Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum

«Born the wrong way ’round (I’m not a white star, I’m a blackstar)
«Oo-​oo-​oo (I’m not a gangster, I’m a blackstar, I’m a blackstar)»
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In a Sentence™
Who says that a Texan President couldn’t have a Presidential Library that was not a complete embarrassment to the nation?
Quick Review™
+ Artifacts. Informative displays. Head of State swag. All at UT-​Austin.
+ Free parking. Nothing more American than accessible free parking!
+ Free entry everyday. Baines all up in yo’ face!
Employee of Excellence™
^ Non-​applicable. Although, I suppose LBJ busted his ass enough during his years at the helm to be considered honourary lifetime employee of excellence.
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Storytime™
The first time I patronised, I did so because I hated the man. I hated him so fucking much (Vietnam). I hated him and it must have been self-​evident when the nice old lady at the guest services in the entryway inquired, «why are you here? Anything in particular you are interested in?»
Vietnam. I must have stated it very coldly. She might have seen the shining path to hatred glimmering in my eyes. Or, it is probably anyone who says that they are here for Vietnam that are most definitely not fans of LBJ, naturally.
I saw disappointment in her eyes. I felt bad. But, she asked; and I am an honest guy.
Vietnam. I left out the part where I fucking hated this scumbag. That I … urgh.
Alright. So, she told me where Vietnam started but it was well deep into this museum and I am a bonafide textbook completionist. I’ve even gone as far as reading the whole bible (the book where they go on and on about so-​and-​so begat so-​and-​so and begat so-​and-​so is fucking torture). I digress.
Although I am here to learn more about his atrociously piss-​poor Commanding during Vietnam, I start at the beginning of his life and go through the gambit of his career.
And I learn so much. And I see so many priceless Presidential objects. And, I become a fan of his domestic accomplishments: the greatest advancements in Civil Rights reform ever passed.
There is a lesson to be gleaned somewhere here: one cannot whittle down a person’s entire legacy to one failure, no matter how monumental.
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Pro Tip: try to diversify your learning experience instead of focusing on one area of the Library (unless you are writing an academic paper).
Pro Tip: if you have time — and the intellectual/​cultural curiosity — pair with visits to the Lady Bird flower centre and the LBJ family home in Johnson City.
Pro Tip: you can finally claim that not all Texan Presidents were complete morons who accomplished absolutely nothing positive.
Bottom Line™
Every time I visit Austin now, I make a compulsory stop at the LBJ Presidential Library. You should too, at least once.
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Good for Tourists.
Good for Kids.
Not Good for Dogs.
Rating: Five-​stars, «Woohoo! As good as it gets!»

The LBJ Presidential Library in Austin, TX is an imposing building of white marble, located adjacent to the campus of the University of Texas.
Built on a relative small «footprint», it consists of 10 levels, several open to the public for touring. It was recently updated to include «new technology» on its exhibit floors, such as interactive and audiovisual presentations, which put the LBJ presidency into historical perspective — including the impact of the Civil Rights Movement, the volatility on US college campuses regarding the Viet Nam War and freedom of speech, the Constitutional issues regarding equality for all citizens which were addressed and signed into federal law, and even the sexual revolution propelled forward by the widespread use of «The Pill».
A recent exhibit this past Summer focused upon well-​known people from all walks of life who made an impact on US history and culture in the 1960s. Included in the exhibit hall was also a working jukebox with musical performances from the 1960s for selection by exhibit visitors.
Visiting the LBJ Presidential Library is a «must», especially for educators and student groups studying miid-​20^th Century US history.
Additionally, we always find that it is well-​worth revisiting from time to time. Not only is the Permanent Collection impressive, but the constantly-​changing Special Exhibits make coming back a «new» experience each time.
CEO
Americana Heritage Tours by Snobby Tours®, Inc.™

Very cool library! It was awesome to see everything that LBJ had accomplished during his time in office. Just as fascinating was to see all the different items he had been gifted cowboys boots, a saddle, guns, ballet shoes… so many different lovely items. It was really cool to see displayed all the United States Presidents and their wives. If you get a chance to visit bring along your student ID because they do offer a discount. The gift shop is fun and sadly during my visit I had just missed the Beatles on display. But they did still have a few postcards and touristy items to pick through. This is a great stop on Austin. You gotta check it out! I’m giving it 4 stars because it should be BIGGER! Everything is bigger in Texas :-)

I love museums of any sort. I just find history fascinating (and educational). Although my kids were not with me on this visit, this would have been a perfect place to take them. LBJ was an interesting man and his library captures all of his life, both politically and socially. In addition, there is a small space dedicated to Lady Bird. Incidentally, there was also a Beatles exhibit on display when I went there. Admission is cheap and parking is free.

