Signing of the Elementary and Secondary Education Bill. [LBJ Library photo by Frank Wolfe #C148-30-WH65]

Education

"I hope that visitors who come here will achieve a closer understanding of the presidency and that young people will get a clearer comprehension of what this nation tried to do in an eventful period of its history." - Lyndon Baines Johnson

Jump to: Education Programming | Bus Scholarships | Education Outreach Program
Special Programming | Curriculum Resources
Download our Group Visitor Guide

Education Programming

Below you'll find a list of activities and tours that students or adults can participate in at the LBJ Library. For a full list of guidelines and to make a tour or activity reservation, please visit our Group Tours page.

Standard Tours

Mini Presidential Tour
1 hour | Grade Level: PreK-3rd

The Mini Presidential Tour is a docent-led tour focusing on the role of the president. It includes a tour of the Oval Office, the Great Hall, LBJ's limousine, "What is an archive?" activity, and storytime. This tour is one hour and best suited for grades PreK-3rd.

Presidential Tour
1-2 hours | Grade Level: All

The Presidential Tour is a docent-led or self-guided tour which includes the Oval Office, Life in the White House, The First Ladies Gallery, LBJ's Presidency, and A Legacy of Liberty. This tour is approximately one to two hours and is suitable for all grade levels. Groups are encouraged to spend 30 minutes outside of the tour in our temporary galleries, when available.

Classroom Activities

The Spy's Dilemma/LBJ and the Cold War Program and Tour
2.5-3 hours | Grade Level: 5th and up

During this interactive classroom activity, students will take on the role of a Soviet spy and select the most important documents from President Johnson's secret files to bring back to their leaders. Students work together to analyze primary sources from the LBJ Library's archives. Following the classroom activity, students will tour the exhibits and view the presidency through the lens of the Cold War. This docent-led or self-guided tour includes the Oval Office, Life in the White House, The First Ladies Gallery, LBJ's Presidency, and A Legacy of Liberty. The program and tour are approximately two and a half to three hours and are best suited for grades fifth and up.

Vietnam: A Presidential Decision Program and Tour
3-4 hours | Grade Level: 10th and up

Become part of the Johnson administration and learn what it takes to advise the president. In this Vietnam-focused activity, students will advise President Johnson during a meeting with his National Security Council on whether or not he should escalate the bombing in Vietnam. Following the classroom activity, students are able to tour the exhibits and discover other decisions the president had to make during his time in office. This docent-led or self-guided tour includes the Oval Office, Life in the White House, The First Ladies Gallery, LBJ's Presidency, and A Legacy of Liberty. The program and tour are approximately three to four hours and best suited for grade levels 10th and up.

A Civil Rights Investigation: Mississippi Burning Program and Tour
2.5-3 hours | Grade Level: 9th and up

During this guided discussion, participants will investigate the disappearance of three civil rights workers in Mississippi during the Freedom Summer of 1964 using telephone conversations, oral histories, and documents from the library's archives. Following the classroom activity, students will tour the exhibits and analyze the struggle for social justice in the 1960s and make connections to today. This docent-led or self-guided tour includes the Oval Office, Life in the White House, The First Ladies Gallery, LBJ’s Presidency, and A Legacy of Liberty. The program and tour are approximately one to one and a half hours and are best suited for grades 9th and up.

A Matter of Civil Rights Program and Tour
3.5 hours | Grade Level: 10th and up

Become part of the Johnson administration and learn what it takes to advise the president. This simulation activity allows participants to take the role of a member of the president’s Civil Rights Advisory Group to recommend the next civil rights legislation he will send to Congress in 1968. Following the classroom activity, students will tour the exhibits and analyze the struggle for social justice in the 1960s and make connections to today. This docent-led or self-guided tour includes the Oval Office, Life in the White House, The First Ladies Gallery, LBJ's Presidency, and A Legacy of Liberty. The program and tour are two hours and are best suited for grades 10th and up.

Great Society Program and Tour
2-3 hours | Grade Level: 8th and up

The Great Society provided the framework for President Johnson's domestic policy in the 1960s. Students will analyze documents from the LBJ Library's archives, make connections to current events, and discuss the future of Great Society programs in their lifetime. Following the classroom activity, students will tour the exhibits and witness how President Johnson's Great Society programs were passed and how they influenced his leadership and decision making. This docent-led or self-guided tour includes the Oval Office, Life in the White House, The First Ladies Gallery, LBJ's Presidency, and A Legacy of Liberty. The program and tour are approximately two to three hours and are best suited for grades 8th and up.

