Hoover Presidential Foundation

Holidays with the Hoovers
2024-12-07 13:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, 210 Parkside Dr, West Branch, IA, 52358, United States
Celebrate the holidays with the Hoover Presidential Library and Museum with our final Family Day of the year! All of our Family Day events contain family-friendly STEAM based fun, but this one has a twist! Each of our stations is tied to a holiday movie with trees decorated in the style of the movie on display at the Hoover Presidential Foundation! This event is free with the cost of admission.

A Christmas Past
2024-12-06 17:00 - 2024-12-07 20:30 | Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, 110 Parkside Drive, West Branch, IA, 52358, United States
Take a step back in time as you stroll through the park’s historic neighborhood decorated and illuminated in period-appropriate, festive style. The park staff and volunteers invite the public to a holiday celebration with seasonal music, crafts, and refreshments.

Festival of Trees
2024-12-06 10:00 - 2024-12-07 20:00 | Hoover Presidential Foundation, 127 W Main St, West Branch, IA, 52358, United States
Themed Holiday Movie Magic, explore beautifully decorated trees inspired by your favorite holiday movies.

Festival of Trees Member Reception
2024-12-05 17:00 - 19:00 | Hoover Presidential Foundation, 127 W Main St, West Branch, IA, 52358, United States
Members of the Hoover Presidential Foundation are welcome to join us for the kickoff to our annual Festival of Trees. Themed Holiday Movie Magic, explore beautifully decorated trees inspired by your favorite holiday movies.
Register here.

New Years Hike
2024-11-27 10:00 - 11:00 | Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, 110 Parkside Drive, West Branch, IA, 52358, United States
Start the New Year out right and join a park ranger at Herbert Hoover NHS for a 2-mile hike, with a shorter option at the 1-mile point. No reservations required for this hike. Meet at the park visitor center. Dress for the weather! The route will be determined by the conditions.

Ask an Archivist, Converse with a Curator 9
2024-11-15 11:00 - 15:00 | Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, 210 Parkside Dr, West Branch, IA, 52358, United States
In honor of Native American Heritage Month, we will be showcasing pieces of Native American artwork collected by the Hoovers during their travels to the American Southwest.
This free monthly program allows visitors to see items from our collection that aren’t typically shown in our galleries. Speak with archivists and Museum staff in an informal setting about a specific topic each month.
Staff will be available from 11 a.m.-12 p.m., and again from 2-3 p.m. CST. Registration is not required.

Looking Ahead: Peek behind the Curtain of the Museum Renovation
2024-11-12 12:00 - 13:00 | Hoover Presidential Foundation, 127 W Main St, West Branch, IA, 52358, United States
Join us for this exciting event, either online or in-person, where Matthew Solari, Vice President of Creative & Story at BRC Imagination Arts, presents exciting updates on the renovation of the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum. This is a terrific opportunity to gain valuable insight into the project and have your questions answered. Don’t miss out on this informative session!
This is a unique opportunity to gain valuable knowledge and ask questions directly to someone with extensive experience in the field. Don’t miss out on this informative session!
Options are available to join online or in-person at the Hoover Presidential Foundation.
For those joining online, a link will be sent to attend via Teams. Space will also be available for in-person attendees at the Rummells Center at 127 W Main Street in West Branch.
Register here.

Veterans Day Program
2024-11-09 14:00 - 15:00 | Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, 110 Parkside Drive, West Branch, IA, 52358, United States
When Herbert Hoover became President in 1929, the care of America’s veterans was one of the nation’s most pressing issues. At the start of the Hoover administration, veteran services were vested in three different, overlapping agencies. Under Hoover, these agencies were combined into a single Veterans Administration. During the Great Depression, thousands of veterans came to Washington, DC to protest and call for an early payment of a promised bonus for their military service. The controversial response of the Hoover administration to this protest is still a topic of debate among historians. A ranger will give a one-hour talk on Herbert Hoover and veterans.

