LBJ Presidential Library

We had such a wonderful experience visiting the LBJ Presidential Library! Lots of exhibits of LBJ's presidency - we especially loved the smaller-scale oval office! The library is beautiful & the staff is very informative! They offer various discounts & I didn't fit into any of the criteria - my ticket was $16 and I definitely believe it was worth it. It took us about 1.5 - 2 hours to go through. 10/10

As a foreign visitor, some of the content didn’t feel as close or personal to me—but I still found it engaging and very informative. The museum presents LBJ’s legacy with honesty, showing both the achievements and the controversies. Some exhibits feel a bit dated, but the architecture and certain spaces alone make it worth a visit. If you’re into politics, U.S. history, or just enjoy well-designed museums, it’s a solid stop.

Absolutely top-notch experience at the LBJ Presidential Library. This place is a must-visit for anyone interested in American history, politics, or just great storytelling through primary sources. The museum begins with a powerful timeline that tracks LBJ’s life alongside major events in U.S. and world history. It sets the tone perfectly and really grounds you in the era. The Vietnam 1968 exhibit was incredibly moving—thoughtfully curated and emotionally resonant, it gives a deep and nuanced view of such a complicated time. The next floor continues the journey with exhibits on JFK’s assassination, the Civil Rights Movement, and LBJ’s landmark Great Society programs. It’s informative, immersive, and at times deeply personal. Even though the actual archives aren’t open to the public, their towering presence between the museum levels adds a real sense of weight and importance to the space. And at the top? A stunning recreation of LBJ’s Oval Office—elegant, detailed, and incredibly cool to stand inside. Highly recommend making time for this if you’re in Austin. It’s not just a presidential library—it’s a powerful, well-crafted look at a transformative period in American life.

This was such an enjoyable experience. The employees are knowledgeable and are able to give facts you’ll find interesting. The space was easy to navigate and there is plenty to see, so make time to see it all! My personal favorite was seeing Lady Bird’s office with the magnificent view of downtown Austin. They have a great amount of video experiences as well. Fantastic experience!

The entire museum takes 1 to 2 hours to go through depending on how much your interest is. The LBJ Presidential Library is so informational and incredible. They have information on LBJ and his presidency, a thorough Vietnam exhibit, and many items / artifacts to immerse you into what you are learning. The trip here was easy with security taking less than a minute and the ample parking outside. All the staff are friendly and helpful. It's a spectacular stop in Austin!

A must see museum! So beautiful and full of wonderful history. The staff is so friendly and informative as well. The entry ticket and gift shop are fairly priced as well. Unlike other museums. Just an all around great experience. I loved it! I recommend going if you haven't already!

Impressive!! Great collection and wonderful presentation of LBJ's and Lady Bird's public service. Terrific collection of 60s artifacts. We arrived at 11am on a Saturday, no problem with weekend crowds. The special exhibition right now about Vietnam (October 2024 - August 2025) is good, poignant, creative.

We have visited several libraries in the past few years. We definitely did not spend enough time there, but it was not exactly drawing us in to see more. Nice people in the library, and nice to learn a little more about LBJ. Been to JFK, Nixon, Reagan, both Bush libraries, this was probably the oldest and least impressive.

Such a cool museum dedicated to LBJ and his impacts. Located on the UT AUSTIN campus so you get a glimpse of the nice campus as well! The museum had a cool temporary exhibit about music that was interesting! They had things like Elvis' first contract to Jimmy Hendrix guitar! The museum is not too large so you can go through it in a short amount of time! Don't forget to stop and look at the mini Oval Office and Lady Birds office!

Incredible. An absolute must see. I came for the animatronic LBJ and left with so much more. I forgot to film L Bot J because I was so captivated by its eyeball movement. They've got a music exhibition running that includes some amazing artifacts, it also ends with Taylor Swift so the exit can be crowded. I brought the vibe down a bit by pressing a button that played an old spiritual at deafening volume. Don't do that.

4.5 stars. President Lyndon Johnson is a in your face president the presidential library is in the University of Texas in Austin. The library has designated free parking lot near campus parking. You may want to find out which parking lot before your visit. The library access need to go through the school of public affairs from parking lot. The entrance fees is $16 per adult. The library has three floors you can visit. Floor 3 has the limousine he use and theater. You also can learn about this president life. Floor 4 has a great hall of all the items he collected. It also includes the his policies, legacy, civil war, Vietnam war. Floor 10 is oval office, Mrs Johnson office, family life. From Mrs Johnson office, you can have great view for the campus and city. The visit takes 3 hours. I like the open space.

Walked the 1.7 miles using Apple Maps from the Capitol to the LBJ library, which is on the far east of the University of Texas's campus. Hard to find/see the building because it's nondescript and there isn't much signage. $16 entrance fee for tons of LBJ history. I liked the content of the library, but the set-up is kinda strange and maybe it needs a facelift. The library/museum starts on the 3rd floor (store, presidential limousine, audio recordings, intro video), then an elevator to the 4th floor (exhibits of LBJ's legacy, both foreign and domestic) and finally an elevator to the 10th floor (7/8 replica of LJB's oval office, gifts given to the Johnson's). Excellent exhibit on segregation and civil rights, fun JFK/LBJ and LBJ campaign chum, a newspaper showing JFK's assassination and LBJ becoming President, more stuff about legislative accomplishment (The Great Society) and an animatronic LBJ (very cool, but could maybe be updated, technologically speaking).

