Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library & Museum

Wow, excellent place to visit! There is much to see and explore. We enjoyed seeing the boyhood home of Eisenhower. They do offer tours but we arrived too late in the day. The museum was well done and flowed well. We particularly enjoyed the several short films. You can also walk into the library, visit the prayer chapel where the president and his wife were interred. The visitor center is a nice stop too. We enjoyed picking up “I like Ike” pins and a few other unique souvenirs. Definitely an afternoon well spent for the whole family. Bonus: they have RV parking!!

The Eisenhower Presidential Library in Abilene, Kansas is a truly worthwhile destination for anyone interested in American history. Situated on a lovely, well-maintained campus that spans several buildings, the site offers a comprehensive and engaging look into the life and legacy of Dwight D. Eisenhower. The museum itself is exceptionally well done, with thoughtfully curated exhibits and high-quality displays that cover everything from Eisenhower’s military career to his presidency and personal life. One highlight was the gallery dedicated to First Lady Mamie Eisenhower, which included a charming collection of her dresses and personal items, offering a more intimate glimpse into her life and style. Another standout feature of the visit was the opportunity to tour Eisenhower’s boyhood home. The house is preserved beautifully, and we were fortunate to have an excellent guide who provided informative and engaging context about Eisenhower’s early years. The staff across the campus were universally friendly and knowledgeable, clearly passionate about sharing Eisenhower’s story with visitors. To cap off the experience, visitors can pay their respects at the serene chapel on the grounds, where President Eisenhower, his wife Mamie, and their firstborn son are laid to rest. Overall, this is a rich and rewarding visit that combines historical significance with personal stories, making it a must-see for history buffs and casual visitors alike.

Extremely informative look at President Eisenhower’s life and the historical events throughout his time as world leader. His leadership throughout World War II is throughly explored. A great man and Kansan. There have been a number of updates to the museum that make it both more immersive and interactive. 10/10!

This museum was quite impressive. I will admit I did not know much about Dwight Eisenhower, aside from his WWII Command in Europe and his presidency. His museum was very well laid out and informative. We did not tour the library or house, but the meditation center/final resting place of the former president, First Lady and their oldest was a solemn and impressive spot. I learned so much about the man, his beloved wife and his humble beginnings. If you find yourself in Kansas, this is a must-see.

I've been to nearly all the official Prez libraries and I would have to rank this one near the top. Nice layout and organized for easy viewing. You can tour the boyhood home for an additional fee. We chose not to bother with that. The grounds and memorial building were part of the general ticket. Good gift shop too. And the film at the Visitor's center was informative. My only complaint is that this library is the only one that does not have the president's desk from the White House on display!

It was well maintained and very interesting to learn about this President and his impact on the country and world. Only sad thing is home is closed on Sundays

We visited the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum because this past June was the 80th anniversary of D-Day. The museum is well done. History buffs and WWII buffs will really like it. For example, the museum has the table where Eisenhower and others planned D-Day. The museum also has the car used by Eisenhower in Europe. The best part was touring his boyhood home. Our tour guides were knowledgeable and entertaining. Although the library also had exhibits, we did not go to the library because of time constraints. We stopped into the chapel where General Eisenhower, his wife, and son are buried. We did not know about the introductory film in the gift shop and we did not have time to watch it once we learned about it. I suggest you start with the gift shop & watch the film. The price for the museum and boyhood home were very reasonable; $10 and $5 each (senior price purchased in advance). The price for most items in the gift shop was too much; e.g., a cotton throw for $70. Perhaps the gift shop did a price elasticity study but the prices did not seem worth it to me. Photos are allowed so I took a lot of photos. The grounds are beautiful. I suggest allowing at least 4 hours.

The Visitor Center is separate from the museum and the library. You can get your ticket at the visitor center and then watch a short film about Eisenhower's life. Then you walk to the museum to check that out. If you have mobility issues and need to limit your walking, I discovered from the museum staff that you can purchase your ticket online and then skip the visitor center and go directly to the museum. You have to make sure that you either print your ticket or you're able to show your ticket on your phone to the people in the museum. In skipping the visitor center, you will forgo the short film about Eisenhower's life but there are a number of films in the museum that you will be able to see once you get there. Nice museum with a lot of information about Eisenhower's military service as well as his focus on peace during his presidency.

