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With the holidays fast approaching, we’re all wondering what to gift our friends and loved ones. Kansas City’s rich history and cultural significance make that decision easy, with year-long Truman Library memberships available through the Truman Library Institute. Members enjoy invitations to special events, museum store discounts, free admission to all the Presidential Libraries of the National Archives, and access to the museum’s world-class collection of Truman family possessions, political memorabilia, diplomatic gifts, letters from the Truman courtship and marriage, and more.
National Connections
The Harry S. Truman Presidential Library & Museum is a local treasure with national membership benefits. Memberships begin at $35, or $25 for students and teachers, and include free museum admission at Presidential museums across the country. “It’s like having a passport to the Presidents,” says Susan Medler, director of marketing and communications for the Truman Library Institute. “If you’re going to Little Rock, you can walk into the Clinton Presidential Center free of charge; the same is true at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in California, or any of the presidential libraries operated by the National Archives.” It’s the perfect gift for the history enthusiast in your life.
Family Experience
If you like sharing Kansas City’s crown jewels with your family and friends, the Truman Library Institute’s family membership is for you. ”For $50, a family membership offers unlimited free admissions for four,” says Medler. “It’s perfect for when folks come in for the holidays.” Give the gift of a true Kansas City experience to out-of-town guests or those who simply want to appreciate and learn more about some of the most dramatic chapters in our nation’s story…history that’s still in today’s headlines! The Truman Library was the first presidential library built under the 1955 Presidential Libraries Act (PLA). “It was Truman who recognized we have to preserve these documents,” says Medler. “That’s why we now have research centers at every presidential library.” President Truman’s legacy remains dedicated to enriching the public understanding of history and government, and it all starts with you.
Special Events
All Truman Library Institute members receive invitations to private, member-only events. The Bennett Forum on the Presidency is returning for its 17th year on November 30, and it is a true don’t-miss event. “This year, we’re focusing on the desegregation of the military and civil rights,” says Medler. “We have an incredible panel. It is, in my opinion, one of the best politically themed events in Kansas City.” Robin Givhan, senior critic-at-large for the Washington Post, is moderating this year’s forum alongside panelists Adriane Lentz-Smith, Ph.D., Brigadier General Terrence A. Adams, and the Honorable Richard Gergel. Other exclusive events include Members Night at the Museum and the Presidential Wreath Laying Ceremony.
A membership to the Truman Library Institute is a holiday essential for anyone who is interested in learning more about our country’s history, our system of government, and the life of Harry Truman. It’s the perfect gift for your family and friends and can be enjoyed in many ways across the country. And, as Mendler says, “It’s one of the best deals in town.”