Came here with family and we had a great time!! My sister is in the military and they let us in for free with her ID. The museum itself isn't very big but there was a lot of materials on other things besides LBJ. We loved the music exhibit!!

The exhibits are always amazing. The music one that I would recommend is here until august. I would see it again. I went on Juneteenth which was a free admission day.

Comprehensive, engaging, and fun! It even has an animatronic LBJ! Just GO! It's historic, and well worth the effort. We came from Los Angeles!

My first Presidential library. Beautiful. I was very impressed and learned so much. Who knew. This is a must see in downtown Austin.... Easy to get to and parking free.

This Hoosier couple very much enjoyed our entire afternoon here. Could use some larger signage at street as it sits behind another large building. There were a plethora of us old people and bathrooms were only available in basement and 10th floor. It's very difficult to run and hold your legs together at the same time. After emptying my bladder, this old gal left with a much more positive outlook concerning LBJ. He led us through a very difficult time in history. Interesting tidbit, he, wife and both daughters have same LBJ initials.

All of the presidential libraries hold a multitude of historical artifacts. The LBJ library in Austin is all that. A very informative place to get a better understanding of his presidency, himself and that time in American history. If you get. Chance to visit any of them, do it. These places fill in many gaps for me for each time these men served.

I finally got the chance to cross off my second presidential library off my list. Only 11 more to go! The Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library is located in Austin, TX, close to downtown in the University of Texas campus. The building was finished in 1971 but still has a modern look from the outside. The library is 10 stories tall with the 3rd, 4th and 10th floor open to the public. The floors in between houses the archives which can be seen from the 4th floor. Admission is 13 dollars but discounts are available for many different groups such as seniors, children, students, military or even individuals named Lyndon. There is also free admission on certain holidays as well. We got discount tickets on Groupon and felt we definitely got our moneys worth. I admittedly did not know a lot of LBJ before visiting this library. My memory dates back to Reagan as president. All I really knew was that he took office in a plane after JFK was assassinated. Coming here really opened up my eyes to some of the amazing things he accomplished in his short time in office. The library did a very good job of highlighting his life as well as his presidency. One of the cool things that this library has was hundreds of hours of recorded phone calls between he and many influential people such as MLK or Jaqueline Kennedy Onnasis. If I had more time, I would have listened to everything. I also discovered his contributions to poverty, healthcare reform and education. Truly impressive. Overall, I highly recommend this library if you like history like I do. On to the next!

I've always regarded Lyndon Johnson as one of America's most underrated presidents and, after visiting the LBJ Library, I only feel it more strongly! His record of accomplishment has few equals and few people did more to help bring about progress for America in the 2nd half of the 20th century. If you enjoy NPR, PBS, the voting rights act, the civil rights act, national parks, nuclear de proliferation, Medicare, Medicaid, space exploration - or even just child safety caps for prescription drugs - you have LBJ to thank. An imperfect man with a complicated legacy, to be sure. But a true public servant who gave everything he had to help make America better. As you can tell, I found the museum quite affecting! The historical information is presented in a way that is both comprehensive and comprehensible. And no matter who you are, you can learn something you didn't know. The architecture, while not my personal taste, is elegantly constructed and evocative of the era. If you're in Austin, it's well worth a visit!

This was the second presidential library I've visited in my life (first was the Reagan museum back in 2001 when I was a kid!), and since it had been a long while since my last presidential library visit, I knew there was a lot to catch up on in this series! Since my visit, new libraries had popped up, and so did the creation of the Presidential Library passport program. It's a cute souvenir where you can get pages stamped whenever you visit a presidential library. Unfortunately, the LBJ one did not give out passports when I went, but they did say you can come back and get a stamp if you get the passport from another library. The LBJ museum was well-organized, and across three floors, there was so much to see. The Lady Bird exhibit was especially well laid-out and detail-oriented. If you are a history nerd, you'll enjoy it for sure!

Such a great interactive library! The perfect place to spend a rainy day or way too hot day in Austin. The American music exhibit that's there right now (Feb 2024) is really cool! So many handwritten notes and lyrics and photos! Give yourself time to explore!