If you are looking for a day-long adventure in the middle of nowhere in Kansas, this is your place! There's plenty of free parking by the visitor center. Start in the visitor center / gift shop to buy tickets. Highly recommend the combo ticket (house tour & library) to save some money. The staff was super helpful in orienting us and making recommendations for how to spend the day. Try to arrive at 15 or 45 minutes after the hour because that's when the 24 minute video begins playing in the visitor center. The video was mostly just hype for Eisenhower and not super educational, but it's a good way to start the experience. The grounds includes the boyhood home, library, museum, place of meditation, and visitor center with gift shop. It's so convenient to have all of this history in one place! Make sure to take a picture with the Eisenhower statue in the middle of the lawn! When you buy your tickets, you are assigned a tour time. I recommend getting there earlier in the day because the tour times will fill up. The boyhood home is very small. You can only enter a few of the rooms, but you can look into all the rooms on the first floor. You cannot go upstairs. So the tour only takes about 20 mins, depending on questions. The tour guide told some good stories about Eisenhower's parents. Eisenhower, his wife Mamie, and one of their sons are buried in the place of meditation. There is only one small exhibit upstairs in the library. Currently it's about women voting for Ike. Don't budget much time for the library because it's quick to breeze through. The museum on the other hand is extensive, so budget several hours! There's a lot to look at and read. You can come and go if you need to take a break for a home tour or lunch. They currently also have a special exhibit on the Cold War. You could spend a whole day in there! There are picnic tables for resting and eating throughout the day. The gift shop has lots of gift options for browsing. Overall, this is a great historical place to spend the day! You will leave exhausted and full of information. Highly recommend checking out the World's Largest Belt Buckle on your way out of town!

Be sure to pay the extra money to see his childhood home. It is very humbling. Most of this museum is about his service in WW2 pre-presidency. I loved learning about the more personal side of Ike

We drive across 1-70 from Columbus to Denver several times a year and had tried stopping at the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum once before (pre-COVID) when most of it was closed for renovation. So, on this trip, we planned out itinerary to give us time to stop and visit the museum. We allowed 2-3 hours and ended up spending almost 4 hours at the Library and Museum. I thought I knew alot about Dwight Eisenhower but was amazed at how much I didn't know about his career and his history. The site includes the Eisenhower family home, the Presidential Museum and the Library. You need to sign up for a "timed" tours of the house but otherwise, there are no time restrictions. There's actually not too much to see in the Library - most of the exhibits are in the Museum. There are also a number of exhibits around the grounds and a "chapel-like" building were Dwight and Mimi are buried. There's plenty of parking. Plan on spending at least 3-4 hours; you could spend the day.

This library is very interesting and professionally done. I love that his boyhood house is on the premises too. It was a great tour with only a small group touring. The ranger was very informative too. The gravesite is in a church and is beautiful memorial. They did have wheelchairs if you need one. Everything was very clean and well Marked. The staff was very friendly. Thank you I learned a lot about Ike.

I have driven through Kansas probably twenty times. Someone finally told me in passing that the Eisenhower museum and boyhood home was worth the visit and boy was it! The grounds are very beautiful and are a great tribute to a great American who gave his entire life to meaningful public service. As a Veteran it means the world to me how much care was spent to demonstrate that Eisenhower hated war and spent the rest of his entire life working to stop it from happening again.

This was an educational and entertaining museum that brought back from childhood history class memories with President Eisenhower... I'd highly suggest purchasing timed tickets versus walk ins as this is a very popular Presidential Library and Museum. The museum displays go in chronological of President Eisnhower's life and career: Growing up in Abilene, Kanas, marriage, military career, World War II and Presidential career. The original displays are fascinating and I appreciate the brief but informative information provided at each display sign and the short movies presented. There's so much information to take in and I had a blast. The World War II section was the most interesting to me as I learned some details that I didn't get in History class back in the day. Overall, the museum was efficiently designed for maximum information in the space provided. Great work. The boyhood home was closed for renovation during our visit unfortunately. We visited the final resting ground of Ike and Mamie that was located in the Chapel like building. The gift store had some cool souvenirs and i bought my mandatory magnet to prove that I was here. hehehe Definitely definitely visit the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum if you get the opportunity. Enjoy!

