Inside the George W. Bush Presidential Center, you’ll find an exhibit space with hands-on exhibits organized by various themes including American history, public policy, and the presidency. There’s a remembrance display commemorating the 9/11 attacks, including footage and steel beams from the World Trade Center, and an exhibit on Hurricane Katrina and its devastating impact on Americans. You can experience what it feels like to sit inside the Oval Office, and get an appreciation for the complexity of the president’s role in the Decision Points Theater—which offers a glimpse of some key points of history and events during Bush’s tenure.
You can explore the center at your own pace with a personal handheld audio guide. Tickets include all permanent and special exhibits, and the audio guide. Save by purchasing a CityPASS, which combines the presidential museum and library with other Dallas attractions.
The George W. Bush Library and Museum is a must-do for politics and history buffs.
Café 43, an on-site restaurant, serves locally sourced, Texas-influenced dishes, while the Courtyard Café offers more casual fare such as sandwiches, salads, snacks, and drinks.
If you are a veteran, check out the Blue Star Museums program, which offers free admission to veterans during the summer.
The museum is fully accessible to guests in wheelchairs.
The George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum is inside the George W. Bush Presidential Center on Southern Methodist University’s campus. Paid parking is available nearby. Alternatively take the DART light rail to Mockingbird Station and the Route 768 SMU Express Shuttle, which drops you off at the museum’s entrance.
The library and museum are open 9am to 5pm Monday through Saturday, and Sunday from 12pm to 5pm; they are closed on major holidays. You’ll find the fewest crowds on weekday afternoons.
Texas is the only US state that boasts three presidential libraries. The presidential library and museum of 41st president George H.W. Bush, is located in College Station, about 175 miles (282 kilometers) south of his son’s library. And the library of Lyndon B. Johnson, the 36th president, is in Austin, about 200 miles south (322 kilometers).