While on a trip to Austin with two dear friends from college days, we decided to visit the LBJ Presidential Library and we were not disappointed. Since it was a bit of a hike from our mid-downtown location hotel, we considered taking an Uber but decided, as it was another beautiful day in Austin, that we would walk. We found that much of Austin is made for walking. That said, for those traveling by car, there is free parking on site. The LBJ Library was conceived soon after LBJ's administration was over and was funded by private donations as well as with money paid by the publicly funded University of Texas. Lady Bird Johnson was very involved in the selection of architects and the overall design of the library. The architect Gordon Bunshaft was one of 3 finalists and ultimately he was chosen in consultation with LBJ. The library was completed and officially opened May 22nd 1971. The overall design is not my favorite...it is a massive somewhat nondescript cream-colored travertine structure with 10 floors occupying a 14 acre site. It has a very Brutalist design feel to it softened a bit by the use of travertine versus the concrete that is more typically used in such design. It is an imposing sight from the outside and perhaps that was the point. Once inside, the space is quite grand and sweeping with soaring height and wide corridors. What you see upon entering is the huge 1968 5,100 pound, 4-door Lincoln limousine that LBJ had built for his use post-presidency. It is equipped with radio, television and telephone per Secret Service requirements, but the car is not armored, bullet-proof nor bomb-proof. Considering the unfortunate manner in which LBJ became president, this was surprising to me. Prior to this visit, I knew a fair amount about LBJ having read a terrific biography of him (I love presidential biographies) but I learned a lot here in a more tangible way. It was wonderful to see actual objects like the now framed letters LBJ wrote, both personal and public. Some of the personal letters include many sweet ones that he wrote to Lady Bird prior to their marriage. There are also many interesting photographs throughout the library. Other exhibits include a replica of the Oval Office with the same decor as LBJ had including his desk. I enjoyed the film clips and short movies that are shown throughout that give a societal picture of America (and the world) during the era of his presidency: November 22, 1963 - January 20, 1969. It was quite a turbulent time on so many levels. The crisis of the Vietnam War is figured prominently in many of the exhibits. I loved seeing some of Lady Bird's dresses and gowns that are exhibited. Overall her clothing style was classic with pieces that still withstand the vagaries of fashion changes. Lady Bird Johnson has her own quite formidable resume as First Lady including as a champion of conservation and beautification efforts. She was an advocate for the creation of National Park Service units. She lobbied for the passage of environmental legislation and was also a staunch advocate for the improvement of the look and character of the US highway system. Hers was a desire to create beautiful natural spaces in the USA in unexpected places. Her desire for beautification projects was not always appreciated given the turbulence of the times on more "serious" matters. Some derided her beautification attempts as frivolous. I see her as more of a visionary and am grateful for her many efforts on behalf of our country. We spent about 2.5-3 hours here and were able to see most everything. There is a small gift shop on the ground floor where I bought a couple of souvenirs to bring back as gifts. I do love a museum gift shop. The library is open 7 days a week from 9am to 5pm and is only closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. The entry fee is very reasonable: $13 for adults, $9 for seniors 62 and up, and $4 for children 13-18. Under age 13 it's free. If you're in Austin, and enjoy American presidential history, this is well worth a visit.

The LBJ Presidential Library is definitely worth a visit. It is not far from the University of Texas campus. There is plenty of parking and it is not expensive. When you start, you have the option to hear a quick introduction. It is worth listening to that, it will give you good guidance on how to proceed through the library. It is very well-organized and really gives you a good sense of all the accomplishments he had. It is organized into different sections like his early life, the JFK assassination, First Lady's gallery and more. I learned quite a bit, particularly about all the legislation he passed along with the difficulties he faced with the Vietnam war. The gift shop is nice also. We were glad we visited the library.

Highly recommend a visit to this Presidential Library. There is free parking, check the giant banners when entering the lot. Once we walked in, we were greeted by very kind staff who gave us the lay of the land, map, and told us the highlights/things not to miss. The special exhibit on Lady Bird - Beyond the Wildflowers - on display until August 4 was incredible. Highly recommend! Letters from Jackie Kennedy, Lady Bird's dresses, stories of how the couple met, etc. You can hear tons of telephone calls between LBJ and leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King , Jr. See a glimpse of all the records kept, the view of Austin from Lady Bird's office, an Oval Office replica, and so much more. There's also a patio with some sculptures and chairs to relax too.

After visiting the Texas State Capitol and before heading to Worldmark (WM) New Braunfels (my last WM resort stay in Texas), I went to the Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) Library. This was my first time visit here. As you may already know, LBJ was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. It was an amazing and neat library that showcased a lot of great history that we the people today should be grateful for... some of the major changes include the winning passage of a major tax cut, the Clean Air Act, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. After the 1964 election, LBJ passed even more sweeping reforms... the Social Security Amendments of 1965 created two government-run healthcare programs, Medicare and Medicaid. Past U.S. history had tremendous impact on our present today... that's for sure... and our today's decisions will impact our future. Staff and volunteers were fantastic and very helpful. Parking was free. Entrance fee was $13 for one adult (if I recall, it was credit card only). Unfortunately, I only had an hour or so to visit this library, but I was able to get through most of the recommended exhibits which I was pleased about. At the time, they had a special exhibit on Claudia Alta Taylor (aka Lady Bird Johnson and LBJ's wife)... it was a wonderful walkthrough... the First Lady did amazing things especially with her aspiring love for nature! Though my visit was short, I learned some awe-inspiring and sentimental history on LBJ and his wife's contributions. Thank you LBJ and Lady Bird for all that you both did for our U.S. of America! LBJ's library is definitely recommended and not to be missed when you're in Austin, TX, either as a local state resident or a visitor from another state or country. Please note it is located within The University of Texas at Austin. I didn't get a chance to peruse the campus, but I'm sure it's worth strolling through should you have extra time. So drop on by and learn a little bit about our fascinating U.S. history! Be enlightened with admiration and grace!

An amazing place to learn about LBJ and his administration. I learned he had the civil rights bill signed, started Medicare and Medi-Cal, started Heqd Start. Lady Bird was a conservationalist before her time. I spent 2.5 hours here and probably could've stayed longer with the amount there was to see! If you are trying to tour all of the Presidential Libraries, don't forget to pickup a passport and get it stamped at every library. I've been enjoying learning about each president's administration in each library I visit. And LBJ's was no exception.

