Presidential Gallery
Exhibit Guide
Welcome
Welcome to the Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood
Home! We are delighted that you are here and hope you enjoy learning
about a very important part of world history.
The activities in this guide follow the topics displayed in the Presidential
Gallery of the museum.
You will also notice Quick Response (QR) Codes on some
pages of this guide (they look like a bunch of squares inside a
larger square and work like a barcode). If you have a
smartphone or digital tablet, you can download a free app
that will scan these codes and present you with videos,
quizzes, or just more information about the exhibit.
Enjoy your visit as you explore the remarkable presidency of Dwight D.
Eisenhower!
Meredith Sleichter
Executive Officer,
Eisenhower Foundation
Timothy D. Rives
Interim Director, Eisenhower Presidential
Library, Museum, and Boyhood Home
Scavenger Hunt
Look for these items as you go through the exhibit.
Check off the circle once you find an item, and if there
is a question, see if you can figure out the answer!
Both Republicans and Democrats wanted Ike
to run for president on their ticket. Find and
examine this “Baitin’ for Ike” cartoon to
determine what year the election was to take
place.
Ike chose to return to Abilene to announce his
candidacy at the Plaza Theatre. Why did he
make the announcement two days in a row?
Ike set out on a “W __ __ __ __ __ __ S __ __ __
campaign” across the United States. At every
stop, Ike would emerge from the back car of the
Eisenhower Special train to deliver a speech. “I Like Ike” was one of the most successful
campaign slogans and songs in U.S. political history.
Examine the many drawers and cases of “I Like Ike”
paraphernalia. Which piece is your favorite?
Dwight D. Eisenhower was sworn in as President
of the United States on January 20, 1953. What
did Ike allow during his inauguration parade that
startled his Secret Service?
Turn to pages 8-9 to focus
on The American Dream.
1
Scavenger Hunt
. . . continued
The U.S. began its U-2 reconnaissance
(spy) plane flights over the Soviet Union in
1956. What happened in 1960?
Fears about Soviet technological dominance arose
when they successfully launched the first artificial
satellite, named __ __ __ __ __ __ _K_. A replica is
hanging from the ceiling of the Presidential Gallery.
Can you find it?
Turn to pages 4-5 for more about
Bomb Shelters and Ike Wages
Peace.
L
KU
P!
As a direct result of the Sputnik crisis and at
Ike’s urging, Congress passed the National
Aeronautics and Space Act in July 1958,
creating NASA. Its first major undertaking was
called “Project __ __ __ __ __ __ Y.” What was
the goal?
Alaska and Hawaii became the 49th and 50th
states in 1959. Examine the lamps and cross out
which natural resource Alaska does not bring to
the United States: Elk Fish Tools Oil Lumber
With the passing of the Interstate Highway Act
of __ __ __ __ , President Eisenhower forever
changed the mobility and way of life for all
Americans.
2
Turn to pages 6-7 to focus on Civil
Rights and the Red Scare.
Eisenhower used this desk while President of
Columbia University, at SHAPE headquarters,
and in the White House study. What is significant
about the airplane sitting on top of Ike’s desk?
Find Ike’s bullet-proof traveling podium.
Stand behind it and imagine giving a speech
as President of the United States. Have a
friend take your photo (no flashes, please).
Camp David is a presidential retreat outside of
Washington, D.C. used for both relaxation and as
a less formal place to conduct official business.
How did Camp David get its name?
One of President Eisenhower’s favorite ways to
exercise and escape stress was to play golf. In order
to do that, what did Ike have installed at the White
House?
Eisenhower understood that television
expanded his opportunities to speak directly to
the American public. His news conferences and
addresses established new expectations for the
presidency. What award did Eisenhower win for
his extensive use of television?
3
3
Bomb Shelters
During the 1950s, Americans lived with the fear that a nuclear bomb might drop
at any moment. In response, the U.S. Office of Civil Defense set guidelines for
Americans to be prepared. Drills were conducted and bomb (or “fallout”)
shelters were built.
Schoolchildren practiced “D__ __ __
and __ __ __ __ R” drills to prepare
for a surprise Soviet attack.
Watch the film that
taught 1950s students
how to best protect
themselves.
preparing a
Imagine you are
your family.
bomb shelter for
k would be
What do you thin
rtant items
the five most impo
al?
to pack for surviv
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
item would
What one comfort
ck?
you choose to pa
4
Look in the bomb shelter to find and circle
the following items in the photo above:
•Fallout Protection pamphlet
•Life Savers candy
•Hopalong Cassidy game
•Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes
•Band-Aids
Read a government-issued Family
Fallout Shelter guide from 1959.
dent
Listen to Presi
eliver his
Eisenhower d
eace”
“Chance for P
speech.
Ike Wages Peace
Examine the exhibit to answer the following
clues and fill in the crossword puzzle.
4 ACROSS: Following World War II, the once allied U.S. and the U.S.S.R. had
the power to unleash massive destruction through nuclear weapons. These
strained relations between the United States and the Soviet Union were
referred to as the __ __ __ __ War. 2 ACROSS: In April 1953, President Dwight Eisenhower
delivered a speech called “Chance for __ __ __ __ __” in
hopes of “serving the needs rather than the fears, of the
world.”
3 DOWN: Ike proposed “Operation __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __”
in order to find a new strategy to contain the spread of
communism. The National Security Council formed three
task forces that each came up with their own approach. 5 DOWN: President Dwight Eisenhower pulled from each task force to create
a new National Security Plan called “The New __ __ __ __.” 1 DOWN: Under this new strategy, President Dwight Eisenhower reduced
military spending, but increased the United States’ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
arsenal.
