The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum is the museum and final resting place of Gerald Ford, the 38th president of the United States (1974–1977), and his wife, Betty Ford. It is located near the Pew Campus of Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Ford's presidential museum is the only facility managed by the National Archives and Records Administration that is separate from the presidential library, which is located about 130 miles (210 km) to the east in Ann Arbor. Even though they are separate, the library and museum are part of the same institution and share the same director.

Gerald Ford

Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr. (born Leslie Lynch King, Jr.) was born on July 14, 1913. He worked as a Representative for Michigan's 5th congressional district for almost 25 years, including eight years as the Republican leader in the House. Ford served as the 40th Vice President of the United States from 1973 to 1974. He was the first person chosen for the vice presidency under the 25th Amendment. After Richard Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974, Ford became the 38th President of the United States. He remained president until January 20, 1977. Ford is the only president who was not elected by voters for his presidency or vice presidency.

Building and dedication of the museum

Funds for the museum's construction were collected from more than 14,000 individual donors through the work of the Gerald Ford Commemorative Committee, the University of Michigan, the State of Michigan, Kent County, and the City of Grand Rapids.

The museum is a two-story, triangular building covering 44,000 square feet (4,100 square meters). It was designed by Marvin DeWinter Associates and built at a cost of $11 million. The museum is located in a 20-acre (8.1 hectare) park complex that includes the Grand Rapids Public Museum on the west bank of the Grand River in downtown Grand Rapids. The building was officially opened on September 18, 1981. Attendees included Ronald and Nancy Reagan, Mexican president José López Portillo, Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau, Japanese minister of foreign affairs Sunao Sonoda, former French president Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, and former U.S. secretary of state Henry Kissinger. Bob Hope was the event host, and parts of the ceremony were broadcast on television.

The east side of the building has a 300-foot-wide (91-meter) glass wall that offers views of the Grand River and downtown Grand Rapids. The main entrance includes a reflecting pool and fountain. A pedestrian bridge connects the museum site to downtown hotels and shops across the river.

The core exhibits were redesigned during a building expansion completed in 1997. This allowed for a variety of changing exhibits and events. Additional funding from the Gerald R. Ford Foundation supported the expansion and new programs.

Exhibits

The main floor has exhibits about President Ford's life and his time as President of the United States. Informal photos show Ford with his family and colleagues, giving a personal look at his life. This floor includes a life-sized copy of the Oval Office, furnished as it was during Ford's presidency.

Special exhibits focus on the 1976 Bicentennial celebration and Betty Ford's role during her husband's presidency. Other exhibits, which are the museum's main features, let visitors travel by video with President Ford and Secretary Kissinger to important global locations, take a holographic tour of the Ford White House, and experience a day in the Oval Office through a sound and light show. A Watergate gallery includes a six-minute history shown on multiple screens, starting with the June 1972 break-in and displaying the real tools used in the burglary. An interactive Cabinet Room lets visitors participate in presidential decision-making. Visitors can see gifts given by world leaders and other important figures, as well as personal gifts from the American people to Ford. The award-winning film A Time To Heal is shown every hour in the museum's auditorium. A piece of the Berlin Wall is in the museum's lobby, where President Ford dedicated it on September 6, 1991.

• Gerald Ford's America: Popular culture from the 1970s
• Young Jerry Ford: His early life to becoming vice president
• Constitution in Crisis: The Watergate years
• At Work in the Oval Office: A recreation of the Oval Office during Ford's presidency
• Leadership in Diplomacy: Ford's foreign trips with Secretary of State Henry Kissinger
• Ford Cabinet Room: A recreation of the Cabinet Room during Ford's presidency. Videos show the pardon of Richard Nixon, the seizure of the SS Mayagüez, and the New York City financial crisis

In addition to the permanent exhibits, temporary exhibits use items from the presidential libraries, the Smithsonian Institution, the National Archives, and other organizations. The museum hosts traveling exhibits from public and private institutions and also creates temporary exhibits on its own.

Collections

The museum has about 20,000 items from the life and career of President Ford. It also includes items related to Mrs. Ford's life. The items include Boy Scout materials, gifts given to a head of state, bicentennial materials, materials from a re-election campaign, and clothing.

Educational and community programs

The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum are supported by the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation. The foundation’s goal is to help create historical exhibits, educational programs, conferences, research grants, and awards. In addition to funding the library and museum, the foundation publishes a report twice a year about its activities. It also sponsors the William E. Simon Lectures in Public Affairs, gives awards to journalists who write excellent stories about the presidency and defense, and provides grants of up to $2,000 to researchers who use the Ford Library’s archives. Another goal of the foundation is to recognize the values and principles shown by Gerald Ford during his time in public service.

The museum works with groups such as the Ford Presidential Foundation, University of Michigan, and Domestic Policy Association to host academic conferences and community events. Museum staff also plans and hosts other special events. Each year, the museum holds naturalization ceremonies for new citizens and opens its grounds for community celebrations and Independence Day fireworks. Other regular programs include the Great Decisions Lecture Series, which invites experts to speak about foreign policy topics and allows the audience to discuss and vote on opinions. The museum also partners with the Close Up Foundation and sponsors a Citizens Bee, a competition for high school students that tests knowledge of history and political affairs. The American Political Film Series shows eight films each year that often address important topics for discussion.

In the media

The library was the place where a PBS series about The Presidency and the Constitution was recorded in 1987. In December 1988, it hosted a meeting with representatives from 44 countries at an All-Democracies Conference. The most popular event organized by the library and museum was the Humor and the Presidency conference, held at the museum from September 17 to 19, 1986. The conference included presentations by politicians, famous comedians, press secretaries, newspaper writers, and political cartoonists to discuss different aspects of the topic. President Ford and Chevy Chase appeared on several morning news and talk shows, which caused a lot of interest in the event. The conference was recorded for later TV broadcast on HBO.

The Fords' funerals

After President Gerald Ford passed away on December 26, 2006, many people gathered at the museum to honor him. Visitors placed candles, flags, flowers, and notes at the Pearl Street entrance as a spontaneous memorial. From the night of January 2, 2007, to the morning of January 3, about 60,000 people viewed Ford’s casket in the museum lobby as he lay in repose. On January 3, Ford’s body was moved to Grace Episcopal Church in East Grand Rapids for a funeral service. During the service, former President Jimmy Carter, former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, and historian Richard Norton Smith gave eulogies. After the service, Ford was buried on the museum grounds.

When First Lady Betty Ford died on July 8, 2011, the museum closed the next day to prepare for her funeral. The lobby stayed open so guests could sign a condolence book. Later that day, the Ford family announced that her casket would be returned to Grand Rapids and placed in repose at the museum for public visitation from the evening of July 13 to noon on July 14. A funeral service was held at Grace Episcopal Church on July 14. After the service, the casket was returned to the museum for burial next to her husband.