Home | Online Resources | UB Catalog | Campus Libraries | About UB Libraries | Forms | Search | Help

RONALD REAGAN
PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

[image: Ronald Reagan]

Welcome to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, which has informed and inspired more than two million visitors since opening in 1991. Perched on a mountaintop with sweeping views of mountains, valleys, and the Pacific Ocean, this 100-acre site, 45 minutes from downtown Los Angeles, offers memorable experiences for people of all ages.

[image: exterior of the library]
[image: reproduction of the interior of the Oval Office]

Follow a young Ronald Reagan on his rise from local hero and college standout to the glamorous world of Hollywood stardom. Trace his campaign trail and stand next to him as he is sworn in as the 40th President of the United States. Enter the Oval Office and watch history unfold as President Reagan helps topple the Iron Curtain, ending the Cold War.

[image: Ronald and Nancy Reagan]

These opportunities and many more await you at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, home to a world-class research facility featuring original presidential documents that forever changed our world.

"The doors of this library are open now and all are welcome. The judgment of history is left to you, the people." — Ronald Reagan
Remarks at the Library Dedication November 4, 1991

THE PATH TO THE PRESIDENCY
Artifacts from President Reagan's childhood and professional career provide physical evidence of his extraordinary life. Step through a model of the Dixon Arch in Illinois to experience Reagan's youth, while his Eureka College letter sweater recalls his student years. A recreated studio booth highlights his early radio broadcasting career, which led to an acting contract with Warner Bros. Film clips, original costumes, and movie posters trace his days in the movies, the Screen Actors Guild, and on television, as host of GE Theater and Death Valley Days.

The museum also provides a glimpse into Ronald and Nancy Reagan's devoted marriage, a love story straight out of a Hollywood script. You will see the actual booth from Chasen's restaurant where he proposed and Nancy's classic wedding suit.

[image: reproduction of an old radio booth]
[image: reproduction of booth from Chasen's resturant]
[image: Ford Mustang from the California governor's campaign]

Numerous historical gems mark Reagan's growing involvement in politics, including the eight years he served as governor of California. A Ford Mustang convertible used during campaigning and other items trace his two terms in Sacramento.

As president, Ronald Reagan was committed to reviving the economy, reducing the size of the federal government, and ending the threat of nuclear war. The museum presents symbols of this triumph including a table from the White House Situation Room — where Reagan regularly met with top advisors — hardware from the Strategic Defense Initiative, and sophisticated military equipment from the revitalized U.S. armed forces.

During your visit to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, you will see a piece of the Berlin Wall, the symbol of the Iron Curtain that Reagan demanded be torn down.

Visit immersive exhibits that take you to the presidential retreat, Camp David, and Rancho del Cielo, the Reagan home above scenic Santa Barbara. Learn more about the milestones in Nancy Reagan's life, from her childhood in Chicago to her achievements as First Lady.

The new Legacy Gallery highlights how President Reagan's leadership transformed our nation and the world, and the Air Force One Pavilion will offer visitors an up-close look at the famed aircraft used during his administration.

[image: George Bush, Ronald Reagan, and Mikhail Gorbachev standing in front of the Berlin Wall]

"Once you begin a great movement, there's no telling where it will end. We meant to change a nation, and instead we changed the world." —Ronald Reagan
Farewell Address to the Nation January 11, 1989

[image: map of the interior of the Reagan Presidential Library]
[image: props and costumes from Reagan's film westerns]

MORE TO SEE AND EXPERIENCE

The Ronald Reagan Library and Museum is a tribute to the American presidency. In the Signature Gallery, you will find large facsimiles of every U.S. president's signature, from George Washington to Ronald Reagan.

The adjacent John P. McGovern Gallery of Presidents features a rare 1823 parchment edition of the Declaration of Independence, as well as presidential portraits. Reminiscent of the White House, the gallery's architectural details create an inspiring backdrop.

[image: portrait gallery of presidents]

Visitors in the Mary Jane Wick Gallery will travel to pivotal moments in American history through engaging temporary exhibits, such as:

■ American Heroes: The U.S. Armed Forces in World War 11
■ The West Wing: The First Hundred Years
■ Lewis and Clark: Discoveries for All Ages

From presidential impersonators on Presidents Day to reenactments during Revolutionary War Week, the library and museum host special events creating lifelong memories.

[image: Air Force One]

ACCESS TO PRESIDENTIAL RECORDS
The Reagan Presidential Library receives thousands of requests from researchers all over the world to study such historical records as:

■ Over 50 million pages of presidential papers
■ Documents from Reagan's eight years as California's governor
■ Nearly 1.5 million photographs
■ Half a million feet of motion picture film
■ 20,500 video tapes and 25,500 audio recordings
■ 10,000 volumes of books and other publications

The library's expert archivists work to make more of these items available while preserving them for generations to come.

