Presidential Libraries and Museums of the National Archives (2024)

FAQs

Are Presidential Libraries part of the National Archives? ›

The Office of Presidential Libraries is the office responsible for the overall administration of the Presidential Library System. The office and the Libraries are within the Legislative Archives, Presidential Libraries, and Museum Services division of the National Archives.

The Presidential Library system is composed of fifteen Presidential Libraries. These facilities are overseen by the Office of Presidential Libraries, in the National Archives and Records Administration.

Trump Presidential Library. The Donald J. Trump Presidential Library is a website administered by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and launched on January 20, 2021, when Donald Trump, 45th president of the United States, officially left office.

For every president since Herbert Hoover, presidential libraries have been established in each president's home state in which documents, artifacts, gifts of state and museum exhibits are maintained that relate to the former president's life and career both political and professional.

Presidential Libraries and Museums are partially supported by private, non-profit organizations. The following support organizations are committed to furthering the vision and ideals of their respective President through a variety of programs and initiatives.

In office from 1981 to 1989, Ronald Reagan chose Simi Valley, Calif., for the site of his library. Since his death in 2004, it has consistently been the most popular presidential library, according to the Washington Post.

Home to three presidential libraries, the most of any state, Texas plays a key role in preserving U.S. history through the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library and Museum in Austin, the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum in College Station and the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas.

The World's Smallest Presidential Library

Atchison, a pro-slavery Democrat, was a senator from Missouri who was consumed by the Kansas issue – if the new state of Kansas would be a free-state or allow the extension of slavery.

Thomas Jefferson was instrumental in rebuilding the Library of Congress when he sold the bulk of his book collection to the United States government in 1815.

Where is Obama's presidential library? ›

The William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum contains over 100,000 three-dimensional objects and works of art, and more than 78 million pages of official records.

From the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library forward, the Presidential Records Act states that any records created or received by the President as part of his constitutional, statutory, or ceremonial duties are the property of the United States government, to be managed by NARA at the end of the administration.

Most materials in the Library are in the public domain. Section 108 of the copyright law allows copies for private study, scholarship, or research. The copyright status of some materials is unknown or under copyright protection. These materials require permission of the copyright holder before publication.

The Library is part of the legislative branch of the U.S. government, and the Archives is an independent federal agency within the executive branch.