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Area is open to visitors to walk around on the exterior during this pandemic time. While we cannot get into Presidential Library, it is still worthwhile stopping here and walking the grounds of the home and estate where FDR was born and where he came to relax, and where he raised his young family. FDR donated 33 of the acres from his family estate to this Park, where his home is, and where the library is, and where there is a prolific vegetable garden growing today. The vegetables grown there are given to an outreach program. FDR was a beacon of light as President during WWII. There are story boards and photos posted throughout the grounds about the exceptional history; busts of Churchill and FDR; and views of the Hudson. Gardner’s were friendly and helpful.…
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Date of experience: July 2020
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+1
Our visit to the FDR Presidential Library and Museum was a surprise to us as we never knew this was the site of the Roosevelt Home, Springwood. The 110 acre home property itself was purchased by FDR’s father in 1867. We toured the home with a docent. Fascinating history and the adaptations made to accommodate FDR after he contracted polio which took his ability to walk unaided. After the house tour we toured he Presidential library and museum which was the first presidential library. FDR raised private funds to build the library and then gave it to the US government. The library contains millions of pages of documents from the FDR era. The museum contains exhibits of the family, the Great Depression, the New Deal and WWII. The museum also contains personal FDR collections of coins, stamps and ship models. The tour of the house took about one hour. We spent another 1.5 hours in the library and museum. While in the Hyde Park area, you can also Val-kill, Eleanor’s retreat and the Vanderbilt Mansion. Each one of these sites is worth a few hours individually to explore. There are great offerings at the site’s gift shops, ranging from books to new deal era trinkets.…
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Date of experience: July 2019
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FDR was quite a President. He setup so many things that are still exist today. FDIC and Social Security are examples. His museum contains a lot of historical information. I have been to other Presidential Libraries and this is definitely one of the best. There is so much to see and read about the Roosevelts. This was a day trip for us and completely worth the trip. Give yourself plenty of time to get the most complete understanding of FDR.…
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Date of experience: June 2019
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Love the grounds, great tour and friendly staff. Best time to go is during the week when there are less people.
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Date of experience: June 2019
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A self guided tour starts with UNEMPLOYMENT which Franklin had to deal with first. Also are the homeless, bank failures, veterans of WW 1 not being paid for services & family's homes being foreclosed. On one short hallway are photos of the unemployed-some with words-the homeless selling apples for $.05. Just off this hallway is a small theater showing how the depression came about in a ten years prior. Next is the beginning of Franklin's political career, starting with his term of N.Y. state governor ending with the White House. Once as president, the New Deal was started. Some of the programs include The First 100 Days, Saving the Banks, Helping Home Owners, Fighting Fraud, Reaching The People, Work For The People & Jobs For Youth. All four election campaigns are heavily covered with words & photos. World War 11 is very detailed-leaders, war production, staying neutral-until December 7, 1941-D-DAY, the atomic bomb & the G.I Bill after the war's end. The very last is 'A Nation In mourning-the passing President Roosevelt on a video screen. Here are wall photographs & words. Nearby is Franklin's oval office desk complete with daily items. Behind the desk are Franklin's Four Freedoms. 1.) Freedom of Speech & Expression. 2.) Freedom of Worship God In His Own Way. 3.) Freedom From Want. 4.) Freedom From Fear. The last section is completely about Eleanor Roosevelt & her contributions toward the world. President Truman appointed Eleanor as the first U.S. delegate to the United Nations on December 9, 1948. Her subject matters were about Freedom, Justice, Civil Woman's, Political & Universal Rights & Confronting Hatred. From the late 1940's to the early 1960's are photos of Eleanor with President John Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. There are three video screens: 1.) The theater at the beginning. 2.) The Polio Room-about Franklin's battle with living with polio. 3.) The Mourning Room. What I have reviewed is only a small part of the museum, on;y the highlights. A visit is highly recommended-a long & slow visit. I started just about noon & walking out the museum' door 4:40. My visit started at the UNEMPLOYMENT hallway to Eleanor's exhibit. This did not include the D-DAY exhibit, which was viewed earlier in June. A complete visit with the D-DAY exhibit will take about 6 hours if stopping read all the words & viewing all the photos. There is a well stocked gift shop across from the admissions. Admission is for two straight days. A visitor will find the museum very detailed. Photos & words are mostly the main exhibits. If needing something to eat, located down pass admissions is Uncle Sam's Canteen. Menu includes salads, sandwiches, soup of the day, wraps, a kid's menu, breakfast & bottles beverages. Seating is seven tables with four chairs. In the hallway leading to the canteen are four tables. Try the BBQ pulled pork with a 1/4 of a large sliced pickle & bag of salt potato chips-tasty & filling. Parking is a large gravel lot that includes spaces for large tour buses & RVs.…
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Date of experience: October 2019
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