After a massive renovation, the Eisenhower Foundation had a chance to make a really interesting museum. Instead, what is there is a quite plain vanilla and white bread depiction of Eisenhower. More of a temple to his memory than a historical analysis of the complex challenges and decisions he faced. Don't get me wrong. If you have a family and you like to go around to historic places with them, by all means, bring them. There is still much to be learned here and it is nice to interact with. But if you are a serious history buff who wants a thorough understanding of what was going on and how we are affected today by the decisions that were made, then you might as well save the trip and just read a good biography on Eisenhower (the one I read was called: The Age of Eisenhower). If you are in the area, the Truman Library is much better in my opinion . Overall, the museum has enough to look at and admire. It's cleanly curated with short texts of information, which made it easier to read, and made me feel like I was getting the most out of the museum information. Not sure if the museum is as child friendly as others, but there's still enough for kids to see you and enjoy. Just note that there are almost no food options around the museum and in town. So if you go on a weekend or a Sunday, you may not get any good food afterward.

Another great presidential library. I have visited a couple libraries in the past and decided to see all of them with the 2 bush libraries left. The fountain is currently under repair but this library holds up with the rest with a positively slanted view of the person. Most yep users were born well after Ike but if you love history, it is worth a visit. Currently there is an exhibit of paint by number pictures by politicians and celebrities.

My husband and I have visited all of the Presidential Libraries in the past, and this was our last one to visit. I have to be honest that I did not know a lot about President Eisenhower before our visit, but I went away with so much knowledge and information about him after my visit. The interior of the Museum was set up very well with a chronological order to the contents of the museum. It was also clearly marked by year, which made it very easy to follow, and I appreciated that. The content was also very meaningful. I enjoyed a lot of the videos with coverage from that time period. We also went into the library and watched a film there, as well as one in the gift shop area. The gift shop has plenty of varied items for purchase. The exterior of the museum can use a little sprucing up, with maybe a big bright sign, or some plants and flowers. Overall, it was a very informative and inspiring visit.

I'm an Eisenhower fan. I think he had a lot of integrity, and despite being a multi-talented military genius, he strove for peace. I've read his most comprehensive biographies, so this museum didn't tell me anything I didn't already know. But it's well organized, not overwhelming. It works hard to break Ike's expansive and impressive life and career into small, important, but easy to digest sections. They have some awesome artifacts. Many of Ike and Mamie's personal effects, even a piece of their wedding cake! Ike's uniforms. Personal documents. Also does a great job of explaining WWII and Ike's presidency. In addition to the museum and library, there is also the "place of meditation," which houses Ike's final resting place, as well as Mamie's and a son's. This museum hits the highlights. Doesn't address the complexities (like Ike's long time affair). But it's a great supplement and full of wonderful artifacts. Please note the boyhood home is currently closed for renovations, hoping to open in the fall of 2022, and the library and visitor center is still closed. And the town of Abilene is quirky and interesting. Worth a stop on a road trip or as part of a weekend getaway.

CRAIG HOCKENBERRY This place allows you to take a step back into the way it use to be! I loved my visit to Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum in the great State of Kansas CRAIG HOCKENBERRY

During my Kansas City trip, made time to re-visit the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum in Abilene KS. Another BYE (Before Yelp Existed), catching up on my Presidential Library reviews. As a retired soldier, I knew a great deal about Eisenhower before my visits. I know I must sound like a broken record, but the best part of the experience is finding out more about their journey to the Presidency. In Eisenhower's case, his early Army career: graduating in the famous West Point class of 1915 (where a little over one-third of the class of 164 became general officers, including 2 5-star and 2 4-star generals); missing out on both the 1916 Pancho Villa Punitive Expedition and World War I; training tank troops at Camp Colt near Gettysburg National Battlefield; collaborating with then-Lieutenant Colonel Patton on tank doctrine and development at Camp Meade MD; participating in the 1919 Army Transcontinental Convoy (leading him to champion the 1956 Interstate Highway Act); participating in the American Battle Monuments Commission (which enabled him to see the French battlegrounds he missed out on during WWI); graduating number one in his Command & General Staff College class; and being mentored by a truly remarkable trio of Army Senior Leaders (Major General Fox Conner; General of the Army John J. Pershing; and then-General Douglas MacArthur). Very interesting and enjoyable, recommend and will repeat!