Uncommon Student Award Presentation Day
2024-11-09 09:00 - 16:30 | Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, 210 Parkside Dr, West Branch, IA, 52358, United States
Watch 15 Iowa high school seniors present their community-minded enterprise projects at this year’s Stanley and Helen Howe Presentation Day for the 2024 Uncommon Student Award Program. Each participant will receive an award between $1,500 and $11,500 to be applied toward their secondary education.
You can choose to attend either the morning or afternoon sessions or spend the entire day with us supporting these hardworking students, as they exemplify Herbert Hoover’s legacy of serving those in our community. Presentations will be given in Figge Auditorium at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum.
Morning Session: 9:00-12:00
Afternoon Session: 1:00-3:30 followed by Award Ceremony

National Bison Day Presentation
2024-11-02 13:00 - 14:00 | Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, 110 Parkside Drive, West Branch, IA, 52358, United States
Bison are much more than America’s largest land mammal. They are an essential part of American history and embody the strong and resilient characteristics of the American people – so much so that they were designated as our National Mammal in 2016.

Once numbering ~30 million and ranging across the United States and in Canada and Mexico, bison were hunted to near extinction, with only several hundred remaining by the 1870’s. Through ongoing conservation work, bison are recovering from a low of fewer than 1,000 individuals. Today, 19 herds in 12 states roam the American Plains.

Come learn about this amazing animal from National Bison Association Program Manager, Lydia Whitman. The presentation will occur in the Visitor Center theater.

Walk with a Park Ranger: Cemetery Edition
2024-10-26 16:00 - 17:00 | IA
Join a National Park Service Park Ranger for a one-hour stroll through the West Branch Municipal Cemetery. Learn about the history of cemeteries in the United States, headstone symbols, headstone materials, and what they can tell us about the individuals they represent. Dress for the weather and wear comfortable shoes. Ground may be uneven.
The event starts at the West Branch Municipal Cemetery on North Maple Street in West Branch, Iowa.

Tales from an Iowa Undertaker: A Peek into the History of Funerary Practices in Iowa
2024-10-26 11:00 - 12:00 | Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, 110 Parkside Drive, West Branch, IA, 52358, United States
Herbert Hoover National Historic Site is hosting Marty Mitchell, owner of The Iowa Funeral Museum and Education Center and the Mitchell Family Funeral Home in Marshalltown, Iowa, for a fascinating look into the history of funerary practices in Iowa. From 1800s embalming processes to the evolution of coffins, join Marty in the NPS visitor center as he shares with us “Tales from an Iowa Undertaker.”

Hoover Fright Nights Program: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
2024-10-25 17:30 - 20:00 | Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, 210 Parkside Dr, West Branch, IA, 52358, United States
Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, discovers vampires are planning to take over the United States. He makes it his mission to eliminate them.
Join the Hoover Presidential Library and Museum for our special movie series, “Hoover Fright Nights,” during the month of October! These FREE movie nights will take place in our auditorium at 6pm. Doors open at 5:30pm and registration is not required.
Popcorn and water will be available for purchase on-site. Outside food is not permitted. Only water bottles with twist caps will be permitted.
Please note that these films are not intended for children due to the language and/or content of the movies. Children under the age of 17 must be accompanied by a parent or designated adult.

Hoover Fright Nights Program: Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies
2024-10-18 17:30 - 20:00 | Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, 210 Parkside Dr, West Branch, IA, 52358, United States
While the Civil War rages on, President Abraham Lincoln must undertake an even more daunting task – destroying the Confederate Undead.
Join the Hoover Presidential Library and Museum for our special movie series, “Hoover Fright Nights,” during the month of October! These FREE movie nights will take place in our auditorium at 6pm. Doors open at 5:30pm and registration is not required.
Popcorn and water will be available for purchase on-site. Outside food is not permitted. Only water bottles with twist caps will be permitted.
Please note that these films are not intended for children due to the language and/or content of the movies. Children under the age of 17 must be accompanied by a parent or designated adult.

Fall Fest in West Branch
2024-10-12 10:00 - 15:00 | Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, 110 Parkside Drive, West Branch, IA, 52358, United States
Celebrate autumn with blacksmithing demonstrations in the park. Times TBA.