6 ACROSS: The U.S.S.R was warned that the U.S. would
not hesitate to use “massive __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __”
in response to future Soviet aggression.
UNSCRAMBLE the letters in
the red circles to complete
Winston Churchill’s quote:
“An __ __ __ __ curtain has
descended upon Europe.”
Learn more ab
out
the Iron Curta
in.
Return to Page 2 to resume
the Scavenger Hunt.
5
Civil Rights
In the mid 1950s, America remained deeply divided over the issue of racial
equality. President Eisenhower helped advance the burgeoning civil rights
movement. Examine the exhibit and draw lines from the image to its
matching event.
In Brown v. Topeka Board of Education
(1954), the Supreme Court decision
declared segregation in schools
unconstitutional.
E. Frederick Morrow was the first black person to
hold an executive position at the White House. He
served President Eisenhower as Administrative
Officer for Special Projects from 1955 to 1961.
President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Civil
Rights Act of 1957 into law.
Telegram to Eisenhower, pleading for
help to control the mob violence in Little
Rock, Arkansas.
President Dwight D. Eisenhower sent
U.S. Army troops to enforce school
integration at Little Rock Central High School.
Find and examine this
photo. What details do
you notice about the
room? How does this
picture make you feel?
What was Sophie
Tinsley’s question to
President Eisenhower?
If you were to stand up for a change in current day
civil rights, what would it be? Write your message
in the protester’s sign.
6
Red Scare
“Reds”? Who were the
of
_______
Union
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_______
S __ __ __ __ __
?
d
re
Who was sca
Socialist
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
Republics
____________
1. The last name of married spies who were
convicted of giving atomic bomb secrets
to the Soviet Union:
SPY,
IF Y O U W E R E A
OUR
WHAT WOULD Y
CODENAME BE?
B E E G N O R R S
2. Julius went by this codename:
A B E I L L R
3. The name of classified intercepted
messages that proved these spies were
N N V O A E
guilty:
4. These messages revealed that Julius
headed a spy ring that gave the Soviets
classified information from atomic bomb
testing at:
OLS MOASAL
mine
Find and exae n c y
m
e
l
c
the
What
rally flyer. i o n a l
t
o
m
two e
were
appeals
used?
Learn more about
“Secrets, Lies, and
Atomic Spies.”
Who Am I?
ica led to
munists in Amer
m
co
of
ar
fe
at
I am proof th
I launched
nocent people.
in
y
an
m
of
ns
tio
ate Department
reckless accusa
rs of the U.S. St
be
em
m
t
ns
ai
ag
s
,
damaging attack
nse of decency
“Have you no se
d,
ke
as
as
w
I
and the Army.
_________.
__________
_
_
_
r
to
na
Se
sir?” I was
Watch Edward R. Murrow's
powerful anti-McCarthy
broadcast.
Return to Page 3 to resume
the Scavenger Hunt.
7
The American Dream
As president, Eisenhower worked hard to maintain the economic and social
conditions that he felt would enable the American Dream to flourish.
ECONOMY
nse of
Ike brought a se
to the
fiscal discipline
st two
White House. Li
made
improvements he
while in office.
1.
Technology advancements during the 1950’s
awed Americans and forever changed our way
of life.
What were UNIVAC and Discoverer XIII?
2.
Eisenhower signed
ENVIRONMENTAL
legislation that
increased wildlife
refuges by
__ __ million acres!
The Sputnik panic brought
immediate demands for bettertrained American scientists to
keep up with the Soviets. What
1958 Act provided funding to
increase e d u c a t i o n in
science, math, and foreign
languages?
8
Who am I?
a
I developed
t
vaccine agains
polio, saving
ousands from
H theing crippled or
b
E even death. The
A Eisenhower
L administration
T purchased y
h of m
H enoug e to
vaccin
y
inoculate ever
a. ic
er
child in Am
__
__
__
I am Dr. __
Why did
Sputnik
scare the
American
public so
much?
National D __ __ __ __ __ __
Education Act
Watch this video to learn
more about the Space Race.
Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower were examples of the American Dream. To
millions enjoying the fabulous fifties, the man in the White House was more
than their president; he was one of them.
Examine the typical 1950s living
room. What new technology began
to drastically alter Americans’
interactions, economics, and the
political process?
___________________________
Find three differences between this
photo and the living room exhibit.
1.
2.
3.
With more money and leisure time on their hands, the 1950s became an
age of prosperity. Examine the gallery to find the answers that fill in the
blanks. Then, find those answers in the word search.
Many Americans moved into new homes in
the __ __ B __ __ __ __ and filled them with
new time-saving devices such as clothes
dryers and vacuum cleaners.
__ __ __ __ __ — __ __ theaters let Americans
combine their newfound love of automobiles
and __ __ V __ __ __.
The Eisenhower __ __ __ __ __ __ Y System
updated America’s roadways and changed
our way of life. It is considered one of
__ __ S __ __ __ __ __ __ __’s greatest
achievements.
Economic prosperity allowed Americans to
pack up the __ __ __ and visit nature.
M __ __ __ __ __ __ 66 helped expand the
National Park Service.
Ike was an advocate for sports; one of his
personal favorites was __ O __ __.
Return to Page 2 to resume
the Scavenger Hunt.
9
MUSEUM
uide
hibit G
This Ex
h the
tes wit
correla ial Gallery
ent
Presid