Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library to Open on Nation’s 250th Anniversary
Virtual events include Anita McBride on the panel ‘The First Lady and the Modern Presidency’ discussing Edith Roosevelt and the role of first ladies shaping the modern presidency.
The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in western North Dakota will open to the public on July 4—the 250th anniversary of America’s founding—but the festivities will begin ahead of time with a visit by Donald Trump on Wednesday when the president is scheduled to join other distinguished guests at the library’s dedication.
The site is the first comprehensive institutional home for Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president. All of the living former presidents have been invited to the opening, but will not be attending, Matt Briney, chief communications officer at the library, told East Wing Magazine in an email.
“Given that we are opening on the nation’s 250th [anniversary], many have had prior obligations, but all have expressed interest in visiting the library later in the year,” Briney said. “We have been working closely with their teams to find the appropriate times to have them visit.”
The 96,000-square-foot library and museum sits on a 93-acre butte just outside of the small town of Medora at the gateway to Theodore Roosevelt National Park. The dedication is expected to celebrate the time Roosevelt spent in the North Dakota Badlands and the influence it had on his life, including inspiring his conservation efforts.
As part of the opening events, the library will feature a series of virtual “Campfire & Prairie” talks that will take place in the library’s auditorium and will be livestreamed from the library’s website. Among the discussions is a panel on July 3 from 12:30 to 1:15 p.m., MT, called “The First Lady and the Modern Presidency.”
The conversation will explore the evolving role of the first lady in shaping the modern presidency. Beginning with Edith Roosevelt—who helped formalize the role through White House restoration, social leadership, diplomatic hosting, media management, and her role as advisor and anchor to President Theodore Roosevelt—the discussion will consider how first ladies have influenced public life, civic culture, advocacy, and presidential legacy.
Featured speakers include Anita McBride, the Executive in Residence at the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies at American University, former Chief of Staff to First Lady Laura Bush, and co-author of Remember the First Ladies, The Legacies of America’s History-Making Women; Betsy Fischer Martin, the Executive Director of the Women & Politics Institute at American University and a former journalist; and Michelle Orton, Director and Assistant Professor at the Theodore Roosevelt Honors Leadership Program at Dickinson State University. The discussion will be moderated by Kjersti Armstrong, first lady of North Dakota.
Panelists will consider how the role has changed across generations, and how first ladies continue to shape public service through partnership, purpose, and visibility.
On opening day, July 4, the gates will open to the public at 8 a.m. local time to horses and music. The day will start with a blessing, the singing of the national anthem and speakers to mark what this day means for North Dakota, for the country, and for the future.
In the evening, Eyes on the Stars aerial show will choreograph a fleet of drones into a portrait of Roosevelt, the American West and the country he helped conserve. The show, from 8:30 to 10 p.m. MT, is free, but advanced registration is required. To kick off the light show, there will be a performance by The 188th Army Band—North Dakota Army National Guard—at 8:30 p.m. MT.
Theodore Roosevelt died in 1919, decades before the modern presidential library system was established. His papers and artifacts have been scattered across institutions ever since, according to the library, which is supported by private philanthropy and by a state operating endowment established by the North Dakota legislature in 2019.
Designed by the international firm Snøhetta, and built around the three pillars of leadership, citizenship and conservation, the library is designed to be the only carbon-neutral presidential library in the world. The building’s primary structure is mass timber, its entrance walls are rammed earth from local soil and its accessible 121,000-square-foot green roof merges into the surrounding prairie. Visitors can also access a 0.6-mile boardwalk surrounded by native plants.
Inside, visitors can explore more than 40,000 square feet of of narrative galleries that move chronologically through Mr. Roosevelt’s life with eras designated for his childhood, as a young professional, a lawman, colonel, president of the United States and “lost hero.” Original letters, diaries and artifacts including the 1884 diary on loan from the Library of Congress are integrated into the exhibits. Immersive thematic experience galleries also help tell the president’s story on topics including his life with First Lady Edith Roosevelt and their six children, including a daughter from his first wife, Alice. And, “Run Your Own Presidency,” an artificial intelligence experience, allows visitors to consider decisions that Roosevelt faced as president.
