G. R. Ford Presidential Museum - Grand Rapids
N 42° 58.071 W 085° 40.633
16T E 607874 N 4758093
The Ford Museum opened to the public in September 1981. It is part of the Presidential libraries system of the National Archives and Records Administration, a Federal agency.
Waymark Code: WMDK8H
Location: Michigan, United States
Date Posted: 01/24/2012
Views: 10
Unlike other Presidential libraries, the museum component is geographically separate from the library/archives. The Ford Museum is in Grand Rapids, Michigan and the Library is in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Despite the separation, the library and museum are a single institution sharing one director.
The 44,000 square foot sleek two-story triangular museum, which was built at a cost of $11 million including site preparation, was designed by Marvin DeWinter Associates of Grand Rapids. Also instrumental in the planning of the Museum was the Gerald R. Ford Commemorative Committee chaired by Jordan Sheperd. The Museum is the pivotal attraction in a 20-acre park complex along the west bank of the Grand River in downtown Grand Rapids. Dedicated in September 1981 with a gala celebration attended by President and Mrs. Reagan, the Museum has a 300-foot glass wall providing a panoramic view of the river and the skyline of Grand Rapids. A reflecting pool and fountain welcomes visitors at the front entrance and a broad pedestrian bridge links the Museum with downtown hotels and shops.
The main exhibition floor is devoted to President Ford's life and career and to the nature of the presidency. Candid photographs of Gerald Ford and his family also offer the visitor a view of the man at informal moments. A full-scale replica of the Oval Office, furnished as it was when Gerald Ford was president, is one of the highlights of the Museum. Special exhibits on the 1976 bicentennial and the role of Mrs. Ford are also popular.
Visitors can see gifts presented by heads of state and other foreign dignitaries, as well as personal gifts to President Ford from the American people. An award-winning film, "Gerald R. Ford: The Presidency Restored," is shown every hour in the Museum's auditorium. The Museum also offers a program of changing exhibits, sometimes borrowed from other institutions such as the Smithsonian, to enhance its permanent displays.
Theme: Gerald R. Ford
Street Address: 303 Pearl Street NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49504-5353
Food Court: no
Gift Shop: yes
Hours of Operation: Open daily from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. (Closed New Year's Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day).
Cost: 7.00 (listed in local currency)
Museum Size: Medium
Relevant Web Site: [Web Link]
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Visit Instructions:
In order to log this waymark in this category, you must be able to provide proof of your visit. Please post a picture of yourself or your GPSr in front some identifiable feature or point of interest either in the museum, or on the museum grounds.