30 Apr 2013
George W Bush Presidential Centre launches tomorrow
BY Kath Hudson
All of the living US presidents attended the dedication of the George W Bush Presidential Centre on 25th April, ahead of its official launch on 1 May.
Based at the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, the centre houses a presidential library, the George W Bush Institute and a museum documenting Bush's eight years in office.
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, 9/11, Hurricane Katrina and the Florida recount all feature in the museum, as well as a full-scale replica of the oval office.
One of the most haunting exhibits is a pair of twisted steel beams from the World Trade Center. Bush said he wanted the 9/11 exhibit to be powerful enough to show how much the world changed that day.
Exhibits include news clips and interactive touch screens, including a Decision Points Theater which puts visitors in the shoes of a president, presenting them with choices to make.
Although a celebration of his presidency, the museum doesn't avoid controversial subjects, such as no weapons of mass destruction being found in Iraq and the prison in Guantanamo.
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