Clinton Presidential Center Offers Insight Into The Life of Our 42nd President

There are fourteen Presidential Libraries.So far, I’ve visited five: Johnson, H.W.Bush, Carter, Ford, and most recently Clinton. They are alike in many ways, chronicling the lives of a U.S. President, but they also reveal much about the times when each man held the office and the history of our nation and its people. Each one, in its own way, tells us who we are as Americans.  

 

Located in a beautiful 32 acre park on the southern banks of the Arkansas River in the state capital Little Rock, the Clinton Presidential Center is a contemporary designed two story building.  Its a Platinum LEEDS rated building, the only one in Arkansas, meeting the highest standards for environmentally friendly construction and operations. 

 

Along with its large exhibit halls, there are full size replicas of the White House Cabinet Room and the President’s Oval Office as they were during the Clinton years.  The archival and library holdings are the largest of all the Presidential Libraries with approximately 76.8 million pages of paper documents, 1.85 million

photographs,  and over 75,000 museum artifacts. There is also a rooftop apartment provided for the Clintons when they visit Little Rock.

 

A special exhibit honors “The Little Rock Nine” a group of nine black students who courageously integrated Little Rock Central High School in 1957.  

 

Opened in 2004, the Center is home to the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum, the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service, and the Little Rock offices of the Clinton Foundation.

 

The Foundation works to improve global health, strengthen economies, promote health and wellness, and protect the environment by fostering partnerships among businesses, governments, non-governmental organizations, and private citizens. 

 

The University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service is the first graduate school in the nation to offer a Master of Public Service degree. It emphasizes real-life application where students gain the knowledge and experience to further their careers as leaders in the areas of nonprofit, governmental, volunteer, or private sector work.

 

The Clinton Presidential Center attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the nation and world each year and plays an active role in the Little Rock community, hosting a number of events, lectures, and conferences throughout the year. It has been instrumental in bringing more than $2.5 billion in economic development to the area.

 

“Forty Two” (named for the 42nd President), is the Center’s popular restaurant open Monday through Saturday for lunch and afternoon snacks.  It also serves a exquisite Sunday Brunch.  The Clinton Museum Store is located

in a separate building adjacent to the Center.

 

While many museum in Little Rock offer free admission, The Clinton Presidential Center

has a small admission fee. It is open daily except major holidays. The internet offers considerable information about the Center and other attractions in the Little Rock area.

 

 

 

 James Weaver 

Senior Travel Writer
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