The George Bush Library and Museum, inaugurated in 1997, is College Station’s leading attraction, and one of the top 30 attractions in Texas. Located on the campus of Texas A&M, a visit here is essential. With 40,000 artifacts on rotating display and over a million audiovisual records documenting President George H. W. Bush’s White House journey, it’s an awe-inspiring tribute. And if you’re lucky, you just might catch a glimpse of a member of the Bush family walking their dogs or playing horseshoes near the pond!

Begin your tour with authority; step into the “Oval Office.” An $8.3 million renovation in 2007 includes a replica of the president’s formal White House workspace. George H. W. Bush’s desk is decorated just as it was while he was in office. Don’t pass up a chance to sit in the seat of power. That’s right- you have an invitation to make yourself comfy in the President’s chair, a definite photo opp!

Have you ever wanted to ask the President a question? Now’s your chance! Select from a choice of questions via the exhibit’s interactive computers and you’ll be given a personalized “letter” from President or Mrs. Bush, a fantastic memento of your trip to Bryan-College Station.

As you tour the Museum, you’ll relive dramatic events in history. The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 was one of the most thrilling moments of George Bush’s presidency. The Age of Freedom exhibit features a 12-foot section of the Wall and video highlights about this emotional era in Cold War history.

In the Making Our Own Way exhibit, you’ll admire a restored 1947 Studebaker, just like the nostalgic vehicle Bush drove on his journey to West Texas in 1948. The Family Traditions exhibit showcases family scrapbooks of both President and Mrs. Bush, with multi-generational photos, documents, and videos.

Stop in at the Press Room Theater to satisfy your curiosity about White House press conferences. Here, imagine yourself as Commander in Chief as you read a speech from the teleprompter or view President Bush’s inaugural address.

When planning your visit, April is a beautiful month; the Bluebonnets are in bloom! The state flower of Texas, with its fresh springtime scent, bursts with color on the grounds of the Museum.

In early summer, join the festivities for George and Barbara Bush’s joint birthday celebration. Mrs. Bush’s birthday is June 8th and President Bush’s birthday is June 12th; as June approaches, check the events calendar on the website for the date of the party. Past celebrations have featured the live broadcasts of President Bush’s tandem skydive jump. Three things are guaranteed: birthday cake, Blue Bell ice cream, and fun for the whole family!

Summer wouldn’t be the same without the Museum’s fantastic July 4th celebration. Admission to the Museum is free all day and characters step out of the pages of history to mingle with guests. Live music and phenomenal fi reworks mark the day.

Throughout the year, the museum features free events, including a regular classic film series, health fairs, and educational historical programs. The George Bush Presidential Library Foundation also hosts annual domestic and foreign policy conferences and presentations, placing the Texas A&M site at the forefront of cultural, policy, and academic discussions.

Your visit to the museum is sure to be a rich experience. The Library and Museum do more than sing President Bush’s praises; they tell the story of a dramatic epoch in U.S. history and broaden our understanding of today’s world.