Previous Exhibits
In addition to the permanent galleries, the Reagan Library presents entertaining and informative temporary exhibitions on a wide range of subjects. The Library installs two to three new exhibitions a year, so check back to see what is new.
BASEBALL! CELEBRATING OUR GREAT AMERICAN PASTIME
"I really do love baseball and I wish we could do this out on the lawn every day. I wouldn’t even complain if a stray ball came through the Oval Office window now and then.”
- President Reagan, May 11, 1983
The exhibit featured over 700 artifacts, including some of the rarest, historic and iconic baseball memorabilia from the largest known private collector in the United States. Extraordinary artifacts were on display from Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig, Jackie Robinson, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and scores of other historically important players and organizations.
Nancy Reagan: A First Lady's Style
Nancy Reagan : A First Lady's Style focused on the roles Mrs. Reagan played in the White House: hostess and ambassador, public servant and spokesperson, and loyal, caring wife. The exhibition showcased almost 80 of her dresses, suits, and gowns spanning a fifty year timeframe. The outfits range from her March 4, 1952 wedding dress to the skirt suit she wore to President Reagan's funeral in June of 2004. The exhibition included designs by Geoffrey Beene, Bill Blass, Valentino, James Galanos, Carolina Herrera, Adolfo, Yves St. Laurent, Oscar de la Renta, Jean Louis and Chanel.
Inside the White House: A Special Exhibition
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library opened a special exhibit featuring the White House Miniature, an authentic recreation of the White House measuring 50 feet long and 18 feet wide: a one-foot-to-one-inch scale. Taking over 600,000 hours of labor to create, the miniature is an amazing replica, showing visitors an intimate look into the White House - from the Lincoln bedroom to the Oval Office to tiny, working televisions to hand-carved chairs, tables and crystal chandeliers. Created by the Zweifel family, and first exhibited in 1979, the Miniature White House has been seen by over 42 million Americans.
Discover the Real George Washington: New Views from Mount Vernon
Approximately 100 original objects associated with George Washington – including the only surviving complete set of his famous dentures – were on display for the Reagan Library’s special exhibition, Discover the Real George Washington: New Views from Mount Vernon. The exhibition went beyond the iconic image on the dollar bill to reveal the real George Washington as not only a general and president but as a young land surveyor, experimental farmer, and savvy entrepreneur. Washington’s views on religion and slavery, and the influence of his wife, Martha, were also explored in this exhibition which featured life-size figures of Washington developed through a cutting-edge forensic investigation, engaging videos, original artifacts, intricate three-dimensional architectural models, and interactive displays.
D23 Presents:
Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives
at the Reagan Library
Presented by D23: The Official Disney Fan Club and The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Library, D23 Presents Treasures of The Walt Disney Archives was the largest exhibition ever curated by the Walt Disney Archives, at 12,000 square feet. From Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and Mickey Mouse to Captain Jack Sparrow and Captain America, the exhibition featured more than 500 artifacts, at least half of which had never been seen by the public—including models, props, costumes, set pieces, and artwork from throughout Disney history.
Magna Carta: Essence of Democracy
Magna Carta: The Essence of Democracy explored why the 1215 Magna Carta is widely viewed as one of the most important documents in the history of our freedom and how it became the cornerstone of the U.S. Constitution. The highlight of this exhibition was the original 1215 Magna Carta, on loan from Lincoln Cathedral in Lincolnshire, England.