Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum
History Museum · Grand Rapids, Michigan
The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum stands on the west bank of the Grand River in downtown Grand Rapids, the city where Ford grew up and the congressional district he represented for about twenty-five years. He remains the only US president from Michigan. The museum opened in 1981 and tells his life from Grand Rapids boyhood and University of Michigan football through Congress, the vice presidency, the Watergate era, the pardon of Richard Nixon and his short presidency. It holds a full-size replica Oval Office and a gallery on Betty Ford. Ford and Betty Ford are buried on the grounds. One warning matters: the Ford Presidential Library, the archive of papers, is a separate building in Ann Arbor, about 150 miles away, and many visitors confuse the two. Allow about two hours, and confirm current admission, hours and exhibit changes before you go, since the museum is run with the National Archives and its rules can shift. It suits history readers and families with older children.
303 Pearl Street NW, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49504, United States
The museum is generally open daily through the year, usually with morning to late-afternoon hours and a shorter or later start on Sunday. It is typically closed on a few major holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Exact opening and closing times change by season, so confirm them with the museum before you travel. It is a federal facility run with the National Archives, so expect a security check and an entry queue on busy mornings. The outdoor grounds along the river, including the gravesite, are generally open to walk through in daylight even when the galleries are closed; confirm that on the day. Last entry is usually an hour or so before closing.
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