It’s not your average museum. We arrived on a very cold December 23^rd. And we parked and walked up to this soaring massive structure of 60’s architecture upon a substantial plaza.
It’s seemed obvious to my eyes, the peculiar top floor crest of the building, all at once imitates the soaring man, LBJ, as he famously peered over one (as history dictates and photos show) to intimidate and cajole senate voting his way.
And we walked in.
The reception could not have been warmer. Delightful, sincere and putting us at ease from the beautiful coifed business women running the desk. And yet there was a buzz of tension.
Only to learn days later the museum had just made a public statement about historical inaccuracies of a soon to be released film. And further how it painted the president one dimensionally.
And then we bought our tickets and began the tour.
The wall of presidential pens was so cool, as many of the rooms. For history buffs or for that manner any one who slept during history or had a lousy professor, take heart! This museum incredibly incapsulates the 50’s and 60’s and truly represents the breakout moments in history step by step. For example many of the things we take for granted in modern life: seat belts, federal programs and a whole host of others I shan’t spoil for you.
It’s worth a trip.
My favorite was the top floor of the museum where you see the interesting a varied treasures the Johnson’s were gifted on (during the Vice Presidency) from their hosts on the «world diplomacy tour». One of those treasuries was an sizable precious stone.
And for you really smart fellers out there, there’s the presidential library on subsequent floors. But as for me I’ll stick to warm milk to get to sleep.
The short of it: Worth a stop in. Don’t ya dare miss it!

I really enjoyed this place. It was a highlight of our trip to Austin. I went slow through most exhibits and learned a lot. It had a lot of stuff that were interesting including tapes of LBJ phone calls to a lot of famous people. Really weird to see how he operated the shmoozing on the phone to get his way. But also how he really cared about people. He might not have been the most successful president because of Vietnam but I really admire his heart. It would be better if this was closer into town or if there was easier transit to get there. We ended up taking Car2go.

As far as Presidential museums go this is pretty incredible museum. Now you have to know this describes a. Which I lived through, so that does flavor things quite a bit. Now I must say that the layout is wonderful, I’m sure the archives are incredible. As you come into the lobby on this trip anyway, there was a special presentation about the Beatles, after all they were part of the error of mr. Johnson’s presidency. As we look through the legislation the this man carefully pushed through Congress, one can see that he was very influential in the things that he did. Noting that the civil rights act, Fair Housing Act, and many other social programs like Medicare and feeding and food stamps for the poor, this man was definitely for the people all people. How to have a Congress that could do those things today would be so amazing, dream dream. Back to the museum there is a oval office on the 10^th floor that displays what it was like in the presidents office there is an extensive display about the things ladybird did, she too was amazing. There are phones throughout the museum that enable you to hear conversation between the president and others, very enlightening. Learning more about our history sure gives us insight about the past, a reflection on today, and a window to the future. God bless america, let’s make it all a little better.

I’m not big on politics or history, but I enjoyed this library a lot more than I thought I would. We were just randomly checking out UT Austin, and were looking up landmarks and things to do in the area. We thought the LBJ Library was a free, college library, albeit a windowless one… but it’s actually a museum and archives. Admission is $ 8 and is well worth the price. The museum collection is very well thought out with well rounded, relevant topics, and a nice flow to it all. There are 3 levels open to the public, the rest being dedicated to research library.
We ended up spending about 2 hours walking around the museum. I won’t spoil it for you but my favorite part was probably the president’s phone calls, especially with Lady Bird Johnson and Jackie Kennedy. UT Austin and the LBJ Library is a worthwhile stop if you’re spending more than a day in Austin.