Hoover Fright Nights Program: Collapse of the Living Dead
2024-10-11 17:30 - 20:00 | Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, 210 Parkside Dr, West Branch, IA, 52358, United States
The normal worries of a struggling small-town farmer are blown away when the world is suddenly overrun by undead monsters. How can a good man protect and provide for his family in a hostile world without becoming a monster himself?
Join the Hoover Presidential Library and Museum for our special movie series, “Hoover Fright Nights,” during the month of October! These FREE movie nights will take place in our auditorium at 6pm. Doors open at 5:30pm and registration is not required.
Popcorn and water will be available for purchase on-site. Outside food is not permitted. Only water bottles with twist caps will be permitted.
Please note that these films are not intended for children due to the language and/or content of the movies. Children under the age of 17 must be accompanied by a parent or designated adult.

Ask an Archivist, Converse with a Curator 8
2024-10-11 11:00 - 15:00 | Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, 210 Parkside Dr, West Branch, IA, 52358, United States
In celebration of Polish American Heritage Month, we will be sharing some of the thank you albums Hoover received for his work with the Commission for Belgium Relief. These albums contain letters, photos, and artwork from school children.
This free monthly program allows visitors to see items from our collection that aren’t typically shown in our galleries. Speak with archivists and Museum staff in an informal setting about a specific topic each month.
Staff will be available from 11 a.m.-12 p.m., and again from 2-3 p.m. CST. Registration is not required.

Artist-in-Residence Steve Whitfield Talk
2024-10-05 14:00 - 15:00 | Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, 110 Parkside Drive, West Branch, IA, 52358, United States
Artist-in-Residence Steve Whitfield will talk about Rapidan Camp, the experience of being an Artist-in-Residence for the National Park Service, and his Hoover-themed landscape painting he created during his residency at the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site. The event will take place inside the Visitor Center.

National Public Lands Day 2
2024-09-28 10:00 - 15:00 | Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, 110 Parkside Drive, West Branch, IA, 52358, United States
Meet Sydney, the Bio Tech at the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, at the tallgrass prairie observation deck near the Hoover gravesite. Help her to collect seeds in the tallgrass prairie and learn more about the work that we do to take care of this endangered ecosystem.

Hispanic Heritage Celebration
2024-09-28 10:00 - 13:00 | Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, 210 Parkside Dr, West Branch, IA, 52358, United States
Join the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in partnership with the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site in celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with food, music, dancing, and lots of family-friendly activities for all ages!
The event runs from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
This event is free with admission to the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum. Registration is not required, and all are welcome to attend.

Naturalization Ceremony
2024-09-20 09:00 - 17:00 | Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, 210 Parkside Dr, West Branch, IA, 52358, United States
The Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum will host a naturalization ceremony to celebrate Constitution Day. In recognition of Constitution Day (September 17), candidates will become new citizens of the United States.
The ceremony will be held on the east lawn of the Library and Museum, within the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site. The event is open to the public and there is no admission to attend. In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be moved indoors to the Library and Museum’s Auditorium and space will be limited.
This event is made possible by the U.S. District Court Northern District of Iowa, League of Women Voters, Daughters of the American Revolution Nathaniel Fellows Chapter, the Extension Chords singers, the American Legion Post 514, Hoover Presidential Foundation, the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, and the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum.

An Evening with Megan Gorman
2024-09-19 17:00 - 18:30 | Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, 210 Parkside Dr, West Branch, IA, 52358, United States
Meet author Megan Gorman and hear her discuss her new book, “All the Presidents’ Money,” a journey through the personal money stories of the U.S. presidents and how they built wealth or didn’t. Books available for purchase and signing after the talk.
The reception is at 5:00. The book talk begins at 5:30.

Hoover Presidential Foundation Book Club
2024-09-18 14:00 - 15:00 | Hoover Presidential Foundation, 127 W Main St, West Branch, IA, 52358, United States
All are welcome, whether you have read the book in its entirety or not. This event is designed to be an engaging discussion where all viewpoints are encouraged.
You can participate either virtually or in person. Light refreshments will be served. The in-person event will be held at the Hoover Presidential Foundation-Rummell’s Center, 127 W Main St West Branch, Iowa.
A Teams link will be provided for virtual attendees.
Please RSVP by email to gbierman@hooverpf.org
September’s Book is:
By Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy

Ask an Archivist, Converse with a Curator 7
2024-09-13 11:00 - 15:00 | Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, 210 Parkside Dr, West Branch, IA, 52358, United States
This free monthly program allows visitors to see items from our collection that aren’t typically shown in our galleries. Speak with archivists and Museum staff in an informal setting about a specific topic each month.
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we will be sharing films and objects from Hoover’s 1928 Goodwill Tour to Central and South America.
Staff will be available from 11 a.m.-12 p.m., and again from 2-3 p.m. CST. Registration is not required.