Am I the only one that didn't realize the presidential libraries don't actually have books? I was in town visiting and drove my parents to see this place. Such a cool place and the museum was just redone in 2019 so it's all fancy. The internet was down today so we got in for free! There's a gift shop and the museum and the library along with Eisenhower's childhood home. Make a day trip out of it! My parents loved it!

We enjoyed our visit here. This is our first presidential library. Timed tickets purchased ahead of time is recommended. Library itself is only open to researchers, but Museum is open to public. The boyhood home is on site but it was closed for renovation during our visit.

When people refer to living on "The other side of the tracks," this presidential library shows that Eisenhower literally was raised right next to the railroad tracks. The house, museum, library, and all of the surroundings are consistent with the industrial/functional non-flashy style that Eisenhower brought to the presidency. This is a wonderful museum, that clearly shows quite a bit about how Eisenhower grew up, developed his military career, and stepped into the post World War II presidency, taking you through the '50s, and sharing his special relationship with his wife and family. I've been to all of the presidential libraries from Presidents over the past 100 years, and this library certainly rounded out my vision of the history of what's led us to where the country is today. The entry fee of $15 for the museum is reasonable, with a small additional fee for a tour of the home if you're interested. The staff was incredibly friendly and offered additional insight.

The improvements since our last visit ten ago are wonderful. Our membership in the Foundation is greatly valued. John & Pam Y. Green Valley, AZ

Absolutely wonderful museum, childhood home tour, beautiful grounds. We spent 4 hours there. Such good political times depicted throughout the entire visit. Very well done. Highly recommended.

We came here to see President Eisenhower and all his accomplishments. When you drive up, you immediately notice the grounds are amazing. They are huge and kept beautiful. The place is very large between all the different museums and childhood home and monument, burial area and mediation. When you walk in, you first walk through the gift shop. We looked around as they had old posters, slogans and obviously things for you to buy. Also, the employee was nice enough to tell me that the Truman library is closed and won't be open till next year. The first thing you do is you watch a 24 min movie on President Eisenhower. Then you go to his childhood home. You don't get to go upstairs or inside the kitchen for some reason? But ok not my rules. We then walked to his museum. The museum was cool. Had his entire life from boy to his death. It had a lot of military accomplishments, obviously from WW2. Lot of medals and other cool things. Then we went to the library which we found out is almost empty because the new museum took most of it. We then went to his burial ground to pay our respects. Awesome library.

Fabulous, educational trip back to pre-WW2 days of a humble man born on the 'wrong side of the tracks' .. .. I've fooled myself into believing I'm a history nerd and yet I was amazed at his life story and was always fascinated how a football-loving, school-hating kid from a small town got to West Point .. .. Not surprisingly, he racked up demerits and graduated in the middle of his class, the West Point class that the stars fell on .. .. Just a top-rate museum and well worth the drive up from Wichita .. .. 2 understandable cons: The interactive exhibits were turned off and the Visitors Center/Gift Shop was closed .. .. :((( .. .. Darn .. .. FANTASTIC TRIP TO ABILENE!!

A very long drive from KC for a lackluster tour of the Eisenhower Library. The museum is undergoing renovation, so perhaps it is better than it actually is. There was nothing there that sparked my interest other than Eisenhower's Stetson hat. The best part of the tour was a walkthrough of the Eisenhower home where he grew up. My "oh yeah..." moment came when looking at the photos in the house of the family and asking "Who is that little girl in the photo? I thought it was just a house of boys." The docent explained that it was Ike's little brother. They didn't cut the hair of the children and they wore smocks in those days; a.k.a. Buster Brown. Abilene is a place that allows plenty of time to read books and contemplate. Being in that small town after the long drive made me hopeful. From something insignificant can develop something significant.

The Eisenhower Library itself is fascinating with new exhibits and displays. The Library is situated in a really pretty park setting that includes Ike's childhood home, a lovely chapel, and stately statues. We spent about an hour wandering the beautiful grounds and then enjoyed a walk around the area taking in the picturesque homes and gardens. A very pleasurable visit in little Abilene.

