I know of presidential libraries that have a primary function of generating political dialogue and act as a depository of information from the executive branch, but given the reputation of late President John F. Kennedy, his presidential library is a tribute to the work of his life. The museum houses exhibits and videos on his work as president and attempts to curate the legacy of the presidency that ended prematurely.
Among the exhibits are a recreation of his office, the famous dresses of former First Lady Jackie Kennedy. Jackie Kennedy popularised the colour pink for girls, wore Gucci items, and was a fashion icon of her era. Many people today still consider her as one of the best-dressed American First Ladies of all time.
My favourite exhibit was a short documentary on the Cuban Missile Crisis. It detailed the timeline of events, the difficult decisions that all parties had to make, and how close the world was to nuclear armageddon if it were not for the decision made by a young Soviet submarine commander.
At the end of the tour through the museum, visitors are greeted to an unobstructed view of the mighty Atlantic Ocean from a tall glassy atrium with an American flag hanging from the ceiling. Partly history, partly propaganda, call it what you will – the JFK Presidential Library.
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