NPS Founders Day | NPS Park Film Festival
2024-08-25 11:00 - 12:00 | Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, 110 Parkside Drive, West Branch, IA, 52358, United States
Join us for a variety of National Park Service park films. These short films celebrate the diversity of the National Park Service.
The Old Capitol Trombone Quartet will have a special performance on the Village Green following the film festival at 1:00.

Ask an Archivist, Converse with a Curator 6
2024-08-16 11:00 - 15:00 | Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, 210 Parkside Dr, West Branch, IA, 52358, United States
This free monthly program allows visitors to see items from our collection that aren’t typically shown in our galleries. Speak with archivists and Museum staff in an informal setting about a specific topic each month.
Celebrate Herbert Hoover’s birthday with Hoover AV Archivist Lynn Smith, as she shows newsreel films showing birthday celebrations of the 31st President. A special highlight will be the remarks made by President Harry Truman at the dedication ceremony for the opening of the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in 1962.
Staff will be available from 11 a.m.-12 p.m., and again from 2-3 p.m. CST. Registration is not required.

Member Lunch, Life Celebration, and Groundbreaking
2024-08-10 11:30 - 13:30 | Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, 210 Parkside Dr, West Branch, IA, 52358, United States
The annual Hoover’s Hometown Days Hoover’s Birthday Lunch and Life Celebration will take place on the East Lawn of the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum. Lunch is at 11:30, the Life Celebration will begin at 12:00, and the Groundbreaking for the Museum renovation will follow. Register by calling us at 319-643-5327, emailing info@hooverpf.org, or by clicking here.

Hoover's Hometown Day 2
2024-08-10 09:00 - 21:00 | IA
Join us for a day of food, fun, and history on the Hoover Campus.
Hoover-Ball Championship Tournament, 9:00-5:30, Hoover-Ball Courts

Mayor’s Parade, 10:00-11:00, Main Street

Live Music: Susanne Smith Band, 11:00-12:00, Hoover Stage

Bert’s Birthday Beer Tent featuring special Limited Edition Big Grove Brew, 11:00-4:00, Main Street

Hoover Experience Tent, 11:00-4:00, Main Street

Hoover Foundation Member Lunch, Life Celebration, and Groundbreaking, 11:30-1:30, Hoover Presidential Museum, East Lawn

Hoover Life Celebration, 12:00-12:45, National Park Pavillion

Fiddler in the Park, 12:30-2:00, Blacksmith Shop

Groundbreaking Ceremony for Museum Renovation, 1:00-1:30, Hoover Presidential Museum

Harry S. Truman Ranger Interpretive Talk, 1:00-2:00, Hoover Stage

Hoover Legacy Panel, 1:30-2:30, Hoover Presidential Museum

Shenandoah National Park Ranger Interpretive Talk, 2:30-3:30, Hoover Stage

Hoover Forum, 2:30-5:00, Hoover Presidential Museum

Hoover-Ball Championship Game, 6:00-7:00, East Lawn

Hoover’s Hootenanny, 6:00-7:30, East Lawn

Live Music: Flash in the Pan, 6:00-7:15, East Lawn

Time Capsule Unboxing, 6:30-6:45, Hoover Stage

Shades of Blue: Air Force Band of Mid-America, 8:00-9:00, East Lawn

Honoring Hoover: A Special Conference Event
2024-08-10 09:00 - 17:00 | Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, 210 Parkside Dr, West Branch, IA, 52358, United States
Hear from multiple historians and speakers, as they break down various aspects of Herbert Hoover’s life in the White House and beyond.
More information will follow.

Honoring Hoover: A Special Family Discussion
2024-08-10 09:00 - 17:00 | Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, 210 Parkside Dr, West Branch, IA, 52358, United States
In recognition of the 150th birthdays of Herbert and Lou Henry Hoover, descendants of the Hoover Family will discuss the lives and legacies of their great-grandparents, and what it has mean to them to hold the Hoover name.
Speakers include Margaret Hoover, Leslie Hoover-Lauble, and Allan Hoover III.
More information will follow.