I hate to admit but I had no idea that Abilene, KS is Eisenhower's home town. I only know this fact after seeing a freeway billboard on the way to the Russell Stovers Candies Outlet Factory, also located in the same town. By the time I made it to the museum, there was about 1 hour left before closing time. Luckily, the (volunteer?) staff guy provided a brochure of what to see based on the amount of time. My buddy and I sped through the museum because there was a LOT of stuff to see/read. The layout was in chronological order. My favorite parts included seeing the actual clothes/gowns that the Mrs. wore and the beautiful jewelry. However, my favorite part of the whole museum experience was touring Eisenhower's childhood home. The actual house is outside of the museum, closer to the parking lot. You get a special ticket when you pay the entrance fee for the museum. It's inclusive. A tour guide walked us through all the furniture and explained all the decorative items throughout the house. It's so neat to see how these artifacts have been preserved from their original state. I'd totally come back in the future if I were in Abilene. $10 entrance fee, which is totally fair.

The library (free admission) was OK. The chapel (and grave) and grounds are very pretty, and the exhibits are informative, but abbreviated. I did not see the 20 minute movie. On the other hand, the Museum and the tour of the house he was raised in were excellent. (Worth admission.) It is incomprehensible how they packed so much info and cool collectibles into such a small space for this museum. If you read all the captions you will be here for days. But I loved that they had the shorter historical contexts on the right and deeper more personal stories on the left. Brilliant! I learned so much about DDE, WWII, and the 20th century USA in ink a few hours. I usually hate touring houses, castles, and such... looking at people's boring furniture... etc. But this one was cool. It showed that a great American hero and leader came from such humble beginnings. It was probably better for me because our was small (brief) and simple. This is a good place to spend a few hours, and learn a lot, and walk away inspired.

Fans of WWII should visit this place. Eisenhower, as a general, in my opinion, was a complete and total bad ass. He's remembered well here. It was cool walking through the home he grew up in and the museum honoring his service to the country, both as a general and as a president, were informative and worth the time. 4 stars instead of 5 has to do with timing. Part of the museum was closed. Unfortunate. Worth a visit.

10th Presidential Library visit! We're trying to get them all done before, god forbid, that orange carcass called Trump might get one. Mmmm, absolutely love writing that for the good folks of Kansas to read! Anyway, about Eisenhower. We started with his childhood home, and it's a lovely frozen-in-time reflection of his upbringing. There's also a beautiful memorial/mini-church where he, Mamie, and his first son are all buried. As for the library, it was recently renovated and it shows: the exhibits are sparkling new, and there's a bunch of tech-centric stuff everywhere. The layout is intuitive and spacious, and has a (mostly) organizational logic. We enjoyed seeing many of the curated objects on display. We have one complaint and it's a big one: there is little to no focus on Eisenhower's rise to politics. Yes, there's a small section that discusses how the Dems and Reps were both fighting for him, and how he won, but we're given no insight into this (pretty major) turn in his life. And there is absolutely NOTHING about his second run. Nothing at all! Why? What you have instead here is a military museum couched in a presidential library. We could have done without an entire wall/room of WWII artillery in favor of more, well, actual presidential information. Even the introductory video was like that! We see a lot of Eisenhower as commander and a lot of what happened in America during his presidency, but we don't actually learn about Eisenhower *as* president, paradoxical as that may sound. We're not saying that this is a bad museum--it's not, we're giving it four stars. We enjoyed our visit, but left unsatisfied. It seems like there were some poor executive decisions made about the library's overall thematic structure.

If you're a history buff, this place is for you. My husband could have spent all day exploring the museum and reading everything available. For me, a couple of hours was more than enough.

Excellent site. Museum itself is under renovation until June 2019, but Library has an exhibit space and the boyhood home, gift shop and burial chapel remain open. The site's open space was originally the cattle pens that formed the northern terminus of the Chisholm Trail, next to the Santa Fe railroad. At the end of the 19th century the railhead moved south and the area turned residential -- but Eisenhower was literally from the wrong side of the tracks growing up.

A diamond in the rough! This wonderful site is found off I 70 and does a great job portraying Eisenhower's life and legacy. I was very pleasantly surprised that the boyhood home was almost 100% authentic since it became a museum just one year after President Eisenhower's mother passed away. This is a great stop for anyone, especially those interested in our country's history! Beautiful!

Sadly disappointed as museum is closed leaving only small exhibits in the library. Not worth your time or $12 until they reopen next year.

