Former President George W. Bush is joined by President Obama and former Presidents Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush to dedicate the new George W. Bush Presidential Center in at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
The public opening on May 1 was preceded by the pomp and circumstances at the April 25 dedication ceremony, featuring George W. and Laura Bush, Barack and Michelle Obama, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Jimmy and Roslyn Carter, and, of course, George H.W. and Barbara Bush and other dignitaries.
The George W. Bush Presidential Museum offers a new and revealing look into the decisions and events of the Bush Presidency. The museum features important artifacts including: such as a piece of the World Trade Center; an interactive Decision Points Theater where visitors make real-time crisis decisions similar to those made by President Bush; and a full-scale replica of the Oval Office complete with a Resolute Desk that visitors can sit behind.
“It’s difficult to fully comprehend what it’s like to serve as President of the United States unless you’ve done it – and President Obama has developed a good relationship with both President George W. Bush and President George H.W. Bush,” Josh Earnest, the White House spokesman told Time. “He has routinely expressed his deep appreciation for the 43rd President’s commitment to this country we love, and is looking forward to returning to Texas later this month.”
The dedication represented the first time the five presidents were together since shortly before Obama’s inauguration in 2009, according to Time. The Bush Center’s 226,000-square-foot building and 15-acre urban park reside on the SMU campus. The center is home to the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum and the George W. Bush Institute.
“President and Mrs. Bush founded the Bush Center to continue their work expanding freedom at home and around the globe,” the website says.
Take a look at a few of the photos from the dedication.