Presidential libraries are rare, so it's a treat to have an important one in Austin. The bulk of the collection displayed centers around the late 1960s from LBJ's presidency, but there are plenty of artifacts leading up to that period. First of all you should take advantage of free admission days like LBJ's birthday and Austin Museum Day which also offer special activities, but it's worth going other times of year as well as there are many temporary exhibits like one a few years ago with a huge collection of Beatles artifacts. Regardless of when you go there is always permanent exhibits on the 10th floor that includes replicas of the Oval Office and the First Lady's office of the period, as well as my favorite assortment of lavish gifts bestowed by heads of state during LBJ's presidency, including jeweled swords and much more. There are also documentary theaters for a short overview, a timeline with many artifacts of everything from President Kennedy's assassination to the moon landing, and even dresses worn by the first lady. Even the wall of pens used for signing legislation is impressive, and everything is housed in an imposing brutalist building that's fascinating in its scale even if you aren't a fan of that King of architecture. Given the building's size they could have easily crammed many more exhibits inside, but as it is you could probably see most everything in a couple hours if you're in a hurry which makes it perfect for an afternoon stroll through history. Children will likely be very bored, but there are always a few things to amuse them from the displays, and sometimes there are activities geared for children specifically. Well worth the trip for Austinites and visitors alike.

If you are in Austin, you must stop in to the LBJ Presidential Library. At least once in your life. Located in the south part of the city, it is easy to get there. Less than $20 on Uber (measured from the Austin Airport to the Library) or, if you have your own transportation parking is plentiful and free. I was a young child when President Kennedy was assassinated and VP Johnson became the leader of our free country. I don't remember much about the politics or running of the country in the 60's. That said, I am a convert; now then wanting to know everything that occurred. What better way to learn about the history in that time slot? Go to the Library for a look see. Start on the 8th floor where you will find a replica of the Oval Office. There are photos accompanied with stories depicting life in the White House with the President and his Family. Visit the 4th floor and find Johnson's presidency in the making and historically the painting of his career as President. I liked the cuteness where they showed television coming to society along with the films that were born during Johnson's presidency. Movie rooms and short audio with some of the photos are scattered throughout the 4th floor Last, on the 1st floor you'll find the museum store. You will also see President Johnson's car occupying the main entrance to the Museium. There is an entry fee and I would suggest making a reservation. Do NOT pass this place by! A definite must see

The history of LBJ's presidency is worth telling, and this library does a good job capturing all the good things he did as president through clear, engaging exhibits. His accomplishments have been overshadowed by the quagmire of the Vietnam War, and the library strives to overcome that while acknowledging the war's toll. What you won't get are more than a few glimpses of Johnson the man, his history and journey, his family (especially Lady Bird), his time in other offices that were do critical to his successes as president, or his relationships with other key players along the way. It is a very filtered view of Johnson, and left a decided PR cleanup residue. Maybe the whole Johnson story belongs to a PBS documentary not to a presidential library, but I can tell there's a lot more to understand about Johnson that would have provided deeper context -- and better explained his shift from segregationism to unabashed equality or how a man who could be so crude created the web of relationships that helped him reshape the country so dramatically. Nonetheless I gained a new appreciation for Johnson despite the selective portrait.

On my most recent visit to Austin, my husband and I visited the LBJ Presidential Library. As nerdy as it sounds, I wish to visit all of the presidential libraries (this is my 7th presidential library and have plans to visit another one in a few months). This presidential library is located on the University of Texas campus. Parking is free for visitors if you park in lot 38 (off of Red River St). Admission prices online were really cheap ($6.50 per adult, $2 for non UT Austin college students. But looking at other fellow Yelp member's reviews, admission had cost more. Not sure if the pandemic closed off some exhibits and made the price cheaper....). There are 3 floors to visit (the 3rd, 4th and 10th... don't worry, you take the elevator for the 10th floor). Anyways, for those of you that are unaware, Lyndon Baines Johnson was our 36th US president. He was sworn into office in November 1963, after former President JFK's assignation (as LBJ was his vice president while JFK had taken office). It was because of him that Medicare and Medicaid programs exist (previously before becoming a political figure, he had taught at a school with Mexican American students in south Texas that came from low income families. From this experience, he was inspired to try to find solutions for those living in poverty during his presidency). Although LBJ was successful in establishing new programs and policies, many viewed his failure as president on his decisions regarding the Vietnam War. Unfortunately as the Vietnam War dragged on, the price of goods increased, the value of the US dollar was dropping and this war was very costly (~2 billion dollars each month). Towards the end of his first term, he had announced that he would not run for a second term. Sadly the conflict going on in Vietnam during that time had brought a lot of challenges and frustration for LBJ, even through his last day in office (and if you were wondering, the Vietnam War continued about 4 more years after LBJ left office. It is a really interesting war if you do your research). Then after LBJ's term, Former President Nixon became president (we all know how that went....). After LBJ finished his presidential term, he retired to his ranch in Texas (where visitors can actually go and visit in Stonewall, Tx). He died about 4 years later from a heart attack on January 22, 1973, at the age of 64. With this presidential library, I really enjoyed learning about who LBJ was before he was president and before his political career. I also really enjoyed learning about his wife, Claudia Alta, or "Lady Bird" and her life (She was known to be as pretty as a lady bird, as a child, thus a lifetime nickname was born. LBJ called her both "Bird" and "Lady Bird"). I enjoyed seeing the dresses on display that she wore to presidential/ political functions. I also always like to see the many gifts that former presidents have received during their time in office, from other countries (which is on display on the 10th floor). My husband and I spend at least 2 hours going through each of the floors with all of the exhibits. And then ended our visit through the gift shop, which has some really cool souvenirs. I especially loved the black and white photo of LBJ howling/ singing with his dog in front of his grandson (in the children's section of the store if you wish to look at it. Yuki, a terrier mix, was LBJ's favorite dog. Yuki means snow in Japanese. He was found at a gas station in Texas on Thanksgiving Day by one of his daughters and gave Yuki to LBJ for his birthday. Yuki actually went to a lot of the cabinet meetings with LBJ and to the Oval Office). If you are visiting Austin, it would be well worth your time and money to visit LBJ's library (and also Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center).

