Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, CA

Rating: You Should Go

The Ronald Reagan Library is a fun place to go if you're interested in American history, especially foreign policy. Many of the issues Reagan faced in his presidency still affect us today.  I am not a Republican and I don't know a lot about our presidents, but I still found this Library/Museum fascinating. The admission for adults is $15 each, but parking is free. Kids 10 and under are also free. We actually found a Groupon
that included a GuideCam for each of us for only $9 each. The GuideCam is basically an iPod modified to play recordings about the different areas of the museum. You can take pictures and video that is then emailed to you a few hours after you turn it back in. The camera isn't amazing, but it's better than lower-end phone and personal digital cameras. The best thing about it is that it helps guide you through the maze they've created in the museum. The open-floor-plan can sometimes be confusing, so it's nice to have something that keeps you on track by telling you which areas are next. If you're interested, these cost $7 a piece and you can get them once you've entered the museum.

Nathan's Inaugural Speech

The website says it takes about 2.5-3 hours to get through the museum. We went on a Saturday, which was pretty busy, and it would have taken at least 4 hours to get through it in depth, especially with the GuideCam. My biggest mistake was thinking that once you get to Air Force One, the museum is almost over. That's really just when you start to get into Reagan's policies. I wish I would have spent less time on the sections about his family and movie career and left more time for this section of exhibits. My favorites were Air Force One (you can walk through it), the replica of the Oval Office, and the exhibits with their clothing (I like seeing fashion from other eras). There is also a George Washington exhibit right now that is pretty extensive. I would definitely recommend taking a day trip to this museum with friends or family.

One of Nancy Reagan's Outifts

Air Force One (taken with Guidecam)

Painting About Communism (taken with Guidecam)