A bit disappointing - based on the fact that Ike was not just a president, but a hero, a man of great honor and integrity - there were far too many words and too few artifacts. The campus is unremarkable in its 1940s/1950s era architecture with stark rectangular yellow brick buildings surrounding the highlight of the grounds, the white, two-story Eisenhower home built in the late 1800s. There are four buildings to visit: the visitor's center with gift shop and a 24-minute introductory video; the meditation chapel where he, Mamie, and there young son are entombed; the Presidential Library which is off-limits except for the lobby and a small exhibit upstairs on our WWII Allies; and the museum. There is also a large sculpture of Ike between the library and museum. It was a cool December day and the somewhat lengthy walk between buildings was quite chilly, I cannot imagine it being much fun during a blizzard or a sub-zero day in the middle of winter. The Eisenhower home is small, so it does not take long to tour. The most impressive thing about it is the original furnishings, decor and photos, all as they were when Ike's mother died in the 1940s and when it became a museum. You can imagine the family siting around the front room or parlor, listening to the radio or talking about their day on the farm. The meditation chapel is nothing special and you would never know a president and his wife were buried there if not for the small bronze plaques at the base of each marble slab covering the graves and the American flag at the head of Ike's tomb. The walk to the library from the chapel takes 5 minutes across the quad. It has a modern feel with brick and glass as you enter the two-story lobby where you will find a guard, a large conference room, a life size photo of Ike and Mamie, a cross section of the famous Eisenhower tree cut down at Augusta National Golf Club (where Ike was a member) after a storm in the 1990's, and a bronze sculpture of Ike's head. On the second floor is an exhibit of the less known World War II Allies (e.g. Belgium, France, Poland, Ukraine) and, like to museum across the way, far too many story boards with lengthy descriptions to read and not enough historical pieces to admire. The museum is the same way, lots of reading and not much stuff. If you like to travel long distances to read, this is the place for you. There are some interesting items like to enigma machine mentioned in another review, Ike's mother's electric car, some WWII era weapons, a tank, and a Jeep, Mamie's wardrobe from the White House years, and a 1950's living room as well as a replica of Eisenhower's office. Otherwise, there is a lot of reading, a photo or some other period piece (not necessarily directly related to Ike) here and there, and a couple short videos. At $12 a pop, $9 for retired military/veterans and students (with ID), it is not the best value. Compared to the Truman library in Independence just 2 1/2 hours east on I-70, I found it a bit disappointing. Particularly because a fair portion of the museum is under construction with 2x4s laying around next to half built displays (with more words on them). If you are passing by Abilene on I-70 east or west between Denver and Kansas City and have an hour or two to spare, it is definitely worth a visit. If you have to make a special trip like we did, an hour and 45 minutes each way, I am not sure it would be worth it, particularly because Abilene is a town of 7,000 in the middle of nowhere with nothing else to do except watch the streets rust. Enough said. CombatCritic Gives Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum 5 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better

This location is a must-see if you find yourself in Abilene, especially if you are driving cross- country with your father who wants to see all the presidential libraries. The full experience includes a house tour, museum, library, tomb and gift shop and took our group of two a total of one hour to do it all. The house tour is well worth the stop. Eisenhower's childhood abode sheds light on the character of his upbringing and is full of ancient knick-knacks. The museum covers a range of topics including Abilene cow-town legacy and Eisenhower's military career. My favorite part was the exhibit on his wife Mamie, including many of her avant-garde outfit choices. My dad would recommend the section with all the guns. The library was a non-event with only one exhibit, huge restricted section. The tomb is worth a stop for reflection at the end of the tour. If you're looking to acquire cool Eisenhower swag this is not your place. The gift shop has a large collection of books, but after all the reading in the exhibit who has time for that? The staff is very helpful.

Wonderful experience. The museum has recently been renovated and they did a excellent job. It was both entertaining and educational for the entire family. Looking forward to going back!!

Deep in the heart of Kansas is the boyhood home, Presidential library and resting place of President Eisenhower. The area is located in Abilene just off of interstate 70. The property consists of a visitor center, a presidential library, the presidents boyhood home and grave of the president. The grave is located in a "Place of Meditation" that looks like a small church on the property. If you're driving through Kansas why not stop and pay your respects to the President and WWII General who had a profound effect on American history.