TL;DR: Great place to visit, especially for those who enjoy US history. My cousin was in town and wanted to go somewhere to get some culture. I suggested the LBJ Library since she's never been to a presidential library. We visited a few weeks ago. I've lost count of how many times I've been there (I think 3), but I always have a good time when I come to the library because I really enjoy learning about history. The library is located on the UT campus across the street from Bass Concert Hall and DKR Stadium. Parking is free in Lot 38 (entrance off of Red River Street). Make sure you are in the correct lot so you don't get ticketed. Tickets are $13 for adults. Our friend is a veteran (thank you for your service!) and was able to get a discount for our group ($7 per ticket). They actually have discounts for quite a few groups of people, however they don't offer discounts to UT alumni (bummer). As with any museum, there are permanent exhibits and special exhibits that are there for a limited time. The exhibits are located on floors 3, 4, and 10. Photos are allowed (without flash), however some of the special exhibits do not allow photography. A few years ago, my family and I visited the library to see a cool exhibit called "Motown: The Sound of Young America". It was interactive and was a lot of fun. On this past visit they had two special exhibits: "One night in Miami: From Photo to Film" and "Lady Bird: Beyond the Wildflowers." The "Miami" exhibit featured black and white photos of Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown on the night that Muhammad Ali defeated Sonny Liston. The gathering inspired a play which then inspired the movie directed by Regina King. The "Lady Bird" exhibit featured The First Lady throughout her life from childhood to her time as First Lady and her philanthropic work with environmental conservation. The main exhibits go through LBJ's life (he was a teacher before becoming a politician) and his time in office. They have interactive things like telephones where you can listen to some of his conversations and the animatronic LBJ (sorta creepy). You can also learn about the transformational policies that his administration passed (The Civil Rights Act, Medicare and Medicaid, just to name a few). Unfortunately, we didn't have as much time as we thought we would (we arrived at 3p thinking we would have two hours). The front desk staff failed to tell us that the library was closing early for a special event. While we were in the "Miami" exhibit, a nice security guard let us know they were closing early. We rushed up to the 10th floor so we could see the replica of the Oval Office and The First Lady's office, but it would have been nice if the staff would have mentioned it when we bought our tickets so that we could have managed our time better. As with every museum, there is a gift shop. Apparently, you can buy a special passport and collect stamps at all of the presidential libraries. The nerd in me wants to do this, especially since there are 3 in the state of Texas. If you like US history, government, presidential history, the 1960s, or just like to learn in general, I recommend visiting. Just make sure there aren't any special events going on so that you will have enough time to see all of the exhibits.

STEPH JUDGEMENT: Impressive presidential library chock-full of interesting displays and artifacts. Seems fitting for me to close out my TX reviews with this entry. This was my second presidential library visit ever, the other being the Carter Center in Atlanta. I was very impressed, from the architecture to all the artifacts housed within. I knew about LBJ's political accomplishments, but not so much about his personal life; this museum will flesh out your perception of him, if yours was as limited as mine. I was also pleasantly surprised to learn that his white house photographer was the Japanese-American Yoichi Okamoto, whose pictures were showcased in a special exhibit. We exited through the gift shop, and got our Presidential Library Passports stamped. Mission accomplished.

I took Thing Two here over the weekend. Thing Two wants to be a Supreme Court Justice when she is older and at 10 is fascinated with all things political. To my surprise, she was the one who suggested that we take a visit here. The LBJ Library does a nice job presenting the history of the president and a glimpse back into the era in which he presided. When coming here, one should expect to take about 2 hours for a visit. Well worth the stop if visiting the ATX. There are so many things to see here, from the replica oval office, an animitronic LBJ, Lady Bird replica office and so much more. Going to this place is like taking a page of out a history book and looking at it through new eyes. The Things and I like to consider Presidential Libraries places to get exposure to history rather than arms of either political party. We've visited Presidential Libraries of Republican and Democrat presidents alike and this is by far one of the best. ****Warning***here comes the political part Though he left office with low approval ratings, polls of historians and political scientists tend to have Johnson ranked as an above-average president. His domestic programs transformed the United States and the role of the federal government, and many of his programs remain in effect today. Thank you Mr. President for the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, and so much more.

