Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Opens in the North Dakota Badlands on America's 250th Birthday
A new presidential library dedicated to Theodore Roosevelt has opened to the public in Medora, North Dakota, on the 250th anniversary of American independence. The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library is located on the same rugged landscape where Roosevelt transformed from a grieving young New Yorker into a rancher, conservationist, and the 26th president of the United States.
The 96,000-square-foot library and museum, designed by the international firm Snøhetta, is set on a butte at the edge of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. It is the first institution to consolidate Roosevelt's story, previously scattered across the country, in a single location. The building features a sloping, walkable green roof and offers views of the Little Missouri River and the surrounding Badlands.
Inside the library, visitors can explore over 40,000 square feet of immersive galleries designed by Local Projects, which trace Roosevelt's journey from his boyhood specimen collection to his presidency and final expeditions. The exhibition includes 142 original Roosevelt artifacts, such as the diary in which he documented the loss of his mother and wife on the same day in 1884. Outside, a mile-long boardwalk connects the campus to the National Park and the Maah Daah Hey Trail.
The library focuses on three central themes: leadership, citizenship, and conservation. It aims to engage visitors by inviting them to contemplate questions Roosevelt faced throughout his life. Roosevelt's legacy is reinforced through a quote from a 1910 address he delivered in Paris: "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena..." The library encourages visitors to actively participate in their communities.
In alignment with Roosevelt's conservation values, the building is designed to be the only carbon-neutral presidential library in the world. It is pursuing the Living Building Challenge, along with LEED Platinum and SITES Platinum certifications. The structure incorporates mass timber and rammed earth, and about 400,000 native plants have been planted across the 93-acre campus.
The library's construction was funded by private donations from supporters throughout North Dakota and beyond. Edward F. O'Keefe, the library's CEO, emphasized the significance of the location in Roosevelt's story, stating, "This is a place where Roosevelt's story isn't behind glass — it's all around you." The library will officially open to the public on July 4, 2026, with further information available at trlibrary.com.