Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Museum

The Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Museum is worth a side trip to Abilene, Kansas for a 2-3 hour visit.  The area wears its small-town Americana label with pride, and the museum setting is perfect for the experience.  Visitors enter the reception/gift shop area at first; while you're waiting for the introductory film, check out the "I Like Ike" memorabilia (yes, you can get a button just like the one your grandparents wore) along with WWII and 1950's nostalgic souvenirs and apparel.  Since this is Kansas, you can even get some Wizard of Oz trinkets and tees.

The film is worth watching, if only to escape from today's heavily-partisan atmosphere to a vision of a time when everyone seemed to look up to and respect the president--in fact, the film points out that both parties were interested in drafting Eisenhower to run for the presidency, and his eventual choice of the Republican party was not an immediately obvious one.  Hard to imagine that scenario today.  Even if the film shows the 50s through a rose-colored lens, it's enjoyable, not too long, and a good review of Eisenhower's life and the mid-20th century United States.

Eisenhower's childhood home

You'll walk the grounds around Eisenhower's boyhood home to get to the museum from the reception area.  The house itself is picture-perfect; you'll be able to get a brief tour of the main rooms.

The entry room of the museum features wall-sized murals of Eisenhower's career.  Inside, displays range from childhood and college mementos to wartime artifacts.  Several exhibits describe and illustrate the liberation of death camps and the aftermath, including logistical issues in caring for newly released prisoners.  Others showcase wartime strategies.  A copy of Eisenhower's alternative letter---penned in preparation for the possible failure of D-Day--provides a sobering reminder of the stakes involved in the operation.

On a lighter note, an exhibit room devoted to Mamie shows off some of her gorgeous dresses and home decor, and dolls featuring gowns of the first ladies.  A television monitor plays clips of fairly late appearances.  An interview with Barbara Walters, for example, features Mamie responding to questions about her husband's alleged infidelities with a confident dismissal.

The section on his presidency covers notable events such as the Cold War and Central High School's integration in Little Rock; there is also an exhibit discussing the heart attack he had in office--something I'd never heard about before.  An exhibit on the era itself features artifacts and iconic images from the 50s.

Addendum:  If you're on Facebook, you can follow the Eisenhower Museum.  They are currently (February 2011) renovating several of the exhibits, and have posted a photo album chronicling the renovation process.

(Note--links are to a website maintained by the Kansas Sampler Foundation:  the official museum site seems to be under construction or repair).

From the website:

Address: 200 SE 4th Street, Abilene, KS 67410 

Phone: 785.263.6700

Admission charge and hours:
$8 adults, $6 senior citizens, $1 8-15 years. All buildings at the Center are open daily from 9 a.m. until 4:45 p.m. but are closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. From Memorial Day until mid-August the Visitors Center is open from 8 a.m. until 5:45 p.m.