THE RONALD REAGAN PRESIDENTIAL FOUNDATION
The mission of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation is to complete President Reagan's unfinished work and to promote the timeless principles he championed:

■ Individual Liberty
■ Economic Opportunity
■ Global Democracy
■ National Pride

By any measure, a gift to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation is the best investment you can make to preserve the timeless ideals of Ronald Reagan — to ensure that future generations will come to know and appreciate his enduring message of hope and opportunity.

The Foundation is a non-profit organization that sustains the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, as well as the:

■ Presidential Learning Center (a new addition where school children are inspired to learn about this country's great legacy of presidential leadership)
■ Center for Public Affairs (a forum where influential leaders from government, business, industry, media, and academia speak on lessons learned during Reagan's presidency)
■ Upcoming Air Force One Pavilion

To learn more about how you can become involved through membership and other giving opportunities, please visit www.reaganlibrary.com or call the development office at 805-522-2977.

VISITOR INFORMATION

Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum
40 Presidential Drive
Simi Valley, California 93065
1-800-410-8354
www.reaganlibrary.com

Hours
10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Open daily except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.

Admission
Under age 11: Free
Ages 11–17: $2.00
Ages 18–61: $7.00
Ages 62+: $5.00

Museum Tours
Scheduled tours may be arranged in advance for groups of 20 or more.

Restaurant
The Reagan Country Café offers light fare and wonderful vistas of the surrounding countryside from late morning to early afternoon.

Research
Open weekdays, except holidays, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Please contact the Library for information on access.

Museum Store
Our presidential museum store offers an extensive inventory of Reagan memorabilia, Reagan wear, and books, videos, and posters. To request a catalog or to shop online, please visit www.reaganlibrary.com or call 1-800-998-7641.

Accessibility
Our facility is wheelchair accessible and provides special needs parking.

Parking
All parking is free.

From Los Angeles: Take 1-405 north toward Sacramento. Take CA-118 west toward Simi Valley, and exit at Madera Road south. Follow the signs for approximately three miles. Turn right on Presidential Dr. to the top of the hill.

From Ventura and Santa Barbara: Take US-101 south toward Los Angeles. Merge onto CA-23 north toward Fillmore. Take the Olsen Road exit toward Simi Valley (east). Turn left on Presidential Dr. to the top of the hill.

From Fresno: Take CA-99 south toward Bakersfield/Los Angeles (CA-99 becomes 1-5 south). Merge onto 1-405 south toward Santa Monica. Take CA-118 west toward Simi Valley. Exit at Madera Road south. Follow the signs for approximately 3 miles. Turn right on Presidential Dr. to the top of the hill.

From Burbank: Take 1-5 north toward Bakersfield. Merge onto CA-118 west. Exit at Madera Road south. Follow the signs for approximately 3 miles. Turn right on Presidential Dr. to the top of the hill.

[image: map to the Reagan Library]

A UNIQUE HERITAGE
Presidential Libraries are not libraries in the usual sense. They are archives and museums, preserving the written record and physical history of our presidents, while providing special programs and exhibits that serve their communities. These libraries, described by President Reagan as "classrooms of Democracy," belong to the American people.

Beginning a tradition that continues to this day, President Roosevelt raised private funds and built a library, which he gave to the U.S. government for operation through the National Archives. In 1955, this process became law when the U.S. Congress passed the Presidential Libraries Act.

The American Presidency is part of a unique heritage that is yours to explore. Through archives, museums, and special programs, Presidential Libraries preserve the documents and artifacts of our Presidents and provide insight into the times in which these Presidents lived and served the nation.

[image: map of the United States showing the locations of the Presidential Libraries]

NARA's Presidential Libraries include:

1. Herbert Hoover Library, West Branch, IA
2. Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, Hyde Park, NY
3. Harry S. Truman Library, Independence, MO
4. Dwight D. Eisenhower Library, Abilene, KS
5. John Fitzgerald Kennedy Library, Boston, MA
6. Lyndon Baines Johnson Library, Austin, TX
7. Nixon Presidential Materials Project College Park, MD
8. Gerald R. Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI
9. Gerald R. Ford Museum, Grand Rapids, Ml
10. Jimmy Carter Library, Atlanta, GA
11. Ronald Reagan Library, Simi Valley, CA
12. George Bush Library, College Station, TX
13. William J. Clinton Library, Little Rock, AR

Top of page