Franklin Delano Roosevelt (commonly known as FDR) is one of the United States’ most respected Presidents, but did you know that he also created the first presidential library?
Wanting to check out this historic spot, I made my way to Hyde Park in Dutchess County, New York.
The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum is located on the grounds of Springwood, the Roosevelt family’s estate and where FDR spent his time away from the White House. On these grounds you’ll also find the graves of both Franklin and his wife Eleanor, but more on that later.
The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum opened in June 1941 during Roosevelt’s third term in office. Not only was this the first official Presidential Library, but it’s also the only one that was used by a sitting president. In fact, during your visit, you can see the office that FDR used when he visited Hyde Park during the last four years of his presidency.
While Roosevelt has been dead for nearly 80 years, his 12-year presidency spanned some of the most important times of the 20th century, which makes this a museum a fascinating spot to explore in the 21st century.
The FDR Presidential Library features two floors of displays, and there is a ton to see here. I spent nearly two hours in the museum despite not watching all of the videos and not reading every sign. That being said, if you are less interested in history than I am, you could certainly spend less time here.
The museum focuses primarily on Roosevelt’s presidency, starting with information about the Great Depression, which was still raging when he entered office in March 1933. There are also major sections on World War 2 and the New Deal, both of which were major parts of his time in office.
Of course, there is also some interesting information about Roosevelt’s life before he became president, his relationship with his wife Eleanor, and how polio effected his life. I definitely found these areas interesting as well as they helped me to learn more about the man and how his life impacted his presidency.
The displays at the museum are very well done and have definitely been updated over the years to fit modern museum standards. The many personal items on display are well marked, and it was interesting seeing things like his leg braces, the Bible he used during his first inauguration, and even his personal car (a 1936 Ford Phaeton).
There are also several fantastic short films that you can watch during your visit that highlight various aspects of Roosevelt’s presidency and the major events that happened in the 1930s and 1940s.
The videos were all about six-minutes long and played on a loop. I found that to be a great length because it meant the videos were long enough to have a good amount of detail, but short enough to both keep my attention and keep me from having to wait too long for it to start over again.
Probably the two highlights of the museum for me were the chance to see Roosevelt’s office that he actually used while he was president, plus a recreation of his Oval Office in the White House, which actually featured his real desk and items that were on it at the time of his death.
Seeing these spaces where some of the most consequential decisions in American history were made was truly special and worth the cost of admission on their own.
I also really appreciated that the museum had a good section on the work that Eleanor Roosevelt did, especially related to her work after Franklin’s death. Eleanor Roosevelt is certainly one of the most influential women in American history and her work related to civil rights, equality, and social justice are well represented here.
Another aspect I appreciated of the museum was that it didn’t shy away from controversial topics, such as Japanese-American internment during World War 2. The museum unsurprisingly takes a positive approach to Roosevelts time in office, but it doesn’t present him as a perfect man, and I found it quite interesting to read about some of his major mistakes in addition to his accomplishments.
Once you finish at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum, make sure to walk the short distance over to FDR and Eleanor’s burial site.
The Roosevelts are buried next to each other in a beautiful garden, and I was glad I had an opportunity to pay my respects during my visit. The grounds are open for free during operating hours, so you can check out the grave for free even if you don’t tour the museum.
Visitors to the site might also want to check out Frank Roosevelt’s family home, which is located nearby, or other sites related to the family such as the nearby Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to visit either of these during my trip to Hyde Park, but I definitely want to go back and explore this area more in the future.
Overall, the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum is a fascinating place to visit, and a must for anyone that loves history. Make sure to add it to your Hudson Valley bucket list!
Looking for more places to visit nearby? Check out Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site, the Walkway Over the Hudson, and Staatsburgh.