Election Collection Program and Tour
2-2.5 hours | Grade Level: 3rd and up

Presidential elections are an important piece of history and civic participation. Students will handle and analyze election memorabilia from the 1964 election between Lyndon B. Johnson and Barry Goldwater. Following the classroom activity, students will tour the exhibits and make connections to the issues raised during the election. This docent-led or self-guided tour includes the Oval Office, Life in the White House, The First Ladies Gallery, LBJ's Presidency, and A Legacy of Liberty. The program and tour are approximately two to two and a half hours and are best suited for grades third and up.

Introduction to Holdings
1 hour | Grade level: College and university

Participants will learn about the history of presidential libraries and will be introduced to the LBJ Library’s rich archival holdings and museum collection. An education specialist will also give a brief overview of how to conduct research at the library, as well as go over the resources available to conduct research online. Tip: Take a self-guided tour after participating in this activity and see how our holdings and collection items come to life.

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Bus Scholarships

Made possible through the generous support of our Amplify Austin donors, we are offering bus scholarships to economically disadvantaged Pre-K-12 grade schools through the 2019 school year. Transportation costs up to $250 will be reimbursed. Apply today!

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Education Outreach Program

The LBJ Presidential Library Education Outreach Program strives to extend library resources to schools, teachers, and students in communities across Texas. An education specialist from the LBJ Library can travel to your school, school district, or education service region to provide:

• Professional development for teachers (TEA CPE Provider)
• Educational programming for students
• TEKS-aligned lesson plans and resources

Topics include, but are not limited to, the presidency, civil rights, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, and the 1964 election. All costs associated with bringing an LBJ Library education specialist to your site will be covered if any of the following qualifications are met:

• Title I school
• Over 50% of students qualify for free and reduced lunch
• Rural school or community

Request a specialist today. For questions about the LBJ Library Education Outreach Program, please contact Education Specialist Mallory Lineberger at [email protected].

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Special Programming

Liberty! Equality! and Fireworks!

Update, Jan. 25, 2019: The February 2019 performances have been canceled due to the library's closure during the federal government shutdown.

The Pollyanna Theatre Company returns to the LBJ Auditorium in February 2019 with Liberty! Equality! and Fireworks!, a powerful production that takes a new generation of theatergoers into the world of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement. The action is set in a history museum where the play's characters, a group of 4th-grade students (portrayed by adult professional actors), experience key elements of our national history when iconic images from that period come to life. These characters entertain and enlighten, taking children on a fascinating journey through history.

The play was written as a commission by award-winning playwright Gregory Perrin for the Pollyanna Theatre Company. It is intended for students in grades 3-7. There are performances during the week (February 13-15, 2019) for school groups to attend as well as a free show on Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019, for the public.

Explore UT

The University of Texas at Austin hosts a campus-wide open house every year. This year, Explore UT will take place on Saturday, March 2 and admission will be free to all. Learn more.

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Curriculum Resources

Professional Development

The LBJ Library is certified by the Texas Education Agency as a provider of Continuing Education Credits (CEU) for Texas educators. Our workshops are open to educators and feature primary sources from our document, photo, and museum archival holdings. The workshops are created with teachers in mind, with goals to help educators expand their curriculum and develop their own skills in research and primary source work. Workshops can be arranged at any point during the year on a weekday when the museum is open to the public, in addition to pre-scheduled workshops.

Contact an Education Specialist for more information.

Upcoming Workshops

• March 8. Inside the Executive Mansion: 200 Years of White House History, hosted by the White House Historical Association. Learn more.
• June 10-13. Why Women Organize, four-day summer institute. Learn more.

National History Day

Created as a way to encourage students to engage in historical thinking, National History Day is a nationwide project-based contest for middle and high school students. The LBJ Library and the National Archives support the year-long National History Day competition. The format allows students to pick a topic within a broad theme to analyze and conduct research. Stay tuned for the 2019 CenTex Regional History Fair date.

With our extensive holdings, the LBJ Library provides primary sources, available in-person and some online, to enhance students' NHD research and projects.

For more information about how to start your research, click here. 
For more information about the regional, state, and national fairs, click here.

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