From a distance, the LBJ Library seems a bland white square. It’s one reason I never bothered to visit. Well, I was wrong. Getting closer, it’s really an elegant marble jewel box. The entrance is not a grand one: it’s like sneaking inside but that’s part of the architectural deception. Once past the ticket counter, a look up the stairway reveals an unexpectedly cavernous main room with one side a library of red volumes stacked floor upon floor. It’s quite dramatic.
Aside from a kitschy and creaky robotic LBJ — that’s about as lifelike as can be expected — on the first floor, the remaining sections of the museum don’t waste a visitor’s time. Each display gets right to the point. The Clinton and Reagan libraries may be bigger but this one packs in a lot of information in its comparatively smaller space.
LBJ’s legislative prowess sometimes gets lost in the Vietnam morass that consumed so much of his time but the displays put that impressive legacy — Civil Rights, Voting Rights Act, Medicare, and Medicaid, to name a few — in proper perspective. I found that the Vietnam section lacks sufficient detail that can provide a fuller understanding of this divisive issue but it didn’t gloss over the agony it presented to President Johnson.
There are interesting works of art on display throughout the museum and Ladybird’s office is pretty Mad Men fashionable. I really enjoyed my time here.

I walked across the UT college campus to find the LBJ Presidential Library. I arrived at approximately 12:30pm. It was a hot day in the summer so the air conditioning was refreshing. After paying, a employee explained the museum to me and told me about LBJ’s life with enthusiasm. He enjoyed talking about the history, which was a little long. After that I looked around and the 1^st floor displayed information on LBJ’s early life where he came from humble beginnings. It showed a lighter side of him. There was also a traveling Beatles exhibit to spice up the museum to get people to come back. It was interesting, but I wasn’t into the Beatles (not my generation). The second floor allowed you to view the large presidential library, but you had to have permission to go inside and view the text in the books (not really exciting). Anyway, the exhibits talked about LBJ’s time in office and the policies he signed to change America. It turns out that he did a lot of good things in his time as President, but it ended on a sour note with the Vietnam war going on. The third floor showed gifts he received from different heads of states and a replica of his and Lady Bird Johnson’s offices in the white house. You could not go inside and sit down at their respective offices though.
Overall the Presidential Library offered a glimpse into the life of LBJ’s life and his many accomplishments. I definitely recommend this museum if you are in the city and haven’t seen it already.

This was the one thing that I really wanted to do in Austin and I didn’t regret it one bit.
The building is so stately and just filled with great information. I love First Ladys and Lady Bird is definitely one of them. The documentary in the beginning of the tour is full of information and LBJ seemed like an incredible man during. I loved hearing his conversations with Lady Bird and other political members.
Loved it!

Well I now know more about LBJ than I ever have. I will admit I should definitely be more up to speed on things like this, but I think the last time I took history was in high school and well… either way I should be ashamed at my lack of correlation of the events and his tenure. However, what we want to know here is how is the museum and is it worth the $ 8 entry fee. So yeah, I think the $ 8 is worth it. That’s less than the margarita I had with lunch and this is preserving history. The introduction video definitely set the stage, so as the docent suggested, I would definitely take the time to see it. It’s pretty short and runs continuously so it’s not an issue to try and see it. The exhibits run through his life and a little into the life of his wife. I was a little put off by the way the timeline went. It intermixed events in LBJ’s life and other events in history. I think that helps give it some context, but I didn’t care for the way it was organized. I found myself trying to just read the ones associated with LBJ and still felt they were out of order. Seeing the artifacts along the way was cool.
Other reviews said to make sure I checked out the animatronic LBJ so I did. He is on the 3^rd floor in case you missed him.
I thought the coolest part was the ¹⁄₈^th size replica of the Oval Office during his term.

Very interesting. The museum’s building is impressive. The exhibitions demonstrate descriptively main aspects of the life and presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson. The current Beatles exhibition is also good, but quite short.
Sehr interessant. Allein das Museumsgebäude ist schon ziemlich imposant. Die Daueraustellung gibt einen guten Überblick über das Leben und die Präsidentschaft von Lyndon B. Johnson. Die aktuelle Beatles Austellung ist zwar auch gut, aber sie ist ziemlich kurz.

