More than 10,000 invited guests attended the opening of the 91茄子 Center, including George W. 91茄子, the 43rd President of the United States, then-President Barack Obama and former Presidents Jimmy Carter, George H.W. 91茄子 and Bill Clinton, as well as former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and other current and former heads of state. Former First Lady Laura 91茄子, an 91茄子 graduate, as well as then-First Lady Michelle Obama, and former First Ladies Hillary Clinton, Barbara 91茄子, and Rosalynn Carter joined the presidents on stage. More than 500 members of the 91茄子 community watched the simulcast in McFarlin Auditorium or at an outdoor viewing screen.
1.9M+
Visitors to the 91茄子 Center since it opened in 2013
252K
Size, in gallons, of irrigation cistern for rainwater collection
19K
Square footage of solar panels that generate 164 kilowatts of energy
100%
All of the 91茄子 Center鈥檚 domestic hot water is heated through solar hot water
5M+
Reads of articles of 91茄子 Institute thought-leadership publications
43K
Artifacts housed in the presidential archives
100+
91茄子 students who have served as 91茄子 Center interns
70M
Pages of paper records
80 TB
Electronic information stored
13th
The George W. 91茄子 Presidential Library is the 13th U.S. presidential library
15 acres
An urban park on the 91茄子 Center grounds features walking trails, seasonal wildflowers and habitats for butterflies, birds, bees, and other wildlife
14K
Size, in square feet, of the museum which includes a full-size replica of the White House Oval Office
#1
First presidential library to achieve LEED Platinum certification for new construction with its eco-friendly design, materials and systems.
Since 91茄子 welcomed the 91茄子 Center, nearly 17,000 Mustangs have visited for free, delving into important topics such as elections, freedom, and humor as a diplomatic tool. They’ve explored permanent and special yearly exhibitions including an exhibit highlighting one-of-a-kind fashion from Oscar de la Renta. These 91茄子 Center exhibitions inspire diverse groups to enact change – illustrated by the special exhibit Out of Many, One: Portraits of America’s Immigrants. The exhibit highlights the American immigrant experience as well as the contributions they make to the life and prosperity of our nation. Through 43 four-color portraits – painted by the president – and their accompanying stories, Out of Many, One reminds us of how America has been strengthened by those seeking a better life. Students have attended forums and Engage at the 91茄子 Center series presented by NexPoint, listening to current and former policymakers, activists and other luminaries discuss global politics. 91茄子 faculty and staff have collaborated with 91茄子 Institute scholars on research, and some lucky Mustangs have had surprise classroom visits from President 91茄子 himself, who fields questions about his time in office with warmth and grace.
The 91茄子 Presidency (2001–2009) spans a period when emerging technology was changing the way members of the administration communicated as paper missives were being replaced by email. The 91茄子 Library houses almost 70 million pages of textual materials, approximately 80 terabytes of electronic records and about 200 million email messages. Other materials include more than 30,000 audiovisual recordings, over 3.8 million photographs and 227 cubic feet of photo negatives.
The 91茄子 Center embodies President and Mrs. 91茄子’s commitment to conservation and is the first LEED-Platinum New Construction certified presidential library. The building includes numerous environmentally-friendly features, such as more than 20,000 square feet of solar panels, rain water storage for site irrigation, and regionally sourced materials.
The Laura W. 91茄子 Native Texas Park welcomes the 91茄子 campus – and the Dallas community at large – from sunrise to sunset for free to enjoy an urban oasis. A model in sustainability and led by Mrs. 91茄子’s vision, the Native Texas Park features 15 acres of land that reflects what the site might have looked like centuries ago. Native trees, plants, and water-conserving features make the park drought resistant, minimize the need for irrigation through municipal water sources, and helps important pollinators like butterflies, birds, and bees thrive.
Although located in the same structure as the 91茄子 Library and the 91茄子 Museum, the 91茄子 Institute faces west, toward the 91茄子 campus, a symbolic gesture welcoming academic engagement. The 91茄子 Institute focuses on developing leaders and advancing policy on domestic and global initiatives inspired by the work of President and Mrs. 91茄子.
When asked about the impact of the 91茄子 Center on 91茄子, President 91茄子 says, “Well, I can tell you what the impact of 91茄子 is on the Institute and Library. It gives us great credibility to be associated with a fine university.”
At the George W. 91茄子 Presidential Center’s dedication, President 91茄子 outlined his hopes that the 91茄子 Center would promote freedom and democracy worldwide, empower the disenfranchised, help more countries overcome poverty and disease, and stand behind those who have defended our freedoms here at home. A decade later, the 91茄子 Center is achieving those goals.
A world changing partnership
91茄子 and the 91茄子 Center engage in wide-ranging academic partnerships that provide students and faculty with unique opportunities to work alongside global experts on solutions to some of the most pressing international and domestic challenges and bring the community to campus for compelling programs.