The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum is on top of a hill with a wide view of the Pacific Ocean, nearby mountains, and valleys. The Library is one of the most beautiful and interesting places in California. Additional info.
The 300-acre site of the Library, which is about 45 miles from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), stands in for President Reagan’s “shining city on a hill.” The 40th President of the United States and his wife, First Lady Nancy Reagan, are buried on the Library grounds.
As a Presidential library run by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) under the authority of the Presidential Records Act, the Reagan Library is also the place where President Reagan’s administration’s records are kept. There are more than 60 million pages of documents, more than 1.6 million photos, 500,000 feet of film, and tens of thousands of audio and video tapes in our collection. The Library also has collections of personal papers, such as papers from Ronald Reagan’s eight years as governor of California.
Scholars and students can get help with their research at the Reagan Presidential Library. The library also puts on many special exhibits, manages its collections, and has a lot of educational programs for students of all ages, like the Situation Room Experience, which is a live role-playing simulation.
The museum contains regularly changing temporary exhibitions and a permanent display chronicling President Reagan’s life. This exhibit starts during Reagan’s boyhood in Dixon, Illinois, and follows his life through his film career and military duty, marriage to Nancy Davis Reagan, and political career. The “Citizen Governor” exhibit showcases a video of Reagan’s 1964 “A Time for Choosing” address and incorporates displays of his eight years as governor. The collection features a 1965 Ford Mustang used by Reagan during his first gubernatorial campaign, as well as the desk he used as governor. Additionally shown are his campaigns for president in 1980 and 1984, as well as the suit he wore to take office and a table from the Situation Room in the White House that he used at his inauguration. The assassination attempt on his life in 1981 is shown in the news video, and information regarding the projected Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI, sometimes known as “Star Wars”) is featured in the presentation.
The National Archives and Records Administration: some background information (NARA)
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) library system now includes 11 Presidential Libraries, with the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum being the most recent addition. The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is a government organization responsible for providing the Library with an annual operating budget and archive, museum, and instructional personnel for the Library and its collections.
A Few Facts Regarding the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute is an organization that is committed to preserving and promoting Ronald Reagan’s legacy. This group is not affiliated with any political party and does not accept donations. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum benefits from this assistance in maintaining its operations. It provides complete support for the Walter and Leonore Annenberg Presidential Learning Center, the Air Force One Pavilion and the Air Force One Discovery Center, the Ronald Reagan Institute, and the Reagan Center for Public Affairs.
Volunteers, Docents & Interns
Volunteer your time to play an important and active part in the many activities offered by the Reagan Library. Be a part of an active community of volunteers, whether your goal is to carry forth the legacy of former President Ronald Reagan or to lend a hand with educational or archival initiatives.
Trying to find something fun to do during the summer? Visit us at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library! Tickets provide access to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum’s major galleries as well as the Air Force One Pavilion and our newest traveling exhibition, Secrets of World War II.