The Museum complex received platinum certification by the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program in March 2013, making it the first presidential library to do so.
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TEXAS
GEORGE W. BUSH PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY
The George W. Bush Presidential Library (GWB Library) opened in Dallas at Southern Methodist University (SMU) in 2013. As the 13th presidential library established under the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), it is part of a 23-acre George W. Bush Center dedicated to the 43rd President of the United States; through curation and education, the library serves to honor and memorialize the two-term presidency and legacy of George W. Bush.
HISTORY
The George W. Bush Presidential Center (GWB Center) encompasses the GWB Library, the George W. Bush Presidential Museum, the George W. Bush Institute and the offices of the George W. Bush Foundation. The GWB Library is operated by the NARA, but the other entities are controlled by the GWB Center. The cost of construction, estimated at $327 million in 2023 dollars adjusted for inflation, was paid for through privately raised funds reportedly totaling $654 million. The remaining funds were used as endowments to the federal government and to SMU to strengthen the relationship between the library and school.
The museum contains exhibits showcasing key moments of Bush’s presidency, including the 9/11 attacks and the Iraq War as well as replicas of the Oval Office and the Situation Room.
| Media | Quantity |
|---|---|
| TEXTUAL RECORDS | 70 million pages |
| PHOTOGRAPHY | 3.8 million still photos |
| AUDIO-VISUAL RECORDINGS | 30,000 recordings |
| LIBRARY ARTIFACTS | 43,000 artifacts |
| ELECTRONIC DATA | 80 terabytes |
Notes: “Total employment” refers to direct and indirect employment; “gross domestic product” refers to the total value of all final goods and services produced in Texas; “output” refers to the total value of all goods and services (final and intermediate) produced in Texas; “disposable personal income” refers to post-tax incomes.
Sources: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration; REMI Model for Texas; Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
GEORGE W. BUSH PRESIDENTIAL CENTER, IMPACT TO THE TEXAS ECONOMY, 2023
TOTAL EMPLOYMENT 1,249
GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT $134.0 Million
OUTPUT $223.7 Million
DISPOSABLE PERSONAL INCOME $80.1 Million
ATTENDANCE
In 2014, more than 490,000 people visited the GWB Center, the highest attendance recorded in recent years. Although the COVID-19 pandemic significantly reduced attendance rates in fiscals 2020 and 2021 at all U.S. presidential libraries and museums, attendance at the GWB Center has been on the rise since then.
GEORGE W. BUSH PRESIDENTIAL CENTER ATTENDANCE, FISCAL 2014-2023
View Attendance Data
| Fiscal Year | Value |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 490,887 |
| 2015 | 300,333 |
| 2016 | 210,989 |
| 2017 | 218,879 |
| 2018 | 185,735 |
| 2019 | 174,450 |
| 2020* | 61,656 |
| 2021* | 22,843 |
| 2022 | 75,838 |
| 2023 | 97,500 |
| Total | 1,839,110 |
Note: The U.S. federal government fiscal year runs from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30.
*The Museum was closed to the public for most of the fiscal year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Source: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
LAURA BUSH FOUNDATION FOR AMERICAN LIBRARIES
First Lady Laura Bush used her background as a former librarian and teacher to establish the Laura Bush Foundation for American Libraries in 2002. In the most recent grant cycle (2022-2023), the foundation awarded $1.5 million to 300 schools across 36 states.
Since the inception of the Laura Bush Foundation for American Libraries in 2002:
NUMBER OF SCHOOLS AWARDED FUNDING FOR BOOKS
3,600
AMOUNT OF FUNDING PROVIDED TO SCHOOLS
$21 Million
GEORGE W. BUSH INSTITUTE
Adjacent to the GWB Library is the George W. Bush Institute, a nonpartisan think tank and policy center that engages experts, policymakers and leaders to develop practical solutions to pressing global challenges. The institute is dedicated to addressing various societal challenges through research, advocacy and leadership development.
The GWB institute engages in a variety of philanthropic partnerships with global organizations to increase the reach and improve the results of U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). PEPFAR was created by George W. Bush during his presidency.
TEXAS’ THREE PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARIES
Texas is home to three presidential libraries at sites chosen by the presidents to preserve their records, stories and legacies. Part archive and part museum, these landmarks are local treasures with global impact, spurring curiosity, dialogue and healthy debate. Each site is a time capsule, providing glimpses of past conflicts and solutions — even shedding light on future opportunities.
TEXAS’ PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARIES SHOW OUR STATE’S OUTSIZED IMPACT ON THE AMERICAN PRESIDENCY AND HISTORY, SUPPORT THE TEXAS ECONOMY AND SERVE AS MAGNETS FOR CIVIC MINDED VISITORS, SCHOLARS AND SPECIAL EVENTS.
And that’s good for Texas.
THIS IS ONE IN A SERIES OF REPORTS THE COMPTROLLER HAS PREPARED ON TEXAS PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARIES. SEE MORE INFORMATION ON TEXAS PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARIES.