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.

Immersive Classroom Experiences

Note: We are not offering immersive classroom experiences for PreK-12 student groups this 2019-2020 school year. Our Introduction to Holdings experience is only available to college and university groups.

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 2019-2020 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

How Miss Lady Bird Changed America

Performed by the Pollyanna Theatre Company, How Miss Lady Bird Changed America will soft open at the LBJ Presidential Library on Sept. 25th through the 27th, with two performances, 9:45 and 11:45 a.m., each day. Performances are open to school groups in the 2nd-12th grade classes. To attend, please contact the Pollyanna Theatre Company for ticket information.

If your school group has received attendance confirmation from Pollyanna, we invite you to tour our exhibitions while your group is at the library. Reserve your spot today.

Liberty! Equality! and Fireworks!

The Pollyanna Theatre Company returns to the LBJ Auditorium annually to perform 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. 

Stay tuned for the 2020 performance dates.

Explore UT

The University of Texas at Austin hosts a campus-wide open house every year. Stay tuned for the 2020 date.

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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.

Past 2019 Workshops

• June 10-13, 2019. Why Women Organize, four-day summer institute. View photos.
• June 25, 2019. Discover the 1960s through Primary Sources at the LBJ Presidential Library, one-day workshop. View photos.
• March 8, 2019. Inside the Executive Mansion: 200 Years of White House History, one-day workshop. View photos.

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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