The library’s digital archive also unifies the Roosevelt papers across the Library of Congress, Harvard’s Houghton Library, the National Park Service, the Theodore Roosevelt Center and other institutional partners.
More information about tickets can be found here.
Calendar
July 1, 2026
People’s House Party: White House History Ball
The People’s House: A White House Experience in Washington, D.C., presents a Civic Season after-hours ball on July 1, 2026, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. local time inspired by the dramatic burning of the White House by British troops in 1814. This evening transports attendees back in time to Federal America.
Tickets includes two drink tickets, tea cakes and desserts, history pop-ups about the US-UK relationship, and period-inspired activations like live traditional silhouettes from Silhouettes by Hand and Regency fan decorating. Regency/Federal Era-inspired fits are highly encouraged! Read more
July 4, 2026
Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Grand Opening
The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library (TRPL) will celebrate its grand opening on July 4, 2026, coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the United States. Following an official dedication ceremony in the morning, the Library will formally open its doors to the public for the very first time.
Grand opening ticket holders will be among the first to experience what the Library has to offer. Going beyond traditional displays, visitors will step directly into Roosevelt’s life through galleries using AI, holograms, and immersive storytelling. Tickets are required and in high demand. It is strongly encouraged to become a Founding Member if visitors want to attend the grand opening.
The July 4th celebrations will conclude with “Eyes on the Stars,” an immersive drone show serving as a celebratory close to the day’s events. Choreographed to celebrate the American West and the night sky that Roosevelt cherished, the aerial exhibition uses light and storytelling to narrate his legacy directly above the Badlands.
Throughout the celebration week, programming will feature live music, author talks, and guest speakers, including Secretary Doug Burgum, Edward F. O’Keefe, Douglas Brinkley, and Doris Kearns Goodwin.
July 7, 2026
White House History Live: In Pursuit of America’s Past
The White House Historical Association presents its Facebook Live series, White House History Live, which will feature a discussion about In Pursuit, a new initiative from More Perfect, led by the country’s most insightful and respected students of history, to explore the nation’s first 250 years and distill its most timeless lessons to inspire and inform the future. Join In Pursuit CEO Colleen Shogan, who served as the 11th Archivist of the United States, and Jim Ambuske, Director of Digital History at More Perfect, for a conversation about the trials and triumphs of some of America’s presidents and first ladies.
This virtual event will be live streamed on the White House Historical Association’s Facebook and YouTube pages starting at 5:30 pm ET on July 7. Read more
July 10, 2026
Legacy Lecture: A Tea with Ohio’s First Ladies
Experience history in a new way as Women in History Ohio brings Helen Taft, Ida McKinley, and Florence Harding together for a virtual tea. The First Ladies Library & Museum in Canton, Ohio, presents a virtual program from noon to 1 p.m. EDT on July 10, 2026, featuring the three former first lady portrayals as women connected to Ohio and the White House whose lives spanned very different eras of American history. Read more
July 12, 2026
The Eleanor Roosevelt Day of Kindness
Join the Eleanor Roosevelt Center (ERVK) in Hyde Park, New York, and the Be A Friend Project for a youth event focused on bullying prevention, kindness and allyship on the grounds of Val-Kill, Eleanor Roosevelt’s home. Young people of all ages are invited to come together and stand up against bullying. The event will feature a variety of fun and empowering activities, including kindness crafts, guest speakers, and the Be A Friend Project’s “Friend Mail” letter-writing campaign to show support for children who are currently experiencing bullying. There will also be an opportunity to help set a record for the largest community kindness pledge in Dutchess County, New York. The Day of Kindness is centered on values Eleanor Roosevelt held close: empathy, compassion, and standing up for others. Bring a picnic, and spend the afternoon raising awareness about bullying prevention and the importance of kindness. Read more
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