Past Exhibits

This small, interactive exhibit helps to address one of our more commonly asked questions -- where are the books? A presidential library is not like your typical public lending library. We house the documents related to Dwight D. Eisenhower and the Eisenhower Administration. Researchers from around the globe visit us each year to work on a variety of projects ranging from school project to published works. The exhibit includes a mock research table with scanned documents to get a hint of our research process. It may inspire you to research a project yourself!

Political leaders traditionally exchange gifts when visiting foreign countries. These gifts often have cultural significance and range widely in their level of extravagance or simplicity. Eisenhower traveled extensively during his administration and met with world leaders that he and Mamie considered friends. Ike and Mamie received Head of State gifts from around the globe. The Global Gifts exhibit showcases a wide range of artifacts that are part of the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum collection.

Paint by number kits became increasingly popular in the 1950s. They were so popular that Eisenhower’s scheduling secretary handed out kits to many of the Oval Office visitors with instructions to complete and return their kit. This pet project of Thomas Edwin Stephens resulted in a humorous and treasured gift to President Eisenhower. Aware of Ike's fondness for painting, this 'curated exhibit' was proudly displayed around the White House West Wing. Today, this collection forms the core of the Eisenhower Presidential Library’s exhibit By the Numbers. Come visit and take a nostalgic look at these friendly, thoughtful gifts to the “painter president.”

The exhibition will highlight the active role that Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist Bill Mauldin took in documenting and satirizing foreign and domestic military and political affairs throughout his career. As a nationally syndicated political cartoonist for more than 50 years, Mauldin covered everything from the civil rights movement to sports, but he is perhaps best known for his work covering military topics, beginning with his characters Willie and Joe during WWII. From his earliest years learning to draw, to his time in service during WWII, Bill Mauldin gained an insider’s view of how soldiers thought and acted, the men leading them, and all aspects of life in uniform. Cartoons from the Eisenhower Presidential Library’s own holdings will supplement this extraordinary exhibit. Gifted to the library after Eisenhower’s death, Mauldin’s published tribute to General Eisenhower will be featured in the supplement.

This specially curated collection is on loan courtesy of the Pritzker Military Museum & Library. They hold the largest collection of Mauldin’s artwork along with the Bill Mauldin Estate archival items. www.pritzkermilitary.org/billmauldinexhibit

Dwight D. Eisenhower’s leadership style as president reflected his practical, level-headed Midwestern roots: Work from the middle to accomplish what those on the extremes saw as impossible.

The exhibit Eisenhower’s Middle Road spotlights a prescription for peace and prosperity that guided Ike throughout his eight years in the White House. He sought balance for America – the pursuit and preservation of social gains, for instance, while refraining from government overreach. This exhibit explores six key areas reflecting that approach.

The Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum provided content and design. Work/research was funded by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.