In our family “Eisenhower” most often refers to the aircraft carrier where my husband spent six years in the Navy. We saw the ship this summer. So, it only seemed appropriate to take the boys to the place where the real Ike lived here in Kansas.

Dwight D. Eisenhower was the Kansas boy who helped save the world. He was one of the greatest members of “The Greatest Generation” becoming Supreme Allied Commander during World War II and serving two terms as the 34th President of the United States.

Located in Abilene, the Eisenhower Library and Museum is one of only 13 presidential libraries in the country. It is a world-class site that includes a library, museum, family home, and a meditation chapel where he is laid to rest.

The 22-acre campus started with a donation by the Eisenhower family of the home and land shortly after Ike’s mother Ida died in 1946. The house where the president grew up can be toured for a small fee and still displays the original furnishing of the place Ike called home.

The museum features five galleries covering Eisenhower’s life up to WWII, his involvement in WWII and the Presidential Years. There is also a section on First Lady Mamie Eisenhower and an area for temporary exhibits. The Presidential Gallery is my favorite, and very well done. It takes you back to the 1950s with computerized interactive displays, learning centers and a fallout shelter to explore.

You will want to make time for a step inside the Presidential Library, even if your trip is not for research. The unique building is constructed of native Kansas limestone outside and lined with Italian marble inside. The exhibit that was on display when we visited was “8 Wonders of Kansas,” a project of the Kansas Sampler Foundation which distinguished the eight top “wonders” of the state, as well as wonders in a variety of categories. 

The Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum is actually one of those “8 Wonders of Kansas,” and it is with good reason. The complex is certainly worth a visit. If you are a history lover, plan on spending several hours to half a day at the facility. For a kid-friendly visit, even a short trip through the museum, grounds, and home will keep them interested – and there is plenty of outside space to run around.

We like Ike!