Am I rating the President or the Library? I don't feel like I'm able to separate the two. So, with a four-star rating for one of the few 5-star generals our country has ever had, let me say I think a lot of the Library and his Presidency. Ike commanded the largest group of fighting men in history in a successful invasion of an occupied Europe. He then went on to help guide America through a tenuous peace and into the first years of the Cold War. He, a military man himself, once said that he was fearful of the day a man sat in the Oval who had not served in the military and knew what all the hoodwinking and tricks at the Pentagon were. He saw the Military Industrial Complex in its infancy, and warned us about (but we didn't listen). The property itself is sprawling. The Library is in one building and is also a place for temporary exhibits. The Boyhood home is on the property! The Eisenhowers bought all the property around the original home and demolished the homes to make this monument a possibility. It's also the only building that requires some kind of donation ($2 I think). Pretty amazing to think of all the boys that lived in that home. Mrs. Eisenhower was a brave woman! The Museum itself features some incredible WWII artifacts, both Allied and Axis. Be prepared to spend a lot of time. One of the neat things I enjoyed was taped conversations between Ike and President Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crisis. There is also an ecumenical chapel on the grounds where the The General (as he preferred to be called after he left the Presidency, not "Mr President) and his wife are entombed. It's a quiet spot on a quiet property. If you are going to do a day-trip from Kansas City, there's plenty to see in Abilene and nearby Lindsborg on a weekend.

This museum was very informative. For those of us who grew up in school districts that fumbled through American history, this museum provided a full history on WWII, as well as this important president. Please give yourself enough time to see it all: childhood home, library, museum, grounds and Place of Meditation. Anything less than four hours would be futile.

I learned a lot more than I expected out of my trip here. We took a tour of President Eisenhower's childhood home, and our guide was just a wealth of knowledge! The museum was larger than expected. I really didn't plan well because I ran out of time to see everything in detail, so I ended up rushing through the last half. In addition to information about Ike's earlier years (before his presidency), there was a lovely section devoted to his wife Mamie. I really enjoyed seeing some of her dresses and hats. They're in the process of adding new exhibits and improving the museum, so I look forward to visiting again in the future. Next time, I'll just need to make sure I give myself plenty of time so I can read through everything and not feel rushed.

I had the real pleasure of visiting the Eisenhower Presidential Library & Museum on Tuesday, March 11th, 2013. I recommend visiting this Presidential library if you are traversing I-70 from Missouri to Colorado. The library is only a few miles off the interstate.

Enjoyed the History. Make sure to tour the home on property. Museum under reconstruction everything moved Library. Well worth the visit.

History does not do this man justice. We were fascinated by his story of his personal life aside from the presidency. We owe our victory in WWII to him and the allied leaders for their tenacity and courage. Today we are in sore need of leaders the caliber of Dwight D. Eisenhower. Mrs. Eisenhower's contributions to this country have been forgotten down through history. We throughly enjoyed this visit. One suggestion would be for the volunteers to be friendlier and helpful. The 2 women in the visitors center were a bit grumpy.

We literally went out of our way to visit this library while we were visiting family in Kansas, and we were pleased, overall. I would say that I would give 3 1/2 stars if I could for two reasons: 1. The film and museum seem to want to deify Eisenhower. Later I said I felt that I was supposed to believe Eisenhower is the greatest man who ever lived and ever would live, INFINITY. While I understand that a presidential library is going to be an advocate of that administration and man, I think other libraries do a much better job at addressing the whole man, flaws and all. This is what makes a historical figure real to museum-goers. (A possibly related side note: Truman and Kennedy are mentioned none or not at all. I know this is not their library, but Eisenhower was president in a context. It's as if the historical interpreters don't want you to think about anyone else but Ike!) This perspective really limits what you can learn, I think. 2. The tour guide was awkward and oddly repetitive (it was as if she were on a tape, saying "The Eisenhowers had seven boys and raised six." every time someone mentioned the family or she needed to mention them). She was polite but she seemed uncomfortable, making the tour of the small home somewhat awkward. These things stated, we spent a couple of hours here, starting in the museum and working our way through, then taking the home tour (they are at fixed times throughout the day). The museum offered a comprehensive view of Ike's role in WWII as well as a great deal of information about this era of American history. We both liked the Mamie artifacts as well, which help to give a cultural context to all the military history and governmental information. My husband noted that anything controversial about Ike was put in a way to make it value neutral, such as the CIA overthrowing "left-leaning governments." This museum certainly has a point of view! We both really liked how the museum airs the entire farewell address. That was fascinating. I thought the architecture of the museum and library were definitely very of their era, with the Eisenhower statue in the center reminding me (sorry!) of Eastern European Communist architecture, ironically, that is built to deify a man and idealize a concept, very wide, blocky and imposing. The nicest thing and most moving, I thought, were the graves in the meditation chapel. It is a pretty, quiet place, and it is a privilege to visit Ike's and Mamie's final resting place.

