During your visit to the Ford Museum, permanent exhibits will allow you explore the life and times of President Gerald R. Ford. In addition, the Gerald R. Ford Museum features a number of temporary exhibits that draw upon the rich holdings of the entire Presidential libraries system, the Smithsonian Institution and the National Archives. Be sure to stop by the Museum Store to shop for items unique to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum.
Permanent Exhibits
1970s Gallery
Start your visit to the Gerald R. Ford Museum in the 1970s Gallery where a multi-media re-creation of pop culture will take you on a journey through the 1970s. Highlights of the gallery include video and sound bites recalling various news events and early 1970s memorabilia such as platform shoes, tie-dyed garments, bell-bottom jeans, love beads, eight track tapes and MIA bracelets.
Constitution in Crisis
Learn about the events leading up to Gerald R. Ford’s presidency. The Watergate exhibit is an immersive exhibit that will put you at one of the most critical constitutional crises in American history.
Young Jerry Ford
After experiencing the mood and climate of the 1970s, journey back in time to Ford’s early days as you explore a replica of his father’s paint and varnish company in which Ford is portrayed as a man of decency and integrity. Additionally, you will see Gerald Ford as the nation first came to know him as you listen to a re-creation of his vice-presidential confirmation hearings.
At Work in the Oval Office
Discover what a day in the oval office would have been like for Gerald R. Ford. The Oval Office replica at the Gerald R. Ford Museum features dramatic overhead lighting synchronized to a narration detailing activities in America’s most famous room.
Leadership in Diplomacy
See U.S. foreign policy decision making in action as you travel around the globe with Ford and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. Highlights of Leadership in Diplomacy include an authentic Vietnam-era UH-1 Huey helicopter and the actual staircase that sat on top of the U.S. Embassy in Saigon when the city fell to the Communist Army of North Vietnam.
Cabinet Room
Learn about the issues President Ford and his Cabinet members faced. Cabinet Room is an interactive exhibit where you can take a seat at the Cabinet table, decorated as it was during the Ford Administration, and watch videos that highlight major events discussed by the President and his Cabinet such as the Pardon of Richard Nixon, the seizure of the USS Mayaguez and the New York City financial crisis.
Stop by the Museum Store to shop for gifts and keepsakes. Books and media, patriotic items, home décor, jewelry, toys, collectibles, and clothing and accessories unique to the Gerald R. Ford Museum are available to purchase.
Travel Tip
- Wheelchairs are available to check out from the Gerald R. Ford Museum on a first-come, first-served basis.