn up at the door.
There are few exhibits from Lincoln’s life inside, so the stories come from the guides showing you round.
LBJ Presidential Library, Austin
On the University of Texas campus in Austin, the LBJ Presidential Library digs deep into a controversial president who is perhaps more remembered for the disastrous Vietnam War than the Civil Rights legislation he passed through. The most fascinating sections deal with the aftermath of the Kennedy assassination, and how Johnson coped with suddenly being thrust into the top job he never realistically expected to get.
George W Bush Presidential Library, Dallas
There are concerted attempts to paint President Bush Jr as a statesmanlike figure at the George W Bush Presidential Library and Museum in Dallas. But the airbrushing over the controversies of his presidency is surprisingly light.
The Iraq War and Guantanamo Bay are dealt with reasonably even-handedly. Even if you don’t like the man, it’s a good glimpse into how he operated and the issues he tried to steer the world through.
More presidential libraries
Elsewhere on Planet Whitley, I’ve written about Harry Truman’s Little White House in Key West, Florida, and the best presidential homes in Virginia for visitors.
