YORBA LINDA, Calif., June 2, 2016—A completely new interactive presidential museum is opening at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library on October 14, 2016. The opening will come nearly a year after the $15-million construction began on the 25-year-old exhibits.
After opening, the Nixon Library will be the newest presidential museum in the nation. The new museum will inspire guests to take an unexpected look at the life and legacy of our 37th president utilizing new technology and originally produced interactive media, creating a state-of-the-art learning environment.
An exact replica of President Nixon’s Oval Office will be the centerpiece of the New Nixon Library
The opening ceremonies on Oct. 14 at 11:00 a.m. will include national, state and local leaders; Nixon family members; representatives from the Nixon Foundation board of directors and the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); and many of the dozens of benefactors who made the new museum possible.
The opening celebration continues the following day on Saturday, Oct. 15, when the Nixon Foundation and National Archives will host a day of discussion on President Nixon’s life, times and legacy, bringing together experts on the Nixon era and the creators and designers of the new museum.
“President Nixon himself offered during the planning of this Library, ‘I hope the Nixon Library will be a vital place of discovery and rediscovery, of investigation, of study, debate and analysis,'” said David Ferriero, Archivist of the United States at recent event honoring Library supporters. “This Library is living President Nixon’s vision and NARA’s mission,” he added.
On Feb. 9, 10 and 11, 2017, the Nixon Foundation and National Archives will officially dedicate the New Nixon Library and Museum with a gathering of those who served in the Nixon administration; a celebration of Chinese culture in honor of President Nixon’s special relationship with the PRC; and the launch of the inaugural Nixon Global Affairs Forum that will examine and analyze the current geopolitical situation in light of President Nixon’s foreign policy experience and vision.
The museum will feature nearly 70 new major exhibits, including an exact replica of President Nixon’s Oval Office and an extensive exhibit on Nixon’s historic trip to China. It will also feature 30 unique multi-media experiences, 11 original films, 12 custom digital interactives, 10 curated archival film sequences, more than 600 photographs, 8,000 square feet of wall murals and more than 300 artifacts.
The new museum is being designed, produced and constructed by Thinkwell Group, a global experience design company that has created major projects for the leading studios, theme parks and professional sports leagues; and Cortina Productions, a creative, multi-media design and production company specializing in museum experiences.
Richard Nixon Foundation
The Richard Nixon Foundation is a privately supported, nonprofit, nonpartisan institution dedicated to discovery, debate, and discussion about Richard Nixon and his influence on today’s world. The Foundation owns the 9-acre campus and buildings comprising the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, and jointly operates the Library and Museum with the National Archives. For more information, call 714 993-5075 or go to nixonfoundation.org.
