Not every family can make a trip to Washington, D.C., and because of increasing security measures, even fewer can get into the White House for a personal tour. But it is possible for children to experience a little of the executive office by visiting one of the many presidential libraries around the country.
In the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, for example, guests of all ages can step aboard the Boeing 707 that was used as Air Force One during the tenure of seven presidents; view a Marine Helicopter Squadron One aircraft up close; and witness a U.S. Army MP patrol a re-creation of Checkpoint Charlie, the border crossing of the Berlin Wall.
Air Force One. Photo: Courtesy of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.
At the beautifully designed William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum in Littlerock, Arkansas, children can walk through a faithful re-creation of the Clinton Oval Office, complete with reproductions of the artwork that hung on the walls and the knick knacks that decorated Clinton’s desktop. Children will also enjoy interactive video stations where they can learn about everyday life in the Clinton White House—from what it’s like to dine in the presidential mansion to what it’s like to be a first pet.
In addition to the permanent collections in these presidential libraries, kids will get a kick out of many of the rotating exhibitions. Currently the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, Massachusetts, features the kid-friendly “Moon Shot—JFK and Space Exploration,” which displays a model of the Friendship 7 capsule manned by John Glenn when he became the first American astronaut to orbit the earth in 1962; an actual Mercury spacesuit; and letters and memos written by the late president, chronicling Kennedy’s interest in space.
