The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum
The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, and its sister institution, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library, are part of the Presidential libraries system administered by the National Archives and Records Administration, a federal agency. The Library is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on the North Campus of the University of Michigan, Gerald Ford’s alma mater. The Museum is located in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan, Gerald Ford's hometown.
The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum
In 1981, Gerald R. Ford dedicated the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum to the American people. The Museum is situated on a six-acre site with a diverse history - from meeting place for the Native Americans who originally inhabited west Michigan … to factories for the area’s thriving furniture industry. Today, Ah-Nab-Awen Park – a memorial to the original inhabitants – fronts and separates the Museum from the Grand River. It continues to be a meeting place for the now diverse inhabitants of our community who continue to gather on the banks of the River for ethnic festivals, celebrations, and somber community commemorations. For over two decades the Museum has been a part of those community gatherings.
Visitors to the Museum will find a wealth of information on Gerald Ford’s life and dedication to public service, as well as recent American history. The permanent exhibit features hands-on, interactive, displays in ten distinct galleries. These exhibits take visitors from the tumultuous 1960s and early 1970s and the trauma of Watergate, through Gerald Ford’s presidency and beyond. See an exact replica of the Oval Office, learn about decision-making in world events, hear Betty Ford, the outspoken, yet beloved, first lady, and relive the 1976 race with Jimmy Carter.
“I want the Museum to be a living, educational institution
that will provide inspiration to future generations.
The finest tribute of all will be to see the Gerald R. Ford Museum
living and growing and constructive and useful.”
Gerald R. Ford
September 1981
On July 11, 2003, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum opened an 8,000 square foot addition housing an Education Center and new changing exhibit gallery. Highlighting the Education Center is a reproduction of the White House Cabinet Room, complete with interactive exhibit detailing three events of the Ford administration: his pardon of Richard Nixon, capture and rescue of the merchant ship SS Mayaguez, and the financial crisis faced by New York City. The Michigan Room serves well as a multi-purpose education space, and both rooms have distance learning capability, making it possible for the Museum to reach students well beyond West Michigan with its programming. The Education Center enables the Museum to provide a range of additional top-notch educational opportunities.
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
The Library opened to the public on April 27, 1981 covering 50,000 square feet of space. Housed inside the Library are: 23 million pages of documents; 325,000 still photographs; 3,500 video hours; 3,000 audio hours and 787,000 feet of motion picture film. The collection is open to researchers and pre-scheduled school groups.
Before he left the presidency, Gerald Ford donated to the government all of his congressional, Vice Presidential, and Presidential historical materials, including the files of his White House staff. He was the first President to do so while still in office. The 1974-77 presidential papers of Gerald Ford and his White House staff form the core collection. These are supplemented by the pre- and post-presidential papers of Gerald Ford, the papers of Betty Ford, collections of Federal records, and more. Former government officials have donated personal papers.
The Library serves students of all ages, scholars, mass media production staff, government officials, journalists, and others.