Wow. Go and get in touch with the memory of this fine man. Walk the grounds. Tour his boyhood home. Quietly meditate in the chapel. Visit the library. And when it reopens, check the museum; there are neat surprises in store. Ike was sought after by both political parties. He was admired even by his adversaries. Learn about him. We need people like him (and to seek the best qualities within ourselves to be like him).

We thoroughly enjoyed this newly renovated museum. Comprehensive history of his life, military, and presidential career. Library and tour of his childhood home a must. Beautiful grounds. Staff very helpful. A must, easy access from hwy 70.

I have an unhealthy obsession with Dwight D. Eisenhower. I was lucky enough to receive a grant to go study him at the library/museum/presidential home. It is a beautiful and well-kept area in a very quiet and secluded part of Kansas. I came here not expecting too much and was wowed by all that I learned. The exhibit at the museum is definitely worth the price. Great comfortable special collections room as well. I don't see myself visiting Kansas anytime soon, but if I ever do, I would love to come back to here.

There are some that say JFK was the best presidential golfer of all time, whose career was tragically cut short. Woodrow Wilson is said to have played more rounds than any other president. But as an ambassador for the game of golf, no president has done more to promote the game than Eisenhower. His accomplishment of playing more than 1,000 rounds of golf while chain smoking is nothing to cough at. The museum traces Eisenhower's golf game, which started at the relatively old age of 37, through the presidential golf years and post-retirement. Eisenhower had a putting green installed at the White House. At the beginning of his term, 3 million Americans played golf; by the end, this had doubled to 6 million. America would never again have a president so dedicated to golf until the Ford years.

This museum is different than the other 3 presidential libraries that I've been to in that it is just as focused (if not more so) on the time period as it is the man. As you pass through the museum, you'll encounter one large section that is completely dedicated to WWII. It even has an enigma machine. But it goes further into what life was like during the Cold War and the Golden Age of America - the 50s. You can tour Ike's boyhood home, which has been preserved exceptionally well, visit the actual library, and go to the chapel where he, his wife, and young son are all buried. It was a great stop on my road trip and I highly recommend it to everyone.

This is our 6th Presidential Museum - and one of our favorites. Begin your visit with the movie in the Visitors' Center for an overview. We opted for a time to see the boyhood home immediately afterwards. We were able to stop on a weekend when there wasn't much of a crowd. It was great to be able to read and view the exhibits without anyone blocking the way. The current special textile exhibit was a nice surprise too. We enjoyed how the story and artifacts are displayed & described. I especially like learning more about the First Ladies - and the museum did justice to Mame. We were on the property about 3 hours and took our time.

I highly recommend. This place is awesome! Great staff that represents an even greater president. Totally worth the drive from KC! Heck, it's worth putting on the bucket list!

Simply put, this is one of the best presidential museums and libraries I've ever attended. I live on the eastern seaboard and I can very easily visit the homes of dozens of presidents in the matter of a few days however this museum presented a man and a soldier before presented a president. As a museum buff it is a super place to visit and will easily occupy 4-6 hours of your day

The other day I visited this Presidential Library & it's visitor center. The visitor center has a neat short film about Eisenhower's life & accomplishments. President Eisenhower's childhood home is also on the expansive property here in Abilene. Tours of the childhood home are free and extremely informative, every question I asked got a well-thought reply. The library is a research library, but there is a small exhibit space upstairs and it featured a series of quilts made for wounded veterans. Other sites to see on the property include a small chapel, where the former president is entombed with his wife and one of their son, Doud, who died at a young age of scarlet fever. There is also a museum on site, which charges maybe 8.00 something for admission. We didn't have the time to do the museum justice. I hope to return as I am sure it is worth the visit. **Great place to visit if you are into American history, WWII history, history in general.