The cinder block of the LBJ Library on the UT campus is beautiful inside with fun exhibits. They have a large, free parking lot. My only previous presidential library experience was the George W. Bush Presidential Library in Dallas, which I really enjoyed and could have spent hours in. The LBJ Library has solid exhibits, but there wasn't enough to keep me entertained for long. I am glad it is free for UT students and faculty because the $13 general admission is steep considering the library does not have that many public exhibits. I am a lover of history museums, and while I liked this one, I could not have spent more than an hour here.

We really enjoyed our trip. The exhibits are well done and include a lot of cool memorabilia and photos. Was reminded of many forgotten LBJ accomplishments. It was a little dry for the kids, although they liked the replica Oval Office, and the history of music exhibit.

The Presidential Library re-visit tour continues, this time the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library in Austin Texas. I think this previously was my 3rd Presidential Library visit. Making my way on a weekend to UT Austin campus where the library was pretty quick and painless. After the admission fee, the summary video was next. Divided into floors, there is a timeline and a freaky animatronic Johnson exhibit on the first floor, Presidential portraits and rotating exhibits on the next, and specific exhibits on his election campaigns, civil rights, space program, the Cold War, and others on the next two. I have a lot of ambivalent thoughts and contradictory feelings about Lyndon Johnson: his deception during and conduct of the Vietnam conflict accelerated the mistrust in government that continues to this day; his personality and "Johnson" treatment (there's an exhibit for this) is physically repugnant; his 'win at all costs' mentality that developed a calculated and unjustified presentation of his opponent Barry Goldwater as an unbalanced right wing nut who would immediately initiate a nuclear Armageddon. But however his personality and motives to accomplish his goals, one cannot discount his achievements, many which reverberate to this day: The Civil Rights Act of 1964; Voting Rights Act of 1964; Social Security Amendments of 1965 (creating Medicare & Medicaid); Higher Education Act of 1965 (creating federal student loans); and the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. That's politics for you: many heroes are revealed to have feet of clay; and often major accomplishments are completed by flawed characters. Very educational, will recommend and repeat!

PROS: this place had a lot of neat things. First Lady outfits, a presidential limo replica, a small theatre, a lbj full size robot, etc. it's cheaper than other presidential libraries and offers a lot of discounts. Staff is also nice too CONS: hard to find the entrance to this place as the building was behind the learning center. It was also drastically smaller than the other presidential libraries. OVERALL: I would certainly come back here when im in town again. Just don't have your expectations set on seeing a full size library

Allow at least 2-3 hours. I was as impressed by the Lady Bird exhibits as by LBJ. There is an additional recreation of the Oval Office on the 10th floor.

Not to missed. Was truly moved by the presidency of Lyndon Johnson and the activism of Lady Bird. President Johnson was historically famous for civil right but there was so much more to learn of his achievements. Also Lady Bird changed our environment with her more than 100 legislative action she worked on

Our first time here and it was organized. Nice to have a greeter to give you the lay of the land, what to see first and how to meander thru. Nice pen display in the beginning and the film to give you perspective. The library wasn't as big as I expected but then he was only president for 5 years not 8. He may have been torn with the Vietnam war, but I admire him for advocating for civil rights, Medicare, proponent of voting rights, and strengthened social security. Didn't know that there's a LBJ ranch where he and Ladybird are buried. This library located on UT campus and we took the local bus here and back, very convenient. Btw, his 'wilson' desk was used by him afterwards and he would surprise tourists as he sat there!!

This was my fourth Presidential library, but, thanks to Robert Caro, the one I was most interested in visiting. Johnson was an incredibly consequential President. He was responsible for the voting rights act, the civil rights act, significant reforms to immigration, Medicare and Medicaid as well as the various programs of the great society to assist people with low incomes. He also massively escalated the American presence and combat role in Vietnam. All of this is covered to some degree in the museum, along with the rest of his career stretching from the US House to the Senate (where he was the most powerful floor leader ever) to the Vice Presidency. Also covered his early life, as well as the role of his wife "Lady Bird" and his other family members. Artifacts on display range from policy documents, campaign buttons and posters, numerous gifts* from foreign leaders and dignitaries, original copies and drafts of speeches, newspapers, a large number of recordings of LBJ's private conversations with key political figures, objects and official communications related to the Vietnam war and the US -Soviet rivalry and his Oval Office furniture and artwork, displayed in a replica of the Oval Office. *These diplomatic gifts are often museum pieces in their own right, due to their artistic merits, precious materials and/or ancient historicity. Highly worth a visit if you are interested in the Histories of the Presidency, the US, or the Vietnam War and Cold War.

Great history lesson learned so much about LBJ. Part of our history a must stop when you are in the area.

Great presentations via video. History explained not just his presidency but all that happened in the world during his presidency. Easy to follow. Keeps you interested throughout. Good emphasis on the First Lady as well. So much happened during his presidency you just need to go and read, feel and see history.

Excellent layout and information about LBJ, his presidency, Lady Bird, and the US in the 1960s. My favorite part was listening to him on the phones scattered throughout the exhibits.

