Visiting the Ronald Reagan museum

How do you get a 747 Boeing jet up a steep mountain road and into a building? It’s an easy answer if you are an engineer. You disassemble it and drive it over 100 miles on Southern California freeways. Then assemble the building around it.

That’s just what happened at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, California, just north of Los Angeles and east of Santa Barbara.  Overlooking the expansive Simi Valley, the museum’s view is what first strikes you. It is the most visited of the presidential libraries and museums. In addition to many exhibits detailing President Reagan’s life and presidency, it houses the former Air Force One 747 (and the Marine One helicopter) that transported President Reagan and six other presidents. The plane has its own picture window.

The new movie Reagan was released last weekend, so we thought this was a good time to see the Museum again when we were there three weeks ago. Whether you liked Ronald Reagan or not, this museum is a tasteful and a thorough tribute to his life and a step back in history.

The Reagan Museum is filled with interactive and immersive exhibits along with videos and photos. To do it right and enjoy the entire complex, it takes about three to four hours to tour. From his early life beginning in Tampico, Illinois, through his high school years as a lifeguard and football player, to his time as a radio announcer and producer during World War II, to beginning years as an actor in Hollywood, the exhibits are filled with pictures, personal mementos, letters and more. As time went on, he met Nancy Davis and fell in love. Originally a Democrat, Reagan was elected president the Screen Actors Guild. He later became a Republican and served two terms as California governor. He was elected President of the United States in 1980.

The story of his life is strikingly displayed and flows easily from room to room. After you leave the main exhibit building, you realize you gained a great deal of knowledge about this president. My dad, 97, and a WWII vet, especially enjoyed the WWII era exhibits and videos.

And then there’s the plane … while the entire building and all exhibits are very impressive, nothing compares with Air Force One and Marine One. When we walked into the auditorium, we were taken aback. How did they get the plane in there? After all, this thing isn’t made of Legos. Because the area is prone to earthquakes, the plane rests on concrete supports, anchored well below ground. Visitors can tour the inside of both the plane and the helicopter.

Unlike the other two presidential museums and libraries we’ve visited, this is unequalled for the view. On clear days, you can look west and see the ocean. The patio area and the Gipper Bistro look east over the valley.

Two years ago, we visited the Gerald Ford Presidential Library in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This was of special interest to me since I worked for President Ford in the White House Press Office. We also visited the George W. Bush Library on the SMU campus in Dallas. It too is very impressive and tells the former president’s story, with a special exhibit on September 11, 2001. Then we visited the Reagan Library. The view alone is beyond description.

We hope to visit more presidential libraries like the Truman Library in Independence, the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston, the Eisenhower Library in Abilene and many more are on our bucket list. But we keep going back to the Reagan Library and Museum.

We came upon the exhibit that documents the attempted assassination of President Reagan. Though we have visited the Reagan Library twice before, this was the first time I was able to watch the film. Jim Brady was a good friend of mine when I was in Washington for many years. Along with the rest of the museum, this exhibit was very well done.

It’s easy to understand why President Reagan wanted his legacy housed in this beautiful, quiet and peaceful place.

Frequently asked questions:

How to get there: Once you get out of LA traffic (good luck), you enter the San Fernando Valley (the “Valley” to locals.) Traffic becomes lighter as you get closer to the Simi Valley. For a more scenic drive, you can take Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) from Santa Monica. You can drive on one of the canyon roads to Simi Valley. No matter how you approach it, the drive is beautiful.

Cost: For adults, $22 – $25, kids $15.

Special exhibits: Often there is a special exhibit at the museum that requires separate tickets and costs. This year, it was a “Star Wars” theme. Last year, it was a very moving special exhibit on “The Holocaust.” Check the website weeks before you go.

Parking: Get there early in the day or you will have to park on a very steep mountain road.

Gift Shop: It’s high-end for some items but not unaffordable. There are some unique gifts, Reagan or White House themed, that you won’t find anywhere else.

Is it worth the drive and the cost? Yes. We’ve been there three times.

Melanie Staten is a public relations consultant with her husband, Vince.