The building is beautiful, and LBJ is a fascinating character. So why the low rating?
BECAUSE.
Most of this exhibit is about… THE BEATLES!
Really! I could care less about the Limeys. I know it’s there for context, but really overdone.
The only great floor is the top. Where we see the Oval Office as it was during LBJs time. Ladybirds office etc.
But all in all, could have been much better.

Very nice library. We came on a day where they had a Beatles Event and when we first arrived the line was easily over 150 people long.
My husband said to me «see there are so many history buffs!», my reply was «I guess so, this line is crazy!» So we waited for about 20 minutes while looking for a taxi to take us back to the hotel when a staff member came and explained the line was only for the Beatles event and directed us to go to the front of the line. Whew! Entrance fee was also waived for this event. awesome!
I am writing this review as I wait for husband to be done with the 4^th floor. Overall I recommend this library to anyone interested in LBJ.

I have been to a few presidential libraries in my life, and to be honest, the decision to go here was partly based on the weather forecast! The museum is located on the UT campus near the football stadium. The exhibits are spread out over several floors of the building and include several displays of the White House offices and lots of memorabilia. The overall museum seems a little dated, but they have updated the movies and exhibits to reflect the changing presidency.
Conservatives will probably not like this place. LBJ pushed for a lot of social assistance programs as part of his controversial Great Society plans. Passing Medicare, Voting Rights, and Civil Rights were the same-​sex marriage and Affordable Care Act of the day, and the museum attempts to show the legacy of those major policy items. They do a good job of dealing with the Vietnam War, especially given the extreme impacts of the war on the United States and modern politics.
It is fascinating that such a major liberal politician came from such a conservative state. The collection of political cartoons is a interesting reminder of the politics of the era and eerily similar to current times. I enjoyed the stop, but this is really for those interested in liberal politics. There are plenty of other great places for the rest of our Great Society.

Very cool Library/​Museum! This was the first Presidential Library I’ve been too and I’m now interested in seeing a lot more. The exhibit was very well done and kept me interested throughout. They did a great job of covering all of Johnson’s presidency and his life. It was cool to learn about his towering and intimidating posturing and to find out that he was such a jokester.
While I know there is so much to do in Austin, I really think this should not be passed up.

Free admittance on President’s Day.
The library is four floors full of beautifully designed interactive displays, short films, and full size replicas of the Oval Office, Lady Bird’s Office and the presidential cars.
There is an absolute wealth of knowledge around every corner so multiple visits may be necessary to digest everything. The subject matter may be a little too dense for small children, but should interest ages of 12 and up.
I had no idea LBJ was so instrumental in the Civil Rights Movement as well as the driving force behind major advancements in the National Parks Department and NASA. However, my favorite exhibition was the interactive component detailing what lead to the Vietnam War, the intelligence reports LBJ had at the time and the factors that lead him to make the decision, that sadly tarnished his incredible and far-​reaching Presidential legacy.

The Library is located on the UT campus, and had a wealth of information to offer. After visiting, I feel that LBJ was — at least in my mind — an underrated figure.
I respect his humble beginnings… born in a small Texas town with no electricity or running water. Grew up to become a teacher at a public school in Texas, where his students were all Mexicans and dirt poor. The connections he made with his students would fuel so much of his policy later in life.
Interestingly, LBJ began working in politics in DC at the lowest levels. His voting record reflected that of Southern segregationists UNTIL he rose up in the ranks, and had enough power to do something about it. For the rest of his political career, he was a champion of the poor and underprivileged, working hard to ensure FDR’s New Deal came to fruition.
Having visited the Ronald Reagan presidential library in Simi Valley a couple years prior, I was struck by a few comparisons. Reagan’s features a former Air Force One plane that visitors can walk through; LBJ’s has the limo he used to drive around in. Reagan’s had multiple rooms to house gifts given to him by supporters at home and abroad, with several more floors of gifts in storage. LBJ’s display of gifts were contained in a single display case, taking up half of one room. I can’t help but think about LBJ’s target group of constituents — the underprivileged — and wonder if their lack of resources accounts for the disparity in gifts.
This is a President who was dealt a rough hand of cards, and did a rather remarkable job. Sworn in after JFK’s assassination, the Cold War, meeting with MLK Jr. and other Civil Rights leaders who, «Couldn’t believe a white man with a Southern accent was on their side,» and of course the Vietnam War.
The Library did not paint LBJ as a man without flaws. It was obvious through recorded phone calls and correspondence that he knew he couldn’t win in Vietnam, but he also couldn’t get out.
If you are in the Austin area, and enjoy learning, this is definitely worth a visit. I was hoping to make it to College Station to see Bush senior’s library as well, but perhaps on the next trip.