Absolutely amazing! For anyone who loves history and civics this is a must in Austin. I was so excited to visit the LBJ Presidential Library. My goal is to visit every presidential library (nerdy, I know), and this presidential library was wonderful. It was a great way to lean more about President Lyndon B. Johnson. Located on the campus of the University of Texas, it's easy to get to, as it has it's own parking lot and entrance area, away from the campus. After you pay for admission, you wait to be checked in where an employee will hand you a map and tell you briefly what's on each floor. Other than that, it's pretty much a self-guided tour. It took about three hours to get through the library, going through all the exhibits and reading all the information. You can really learn a lot about President Johnson, from his beginnings when he was an educator, to becoming an elected official, then taking office after the assassination of Kennedy, and his overall achievements, particularly in many social policies. The library does an extraordinary job, providing information on LBJ and the time period he served. I especially loved how you could listen to actual recordings of the conversations he's had with other elected officials and dignitaries. You really get the sense of what it was like to be president during his times of hardship (Vietnam war, Kennedy assassination) through these recorded conversations. I do recommend taking the time to listen to these recordings when you go through the library. There are multiple floors to the museum, with some public access. Like all presidential libraries, there was also a replica of the oval office during LBJ's time, in addition to a gift shop and a special, rotating exhibit of Motown. Staff was very friendly and happy to help answer questions. This was a highlight of my trip to Austin!

Wow! Great educational opportunity in Austin! Just loved the LBJ library. What an amazing man and president who first came into office after JFK assassination. As an added bonus, we were able to see and experience the 60s Motown exhibit! $800 and lots of hard work changed the music industry forever! Definitely plan to spend a few hours or book a tour!

Listed as one of Austin's top attractions, the LBJ Presidential Library is situated inside the University of Texas Campus. Follow the signs from the streets to a parking lot designated for LBJ Library. Please make sure you park at the correct lot because all other lots would require parking permits. Normal admission rate is $10 per person, but I lucked out by visiting on President's Day and got in for free. Alternatively, search online before visiting as there might be Groupon deals available. Exhibit is located on the 3rd, 4th and 10th Floor. 3rd & 4th Floor had a lot of info on LBJ during his career, and 10th floor mainly housed the replica of the oval office and gifts presented by other countries and visitors. Not sure if there are more stuff to see on the 10th Floor, as the rest of the area was blocked off.

LBJ Presidential Library was my 2nd Presidential Library I ever visited and Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ - not to be confused with LeBron James) served as the 36th President of the United States from 1963 to 1969. Parking is free and admission prices are normally $10 for adult and $3 for college students with IDs (non UT Austin) / youth (13 - 18). Due to water damage on the 10th floor, the Replica Oval Office, Lady Bird's Office, and the First Family in the White House galleries were closed during our visit and admission prices were cut to $8 for adult and $1 for college students with IDs (non UT Austin) / youth (13 - 18). The Presidential Library offers free admission days on the following 8 days: Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, Explore UT, Memorial Day, The Fourth of July, August 27 (LBJ's birthday), Veterans Day, and Austin Museum Day. Our party came at 9:40 AM on Saturday and it took me about 90 minutes to explore this library. Just like the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library, there was an introduction video about LBJ that lased approximately 11 minutes. There are three levels to explore: * Level 3: LBJ: An Introduction, LBJ Telephone Recordings Database, Animatronic LBJ & LBJ's Humor, and Changing Exhibits Gallery (currently showing Motown: The Sound of Young America till January 26th, 2020 - I liked some of interactive activities like a short drum tutorial session for The Temptations song "My Girl"), the limousine President Johnson used in Texas after the Presidency, and gift shop. * Level 4: LBJ's Presidency, Presidents and First Ladies (a really cool collection of presidential portraits), A Legacy of Liberty: LBJ and You & The Impact Table, Archives Interactive (I liked "Please Hold for the Presient" because I got to listen to LBJ's conversations among Martin Luther King Jr., Jacqueline Kennedy, Richard Nixon, etc.), Temporary Exhibit Cases, Sculpture Garden, Great Hall. * Level 10 (accessible via elevator): The Oval Office, Life in the White House, First Lady's Gallery, Mrs. Johnson's Office, Reading Room, Erwin Atrium & Brown Room, LBJ Library & LBJ Foundation Offices, Presidential Suite. Below were some of highlights and interesting facts about LBJ: * He signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 that created the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and National Public Radio (NPR), and the Social Security Amendments of 1965 that started Medicare & Medicaid programs. * He escalated US involvement in the Vietnam War which he later came to regret. * Lady Bird Johnson, the First Lady, received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Unfortunately I didn't get to learn more about her because the Lady Bird's Office was temporary closed. Overall it was a pretty decent self-guided tour and I was a bit bum out that the Oval Office was closed, but honestly I really can't complain here because of the discounted student price.

The Lyndon Baines Johnson library is an excellent representation of this president. Located in Austin, it's a reasonable Uber ride from downtown. Coming here is a great rainy day activity. The history of LBJ - his tragic appointment, tenure and decision not to run for re-election are all explored here. The section upstairs pays homage to all of the president which was nice. This was my first presidential library and I thought it was OK. Pete has been to others and said this paled in comparison with respect to artifacts, etc. Really profound experience was upstairs listening to the telephones that played recorded conversations of LBJ with other heavy hitters, such as RFK. That was interesting. Admission was reasonable for two adults, but could get pricy for a family. Active military received free admission, rightly so. Thank you for your service.

Lyndon Baines Johnson is enjoying a revival of sorts. Recently, Bryan Cranston, Woody Harrelson, Liev Schrieber, and Tom Wilkinson have all tried portraying this complex President on the screen. The last actor is also famous for his portrayal for The Madness of King George III. So LBJ must have been an easy part for him after that? LOL All joking aside, LBJ was also famous for interrupting my TV shows growing up. But in the back of my mind, I can still hear Country Joe and the Fish's tune. Seriously, if you want to really understand LBJ, you need to come here. You NEED to come here. For LBJ is not just a Vietnam War one trick pony. He is also responsible for Medicare, Medicaid, the Voters Rights Act, the Freedom of Informations Act, the National Highway & Transportation Act, Civil Rights Act, the Gun Act, Housing & Urban Development Act, Public Broadcasting Act that created PBS and NPR; I could go on for a very long time. See the photo timeline. I refer you both to Robert Caro's and Doris Kearns Godwin's excellent books on LBJ, that you must read to better understand a very difficult time and a very complex man. But if you don't have the time, then you must, must come here. It's an excellent Library, that we are both so happy we made time to visit. Enjoy!

The library itself was great, but the police officer/security at the front was very rude He told us we couldn't bring food in so we asked if we could put it in our bag and he said then we would have to check the bag after struggling and finally managing to carefully fit the food (we had leftover bbq and bbq sauce) and get our bag closed up, he told us he needed to see the contents of our bag before we checked it i don't understand why he couldn't tell us before while he saw us struggling to place our food so it wouldn't make a giant mess The couple that came in after us had leftovers as well and ended up leaving. They commented about his lack of 'texas hospitality' Aside from that, I enjoyed my visit here We came a little late So we were a bit rushed at the end Plan to spend 1 1/2-2hrs here My favorite part of the library was at the end and they had a video on the family's life in the white house

LBJ wasn't my President (I was born after he left office) but his presence certainly loomed large over his successors and modern American history. Like his policies or not, there is no doubt that he has affected the course of the United States. The LBJ Presidential Library attempts to condense the service of this great man into three floors of exhibits and videos and audio recordings from his time. Of course, lots of video of the man himself but lots as well from the other influencers of his time. Easily an hour, probably closer to two if you really want to spend the right amount of time. Parking is free and there is a small shop of Presidential goodies from LBJ and others. [Review 10186 overall, 1772 of 2018.]

This was a SUPER cool museum and very informative! I don't know much about LBJ but this was a great place to learn about his childhood, his presidency, and who he was as a person. The admission is already pretty cheap for adults for a museum like this but they also have discounts for students as well. The museum started off with a timeline of his life as well as recordings of his conversations with a wide variety of people when he was in office. He recorded over 600 hours of those conversations which is really awesome that we can listen to them like we were there. I also learned that so many things that we know about today (and honestly take for granted sometimes) are because of the decisions and laws that he made during his administration. Some of these include seatbelt safety, financial aid programs, and not having dangerous substances in children toys. These are just a couple of examples but there are so many that there's an entire section just on these decisions that he made. At the top floor there is a replica of the Oval Office when he was president. Unfortunately the lady bird room was closed when I went. Overall it took about an hour to an hour and a half to go through the museum. It was an amazing museum and I really enjoyed it!

Ok, I would never have thought of going to visit this Presidential Library, but it came heavily recommended from a friend. So early one Thursday, August morning, headed into town with some family and friends to visit. Suffice to say this is, as one reviewer put it, "amazing"! The building is huge, with lots of exhibits and interactive components. I learned a lot of history I never knew about either LBJ or America in the early to later parts of the 20th Century. As mentioned by another recent visitor, there were certain sections of the top floor that were being renovated and we were unable to view. There was a Motown exhibition when we went, and that was fascinating as well. Highly recommended way to spend a few hours, plus good exercise for your feet and mind.

Takes about an hour to leisurely stroll through the exhibits. Nice early history on Lady Bird Johnson, matter of fact better than the history of LBJ's early years. Would have liked more detail on his years in the Senate.

I paid $10 for the admission of LBJ (Democrat) .The parking was free! I checked George W.Bush(Republican) Library's admission, it says $21.It is true " GOP is a party of the rich,Dems are the party of the poor".LOL. Takeaways - Johnson treatment.He was very nice and friendly to everyone.It was okay for me to take a selfie with him. - Vietnam war.Many people might hate him because of his policies to Vietnam.I found that many immigrants from Vietnam don't like the communist government(North Vietnam) at all.Whether you support his policies to Vietnam or not, it is good opportunity to learn and think about the war,I found a map when he used during the war.It might be hard to decide the targets without a computer map. - His legacy,I learned a lot of his achievements during his presidency such as immigration reform, gun control,voting right act,health care reform,gun control, space program,etc.If he had not escalated the war, many people would have remember him as one of the greatest president. This is a great museum and library.I have one suggestion.I visited on August 1st 2019.It was hot outside.But the inside library was so freezing due to too strong AC.If you are sensitive to cold, please bring a jackets or sweater even in summer.

Not much new to say, but that you should come here if you're in Austin. Just like most other presidential libraries, I learned quite a lot here and thought the exhibits were cool and informative. From the mockup of the oval office to the different audio recordings, this is a must see. Please go to this!