Abilene, Kan. - The entire museum of the Eisenhower Presidential Library will be new this summer! The comprehensive redesign will reveal Ike and Mamie's story in their own words. New interactive features will encourage guests to engage with the exhibits and find relevance in their own lives.
The opening date is postponed beyond the original June goal due to the recent government shutdown. "The library staff worked diligently to make up for the lost weeks. The reality is we simply cannot catch up and our team is very disappointed. We wanted to make this year's D‑Day anniversary extra special with an all-new exhibit," states Dawn Hammatt, director of the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum.
The 22-acre campus remains open and temporary exhibits are on display in the library building until the museum project is complete. Hammatt expects the new exhibits to open in July.
The D-Day 75th Anniversary Commemoration Week will be observed while the new exhibit installation work continues. Activities for the week-long event begin Saturday, June 1 featuring the Salina Symphony performing during the
Symphony At Sunset concert. There will be a host of educational programs, films, and discussions during the week. The commemorative events culminate on Thursday, June 6, with a Remembrance Ceremony and Wreath Laying honoring General Eisenhower and all veterans. Retired Air Force General Richard B. Myers is the keynote speaker for the ceremony. Myers is currently the President of Kansas State University and served as the 15th Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The comprehensive exhibit redesign and the D-Day 75th Anniversary Commemoration Week events are made possible by donations to the
Eisenhower Foundation.