The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum is known for its archives documenting the Kennedy presidency. But the Library also includes a museum collection of almost 30,000 artifacts. Seeing objects connected to John F. Kennedy help give life to his story and the times in which he lived.
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If you missed a special exhibition at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, you can see it virtually on this page. Check back as we add other past exhibits, as well as new born-digital experiences.
"We know that it is law which enables men to live together, that creates order out of chaos. We know that law is the glue that holds civilization together. And we know that if one man's rights are
In the 1960 campaign, John F. Kennedy pledged "to get this country moving again," and offered voters a new generation of leadership. He challenged his fellow citizens to join him in the struggle for
"A great change is at hand, and our task, our obligation, is to make that revolution, that change, peaceful and constructive for all. Those who do nothing are inviting shame, as well as violence
"There are some who say that Communism is the wave of the future. Let them come to Berlin." — President John F. Kennedy, Berlin, Germany, June 26, 1963 About the Exhibit Ten days after announcing a
Young Jack features artifacts, images and documents showing Jack Kennedy as a boy, a student, a decorated war hero, a young man seeking his life's path. Drawn from the collections of the Kennedy Library, the exhibition presents touchstones of JFK's early life.
JFK 100: Milestones & Mementos commemorates President Kennedy’s centenary, featuring a compelling selection of items drawn mostly from the Kennedy Library’s collections.
Freedom 7 Space Capsule
The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum is proud to present a special new installation featuring Freedom 7, the iconic space capsule that US Navy Commander Alan B. Shepard Jr. piloted on the first American manned flight into space.
Presidential Getaway: JFK on Cape Cod
No wonder it is remembered as a magical place. On a Friday evening, the helicopter carrying the President of the United States would approach the shores of Nantucket Sound and alight on the lawn of
A Nation Remembers
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, thirty-fifth President of the United States, was assassinated on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas. The people who lived through it remember the moment—where they were, what
To the Brink: JFK and the Cuban Missile Crisis
It shall be the policy of this nation to regard any nuclear missile launched from Cuba against any nation in the Western Hemisphere as an attack by the Soviet Union on the United States, requiring a
Poetry and Power—The Inaugural Address of John F. Kennedy
Widely viewed as one of the most enduring inaugural messages in United States history, the speech was meticulously crafted—then worked and reworked—by President-elect John F. Kennedy and his close
Passing the Torch—The Inauguration of John F. Kennedy
In the 1960 campaign, John F. Kennedy pledged "to get this country moving again," and offered voters a new generation of leadership. He challenged his fellow citizens to join him in the struggle for
Winning West Virginia—JFK's Primary Campaign
"I would not be where I now am, I would not have some of the responsibilities which I now bear, if it had not been for the people of West Virginia." - President John F. Kennedy, June 20, 1963
Moon Shot - JFK and Space Exploration
The US space program went full throttle in 1961 when President John F. Kennedy challenged the nation to claim a leadership role in space and land a man on the Moon before the end of the decade. The Soviet Union, America’s rival in the Cold War, had surged ahead of the United States with spectacular achievements in space that struck fear into the hearts of many American citizens. Soviet leaders hailed these feats as a triumph of Communism. When a leading American physicist was asked what would be found on the Moon, he replied, “Russians.”
The Making of a President
The presidency is the most powerful office in the Free World. Through its leadership can come a more vital life for our people. In it are centered the hopes of the globe around us for freedom and a
Shaping Up America: JFK, Sports and The Call to Physical Fitness
We do not want our children to become a generation of spectators. Rather we want each of them to be a participant in the vigorous life." John F. Kennedy John Kennedy grew up in a household devoted to
Jacqueline Kennedy Entertains: The Art of the White House Dinner
Elegant and uplifting entertaining was a hallmark of the Kennedy presidency. Jacqueline Kennedy Entertains: The Art of the White House Dinner exhibit portrayed Jacqueline Kennedy's distinctive and
Rose Kennedy: In Her Own Words
I have always enjoyed living and working, and I believe I have had a great life, I consider myself very lucky. I had a wonderful youth; my father gave me the stimulation of travel [and] zest -
A Journey Home: John F. Kennedy in Ireland
This special exhibit explored President Kennedy’s relationship to his ancestral homeland, and featured a large selection of documents, photographs and film footage relating to his Irish heritage and his June 26-29, 1963 state visit to the country of his forbears as well as tokens presented to the president by the people of Ireland.
Handmade and Heartfelt: Folk Art from the Collection of the John F. Kennedy Library & Museum
Gifts sent to the president and his family from Americans and citizens of other countries are often humble, heartfelt, handmade and patriotic. These individual gestures emerged from a desire to express admiration and respect for the chief executive through personal works of art.
John F. Kennedy in WWII
The Museum at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library marks the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II with a special exhibit on John F. Kennedy’s military service in the US Navy in the Solomon
Presents to a President and First Lady
The exchange of gifts among heads of state is a centuries-old tradition, and remains a part of the culture of modern-day international relations. President and Mrs. Kennedy delighted in the gifts
Gifts From the World to the White House: Caroline Kennedy’s Doll Collection (1961-63)
This exhibit showcased some 75 dolls and puppets from 30 countries given to Caroline Kennedy between 1961 and 1963. Foreign dignitaries and first ladies, including Italy’s Prime Minister Amintore Fanfani, the Ivory Coast’s President Felix Houphouet-Boigny, India’s Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Monaco’s Princess Grace, and the wife of France’s President Charles de Gaulle presented dolls as state gifts. Other dolls in the collection were gifts from foreign citizens who did not hold official government positions"