Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum - Museum in West Branch - 210 Parkside Dr, USA

Beautiful place to see the grounds and burial place of one of our presidents! Unfortunately we didn’t tour the museum because it was just a little too much per ticket. We did however visit the gift shop located inside! Lots of neat little things to choose from for your souvenir purchases!

I haven't visited a Presidential Library yet that has disappointed, and this one is no exception. A lot to learn, especially given the way President Hoover has been treated by some historians and media folks. You'll leave with a whole new perspective on this great man, and you'll understand why the All In The Family theme song says "Mister we could use a man like Herbert Hoover again." Kudos to the staff, friendly and very knowledgeable. An all-around terrific experience.

History matters. Beautiful museum maintained by the National Park Service. Don’t let the feds scare you - this is a beautiful tribute to a President who despite his flaws represents what a boy from Iowa can achieve.

The grounds and artifacts are beautifully maintained. The documentary was a good length and very interesting. The staff was very friendly. This museum is a gem of the Midwest.

The museum is pretty small for $10. You can watch a 23 min video that basically tells you what is on all of the plaques in the museum. They try to incorporate items from the time period and less actual presidential items owned by Hoover. They could use some cleaning up as there is a dead bug on one of the books that clearly should not be there. They currently have a depressing Russian famine exhibit as well. They buildings from Hoover's childhood are free to go into. You can walk to the gravesite or drive pretty close and park, depending on the number of visitors. They say "up a hill" but it's not so bad. The staff is very friendly and likes to talk, but she didn't seem to up to date with the actual exhibits when questioned.

The museum does a wonderful job helping you get the full picture of who Hoover was. Lots of details outside of his Presidency. If you enjoy history, plan to spend several hours here. His gravesite is beautifully located and on the grounds. Some original and similar historical buildings from his childhood are within a short walk.

I came through August 19th 2020, very possibly the worst time to visit in recent history. It was COVID so most everything was shut down. Then they just had the terrible derecho so a great number of trees has been taken down by the winds. Some very majestic trees toppled, what a mess. The staff was friendly. I visited the period make shift town and some of the out buildings. was able to enter the replica boyhood home. I thought the final resting place of President and Mrs. Hoover was very elegant and stately, it was beautiful. The grounds were well kept and manicured around the final resting place. So terrible some of the great trees were now gone however. There is a shelter build out back by the boy scouts. There is a good private restroom there. I was able to take a longer walk through the prairie like young Hoover must have. A very pretty place which helped keep President Hoover Grounded. My great great relative was his Secretary of War. Update, August 20th, 2022. Made it back through West Branch and visited again. Got in the Presidential Library and was blown away by the exhibit. What a great humanitarian Mr. Hoover was. Got a better view of his final resting place. The grounds looked so much better since the derecho. Storm. The staff was really friendly. I totally recommend any presidential home, library, or burial place. I have visited almost 20 other presidential sites since visiting here in August 2020. Highly recommend stopping here.

The museum gives a great overview of Hoover's life from start to finish. I suggest starting with the 22 minute video presentation in the auditorium before venturing into the exhibits. It serves as a nice primer before you dig into the details. No matter your political leanings, Hoover's personal story is fascinating and includes so much more than the singular event he is often associated with. Hoover and his wife Lou Henry are also buried on the grounds. The current standard admission is $10 and the staff I interacted with were very helpful.