The president and first lady in 1929, their first year in the White House. Photo: Library of Congress
Writer: Olivia Sigler
New immersive exhibits at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum invite visitors to learn about the remarkable life of America’s 31st president, from his roots in Iowa to his humanitarian work around the world. The site near his birthplace in West Branch reopened in August after an extensive renovation and is designed to introduce a new generation to the president and his wife, Lou Henry Hoover, who grew up in Waterloo.
The Hoovers met at Stanford University, built a fortune in mining in Australia and China and helped save millions of lives through hunger-relief efforts during World War I. They moved into the White House in 1929, nine months before the stock market crash that triggered the Great Depression.
A century later, “we want to engage both the head and the heart in the story and create a sympathetic bond between the visitor and the story,” director Tom Schwartz said.
The updated museum offers a multi-sensory experience to help visitors connect more deeply. In one exhibit, which shows Hoover delivering hot school lunches to Belgian children during the First World War, visitors can actually smell soup and hot chocolate. “We want them to feel the history, not just read about it,” Schwartz said.
The museum splits into two main sections: “Years of Adventure,” about the Hoovers’ roots in Iowa through their marriage and worldwide travels, and “Years of Service,” about their time in Washington and the many productive years that followed.
“All of their work and their giving was done quietly and without any expectation of anything in return,” Schwartz said. At the museum, “we hope people will leave with a sense to lead, serve and make a difference. You don’t need to be president to do that.”
