Mapping Texas: From Frontier to the Lone Star State

Friday April 20, 2018 to Wednesday January 2, 2019

As Texas took its current shape, the space changed from an extensive, unexplored, and sparsely settled frontier under the Spanish Crown to its iconic and easily recognizable outline today. Mapping Texas: From Frontier to the Lone Star State traces the cartographic history of Texas from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries, through 26 maps, split into seven different subjects. Mapping Texas explains how centuries of change shaped our perspective of Texas from a distant frontier to the Lone Star State, all with the understanding that in order for land to be claimed, it needed to be mapped first.

Leonardo Da Vinci: Machines in Motion

Thursday March 1, 2018 to Sunday January 6, 2019

ON DISPLAY MARCH 1, 2018 THROUGH JAN. 6, 2019

20th Anniversary of the Bush Center Exhibit

Friday September 1, 2017 to Sunday March 25, 2018

This year marks the 20th Anniversary of the George H.W. Bush Presidential Center and a special Bush Library exhibit will celebrate the three entities of the center: the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, The George H.W. Bush Foundation and the Bush School of Government and Public Service. Some of the main features of the exhibit include photographs, awards, numerous artifacts and more.

Legacy of Ranching: Preserving the Past, Embracing the Future

Thursday April 6, 2017 to Sunday January 7, 2018

The George Bush Presidential Library and Museum is excited to welcome its newest exhibit, entitled: "The Legacy of Ranching: Preserving the Past, Embracing the Future." Through a partnership with the Department of Animal Sciences at Texas A&M University, this exhibit celebrates the historic ranches of Texas and their ability to adapt through changing natural and business environments.The commitment and innovation of the families who built these ranches have helped them to preserve their legacies.

From early Spanish Land grants to the present day descendants, the exhibit highlights these strong ranching legacies and examines how the livestock industry helped shape the state of Texas. Recordings of oral histories, an original video narrative, hands-on educational activities, and a historic chuck wagon centerpiece are all included in this impressive new exhibit. Don’t miss the opportunity to share the legacy of Texas ranches with a new generation and learn about the sheer fortitude of Texas ranching families. Financial support for this exhibit was provided by Capital Farm Credit, Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension, and the Texas A&M Department of Animal Science.

This exhibit will be on display from March 6, 2017, through January 7, 2018, in the Ansary Gallery of the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum.

Pearl Harbor Remembered

Thursday November 10, 2016 to Saturday December 31, 2016

The attack on Pearl Harbor was the turning point of the 20^th Century. Life world-wide would never be the same. No nation could remain isolated from the actions of others. For Americans, it was galvanizing. People had a “unity of purpose”. Boys became men, and men became heroes. 

Men who would become future Presidents all felt the call to take action. Many were already in military service and in the Reserves. Those who could, enlisted. Those who were in government found effective ways to engage in the war effort. The paths they chose would influence the course of their lives for years to come. 

This exhibit consists of digital images, documents, an interactive station and a video which shows President Roosevelt’s “Day of Infamy” speech. The exhibit is located in the Presidential Rotunda and will be on display from now through December 31, 2016.

Remembering September 11th

Sunday August 28, 2016 to Friday September 30, 2016

For the 15th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum will feature a unique exhibit featuring a section of steel from the World Trade Center towers donated by the Texas Engineering Extension Service's elite urban search and rescue team, Texas Task Force 1. The steel structural beam weighs in excess of 2,000 pounds.

The exhibit, Remembering September 11, will showcase photographs, posters, a rescue uniform, stuffed search and rescue dog, artifacts and personal effects from the state's renowned urban search and rescue team. The exhibit will be on display from September 2 to September 29, 2016.

Driven to Drive: Defining Our Identity

Monday May 16, 2016 to Monday January 9, 2017

The automobile transformed the way Americans lived and how they defined their identities. This exhibit explores how the evolution of car designs and functions reflected the progression of twentieth century America. 

In partnership with the Houston Automobile & Transportation Museum, this exhibit tells the story of the automobile through historical objects, interactive media and hands-on displays, highlighting cars beginning with the 1950s through the present and into the future.

The National Parks Photography Project

Monday November 30, 2015 to Monday March 21, 2016

Centered around the centennial anniversary of America's National Park Service in 2016, the exhibit celebrates the important role that the visual image has played in the history and creation of our national parks. The core of this exhibit is the timeless black and white photography of American photographer Mark Burns. These photographs were taken from 2011 through 2015 with one iconic photograph from each of America's 59 national parks. 

A portion of this exhibit will also pay tribute to early painters and photographers.

Americans with Disabilities Act: Twenty Five Years

Tuesday April 21, 2015 to Friday January 22, 2016

President Bush considered the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990 among the finest achievements of his administration, calling it the greatest piece of civil rights legislation in years.

When he signed the Act on July 26, 1990, he stated, “With today’s signing of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act, every man, woman and child with a disability can now pass through once closed doors into a bright new era of equality, independence and freedom.”

To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, visit the exhibit in our rotunda. It will be on display now through January 2016.

History in the Making: Texas A&M Forest Service

Thursday March 12, 2015 to Sunday November 8, 2015

This year, the Texas A&M Forest Service (TFS) celebrates a century of leadership in protecting and sustaining the state’s trees, forests and related natural resources. From the first efforts of a few forest patrolmen on horseback in East Texas to today’s statewide network of protection, TFS has been on the front line – training and equipping landowners, communities and fire departments to prevent, prepare for, and protect against wildfires.