Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
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Image:Reagancourtyard.jpgThe Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum is the presidential library of Ronald Wilson Reagan, the 40th President of the United States. It is located in Simi Valley, California, a few miles north of Los Angeles and may be accessed by driving to the Olsen Road exit of California State Route 23, which connects to the nearby Ronald Reagan Freeway, California State Route 118.
First opened in 1991, it was the largest of all presidential libraries until the dedication of the Bill Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock, Arkansas on November 18, 2004, housing over 50 million pages of government records as well as a large collection of photographs and film. Contents include an eclectic assortment of Reagan memorabilia from both his presidency and his term as Governor of California. Various artifacts from Reagan's administration are stored there, including a piece of the Berlin Wall, a deactivated nuclear missile and a full-scale replica of the Oval Office on the last day of his presidency.Image:Reagantomb.jpg Image:FordNixonBushReaganCarter.jpg
The Boeing 707 jet plane modified for presidential use that was in primarily in service as Air Force One during Reagan's administration--SAM 27000--is currently displayed onsite. This aircraft was primarily used by four other presidents: Richard Nixon during his second term, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and George H. W. Bush (Bush used it during his first year in office). The jet is part of a museum of presidential travel, located at the presidential library. The Air Force One Pavilion was opened to the public on October 24 2005. With the addition of the Pavilion, the Reagan Presidential Library is once again the largest of the presidential libraries.
A tomb had been previosuly built for the eventual use of Reagan and his wife. On June 11, 2004, Reagan was buried in the underground vault following a sunset service on the library grounds following his state funeral in Washington.
The dedication of the Library, which was attended by Presidents Gerald Ford, Richard Nixon, George H. W. Bush, Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter, was the first time that five presidents gathered in the same place.