How do I get to the Hoover Museum?
The Hoover Museum is located 1/4 mile off Interstate 80 at Exit 254, West Branch, Iowa. West Branch is 10 miles east of Iowa City on I-80 and 50 miles west of the Quad Cities.
Is there parking?
Where can I park my RV, trailer, or bus?
You can unload at the entrance to the Museum. When exiting the drive to the museum, take a left and just a few feet down the street on the right is a parking lot that can accommodate these vehicles. Please note there is no RV parking in the lot directly in front of the Museum.
How do I make reservations for my group to tour the Library and Museum?
If your group is larger than 20, we make every effort to find a tour guide if you make reservations in advance. There is no reduced admission price for groups. Please call 319-643-5301 to schedule a group.
How do I make reservations for a school group to tour the Library and Museum?
For School Group and other group scheduling, please call 319-643-5301.
How long does it take to tour the Hoover Library and Museum?
The Museum tells the stories of the life and times of Herbert Hoover and also features a large temporary gallery with changing exhibits. A 20-minute movie tells Hoover's life story in the Figge Auditorium. Outside the Museum doors is the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, featuring Hoover's birthplace cottage, gravesite, and period buildings. To experience both the Museum and the National Park, please allow 2-3 hours.
Are the building and exhibit areas handicap accessible?
The Museum, Figge Auditorium, and park is wheelchair accessible. Visitor drop-off for patrons with disabilities is at the front entrance to the Museum. Handicapped parking is available in the lot next to the Museum.
Are wheelchairs and strollers permitted in the Museum galleries?
Is food available at the Museum?
Our Gift Shop sells snack-style food and water. There is no on-site restaurant. There are restaurants within walking distance in West Branch. Visitors may have their tickets stamped and return to the Museum free of additional charge.
May I take photographs inside the galleries?
Photography is permitted with no flash in the permanent galleries, as objects are sensitive to light. Photography restrictions may apply in the temporary galleries. Please ask staff for guidance or refer to posted signage, if applicable.
Are there restrooms located inside the Museum?
Yes, there are restrooms located in the Museum lobby.
Is there a Gift Shop at the Library and Museum?
Yes, the Gift Shop is located just off the main lobby. Visitors may also access the eStore, featuring many items also in the Gift Shop. You may visit the Gift Shop without paying admission to the Museum Galleries.
May I bring my pet to the Hoover Library & Museum?
Only working or service animals are allowed inside the Library and Museum. Pets are permitted outside on the park grounds if they are on a leash.
How can I find out about employment opportunities at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum?
The Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum is part of the Presidential Libraries System administered by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), an independent federal agency. Official job listings are posted on USA Jobs. See the links below for more information:
- Employment information at the National Archives and Records Administration
- Presidential Libraries Internship Opportunities
- Presidential Libraries Volunteer Opportunities
Who decides where a Presidential Library and Museum should be located?
The President, with advice from the Archivist of the United States, makes the decision about the location of their Presidential Library. In consultation with his family, friends, and associates, they usually select from a series of proposals submitted by interested communities or universities.
Presidents have often acknowledged their origins by placing their libraries in their hometowns. However, in some cases Presidents place their libraries on or near a university campus.
How is a Presidential Library paid for and funded?
A Presidential Library is constructed with private or non-Federal funds donated to non-profit organizations established usually for the express purpose of building a Presidential Library and supporting its programs. Some libraries have also received construction and development funding from state and/or local governments.
The library is then transferred to the Federal government and operated and maintained by NARA through its congressionally appropriated operating budget.
Some staff and programs at Presidential Libraries are paid for with funds from associated private foundations organized to fund the construction of the library. These private foundations also provide continuing support for library programs and special events, such as conferences and exhibitions.
What is the role of a Presidential Library foundation?
Presidential Libraries carry out a mandated program to preserve, process, and make available their archival holdings. As part of providing access, the libraries and museums provide outreach and educational programs.
NARA does not have sufficient resources to provide the broadest spectrum of innovative and insightful public, education, and information programs in each Library. Foundation support is critical to the development of core public programming for a Presidential Library.
Presidential Libraries and museums, their websites, and the scholarship they promote benefit in significant ways from private organizations established to support such programs.
In several cases, these organizations evolved from bodies chartered to raise money and construct the original Library building. In other instances, these organizations were formed after the dedication of the library by friends of the President.
Just as the origin and development of these organizations have varied, their formation and operation take a number of forms. Some of the organizations encourage public participation through payment of membership fees. Others are non-membership charitable foundations and corporations. Several seek to support their activities solely through private contributions. Some foundations are run by paid staff, others are voluntary.
Also, it should be noted that, starting with the George W. Bush Presidential Library, all future Presidential Library foundations must provide an endowment to NARA to help offset facility operating expenses. This endowment is presented to NARA and is used by the government to support facility maintenance needs.