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Addresses

Directions

Hours & Seasons

Description

Closures & Seasonal Exceptions

Amenities

Contact Information

Image Gallery

Addresses

Directions

Hours & Seasons

Description

Closures & Seasonal Exceptions

Amenities

Contact Information

Image Gallery

 

Replica of Jackie Kennedy's Wedding featured in this exhibit.

National First Ladies Library/ Monte Durham

Current Exhibits

First Floor

Beyond Camelot: The Life and Legacy of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

Open now through April 20, 2024!

Of course you know the pillbox hat and big sunglasses, but do you really know Jackie? Get to know the real Jackie O. at the First Ladies National Historic Site in Canton, Ohio!

Beyond Camelot: The Life and Legacy of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, organized by the National First Ladies Library at the First Ladies National Historic Site, features never-before-seen artifacts donated by Monte Durham of Say Yes to the Dress Atlanta.

Through intimate letters, awe-inspiring reproduction dresses, and vintage ephemera, Beyond Camelot: The Life and Legacy of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis will explore the layers of Jackie’s life, from her role as a mother to her position as First Lady. Go beyond the White House and learn about Jackie’s life, from her days as a “camera girl” to her late career as a book editor at Doubleday. Experience Jackie through her number-one fan, Monte Durham, as he shares the intimate stories revealed by his collectibles. Hear tales beyond the history books, from the Mona Lisa loan to the White House kindergarten classroom.

A can’t-miss centerpiece of the exhibition features an exquisite reproduction of Jacqueline Kennedy’s wedding gown created by a couture wedding dress designer (the original dress is too delicate to display and is currently preserved at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum). The dress highlights the contributions of African-American dress designer Ann Lowe, who created Jackie’s wedding gown – one of the most recognizable wedding dresses of all time. The exhibition will also allow visitors to learn about the groundbreaking designer and her relationship with Jackie.Learn more about the exhibit, and upcoming special events about Jackie, here.

Frankie Welch's Americana: Fashion, Scarves, and Politics

Frankie Welch was an American designer and entrepreneur best known for producing thousands of custom scarves, working closely with several First Ladies including Lady Bird Johnson, Betty Ford, and Rosalynn Carter. Born in Rome, Georgia, she spent most of her career in Alexandria, Virginia, where she established a dress shop—Frankie Welch of Virginia—that was open from 1963 to 1990. She introduced her first scarf design, the Cherokee Alphabet, in 1967, quickly followed by her Discover America scarf for the White House and prominent political designs for the 1968 presidential election. Frequently described as “Americana,” Welch’s designs provide a remarkable chronicle of American life, especially as she and her peers experienced it. Her scarves constitute a unique body of work in the history of American fashion, standing apart from exclusively design- or art-based scarves because of Welch’s embrace of their commercial and documentary possibilities. This exhibit Frankie Welch’s Americana: Fashion, Scarves, and Politics features selections of the exhibition on loan to the National First Ladies Library from Hargrett Rare Book and the Manuscript Library at University of Georgia, curated by Ashley Callahan.

 

Learn about the Lady Bird Special, and other First Lady campaign successes in this new exhibit.

National First Ladies Library and Museum

Second Floor

Visit the second floor of the Education Center, which is a great place to learn more about all of our nation’s First Ladies, as well as a wonderful family interactive space with activities, games, and fun things to do

First Ladies Research Library

More information coming soon!

Lower Level

First Ladies on the Campaign Trail

First Ladies on the Campaign Trail celebrates the hard work and accomplishments of First Ladies in the campaign arena. Campaign time creates a dilemma for modern First Ladies. They must convey a positive message and glamorous look that can contribute to their husband’s campaigns. However, if they publicly stumble, they can hurt their husbands’ presidential contest chances. How do they maneuver through all the media attention while focusing on their husband’s campaign strategy? At first, the only course of action for potential First Ladies was social calls to prominent wives of influential voting men; otherwise, they stayed behind the scenes. However, once the 19th Amendment passed, Florence Harding could not only actively participate in the Front Porch campaign of 1920, but she voted for her husband as well. Eleanor Roosevelt’s unprecedented approach to campaign travel and canvassing on behalf of her husband set the stage for future jet-setting First Ladies. Mamie Eisenhower endeared herself by waving from trains and planes on the arm of her husband. Lady Bird Johnson’s triumphant solo trip on the “Lady Bird Special” ushered in the independent course a First Lady can make as a campaign team member. When former First Lady Hillary Clinton ran for president in 2008 and 2016, she made a major chip in the proverbial glass ceiling. These women contributed to the modern role of 21st-century political wives and women.

Women today can campaign for office and win on their own merits. There will always be interest in their personal life, which might include a spouse or partner. Who will be the next trailblazer? That person will stand together with the pioneering first ladies on the campaign trail.

 

Learn about First Ladies like Eleanor Roosevelt, Laura Bush, Caroline Harrison and Lady Bird Johnson and how they are Leaders in Literacy.

National First Ladies Library and Museum

Coming Soon!

Leaders in Literacy:
First Ladies as Teachers, Educators, and Librarians

presented by Huntington Bank | May 2024 - April 2025

The right to an education is a foundational principle of our nation’s history, and so many of our First Ladies have taken this cause to heart throughout the course of the American journey. From one-room schoolhouse teachers such as Abigail Fillmore and Lucretia Garfield, to Eleanor Roosevelt’s Arthurdale experiment, to Barbara and Laura Bush’s literacy initiatives, to current First Lady Dr. Jill Biden’s college teaching, these powerful women have provided opportunities for empowering the young minds of our country to learn, grow, and thrive through education.

The Leaders in Literacy exhibit showcases numerous personal artifacts from the National First Ladies Library & Museum collection that highlight the work of our First Ladies in the areas of education and literacy. The exhibit also features an extraordinary loan from the Arthurdale Heritage Museum featuring First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt’s efforts to create a New Deal-era “homestead” that would provide a new chance at life and an education for impoverished residents in this West Virginia community. In addition, the exhibit will include artifacts from the George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush Presidential Museums related to First Ladies Barbara and Laura Bush.

To engage younger audiences, the “Leaders in Literacy” exhibit also features programs including “Reading Reimagined” — a replica one-room schoolhouse in our children’s interactive area, as well as the launch of our “Little Leaders” reading and activity program for children ages Pre-K to 4^th grade.