George Bush Presidential Library and Museum
Duty. Honor. Country.
George H.W. Bush had already garnered an impressive list of titles before his election as the nation’s 41st President. Bush served as a U.S. Congressman, Ambassador to the United Nations, Republican Party chairman, Chief Liaison to China, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and Vice President. This illustrious past, his term as president, his military service during World War II and his successful business career are detailed throughout the exhibitions and archives of the Bush Library and Museum. Museum highlights include actual film footage of Bush’s submarine rescue after his plane was shot down over the island of Chichi Jima in September 1944; an interactive study of the timeline leading up to the Gulf War; examples of gifts given to President Bush when he met with foreign heads of state; replicas of both the Oval Office and the office at Camp David; and much more. The museum also features temporary exhibits on a variety of topics, providing repeat guests a new experience every time.
The Bush Center grounds have much to offer. Visitors can view the sculpture “The Day the Wall Came Down,” a composition of five bronze horses leaping over a reproduction of Berlin Wall rubble, signifying the long-awaited freedom of the East German people. In the center of the plaza is a statue of George Bush, which is eight feet tall and composed of granite and bronze. The Barbara Bush Rose Gardens and the Presidential Pond provide an area to relax and reflect, and have been the backdrop for countless marriage proposals, family and group photos, picnics and peaceful strolls. Fishing is allowed in the pond, provided it is catch-and-release with barbless hooks only.