Over the course of a week, I visited the LBJ Museum, the Bush 41 Museum and the Bush 43 Museum. This was better than George W Bush, but not as good as the elder Bush.
I really liked some of the artifacts here, but I walked away without a clear picture of LBJ the man. During my visit, they had a temporary exhibit: Sixty from the 60’s. It was a long hallway filled with sixty people who had a huge cultural impact on the decade. There were artifacts from some people (Hugh Hefner’s pajamas, pipe and slippers) and recreations for others (a brand new Bill Russell throwback jersey? Lame).
Another annoyance of the library is how loud it is. Many of the exhibits feature the awesome music of the 60s. But when it’s blaring next to your ear while you’re trying to read a display and you can hear three other songs from other areas of the museum, it gets a little old.
The freakiest part of the library is an animatronic LBJ who mouths along to old recordings of the president telling jokes. It’s… eerie.
Highlights include the suit LBJ was wearing when he was sworn in as president aboard Air Force One (and the Bible he placed his hand on), the desk where he signed the civil rights law and lots of personal notes from Jackie Kennedy after the assassination.
I was also a big fan of the multiple phones placed throughout the museum. You can pick them up and hear actual dictaphone recordings from the Oval Office. It’s weird to hear LBJ prattle on while Martin Luther King just says, «Yes,» before LBJ rambles some more. Learn to take turns, Lyndon!
The Oval Office recreation is interesting. LBJ had a custom entertainment center with three TVs and he would use a remote to switch to whichever audio stream he wanted to hear. Unlike the Bush museums, you’re not allowed to sit in the big chair.
I appreciated the film upstairs where one of the Johnson daughters spoke about trying to carry on life among all the war protesters. Some presidential museums completely ignore the fact that wars are, you know, controversial.
The LBJ libary offers an important look back at a hugely pivotal decade for the USA. It’s worth your time.

Having never been to a presidential library before, I didn’t know what to expect. However, the LBJ Presidential Library is fabulous! Wonderful displays give you an incredibly detailed look into this president and the impact he made on our country.
There is a phone where you can listen to a call between him and Jacqueline Kennedy that just killed me it was so sad. The pre-​recorded calls between him and some pretty major folks are pretty cool and scattered throughout the building.
The mini oval office is worth it alone. Seriously, it’s a blast from the past and a nice way to check it out with going all the way to D.C.
Great way to kill a few hours. The docents are incredibly enthusiastic and knowledgeable. They want to share the history and it really helps make the experience.

Call me a history nerd, but I love the LBJ Presidential Library! This is possibly one of my favorite Austin destinations just because it has so many cool history stuff within. LBJ is the first presidential library I have been to, so I think I am going to make it a goal to explore every US presidential library now!
Anyway back to LBJ Presidential Library, of course it is all about the 36^th President. However, the Library did a good job to make it interesting to learn about this president and the relevant portion of American history. Beforehand, I always saw LBJ just as the vice president who lucked out when JFK got assassinated, but afterwards, I began to appreciate what LBJ did after learning about his contribution to the environmental protections and civil rights.
The Library has three floors of exhibits and even for a person with a short attention span, I thoroughly enjoyed everything! Even the documentaries (You know the boring videos that museums play and you watch them only because you wanted to sit down?) are interesting to watch. Inside, you will find LBJ’s presidential limo, a piece of moon rock, and a ⁷⁄₈^th scale of the Oval Office.
Pretty cool place to check out even if you are not that into history. I highly recommend this as one of your travel destinations.
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tl;dr version:
1. Awesome presidential library about LBJ
2. Cool artifacts like the presidential limo and the moon rock