Sam Rayburn Library and Museum Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Significant dates

Sam Rayburn Library and Museum
U.S. National Register of Historic Places

Sam Rayburn Library in 2018
Sam Rayburn Library and Museum Location in Texas Show map of Texas Sam Rayburn Library and Museum Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	800 W. Sam Rayburn Dr., Bonham, Texas
Area	5.3 acres (2.1 ha)
Built	1957 (1957)
Built by	Carpenter Bros.
Architect	Roscoe DeWitt
Architectural style	Classical Revival
NRHP reference No.	05000386
Added to NRHP	May 6, 2005

The Sam Rayburn Library and Museum is a special place in Bonham, Texas. It's a library, a museum, and a research center all in one! It was built in 1957 for Sam Rayburn, a very important United States Congressman. He holds the record for serving the longest as the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives.

The building was designed by Roscoe DeWitt. It looks like many famous buildings in Washington, DC, with its grand, classic style. Today, the library is part of the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History at the University of Texas at Austin. In 2005, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places, which lists important historical sites.

What is the Sam Rayburn Library?
Gallery
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What is the Sam Rayburn Library?

In 1957, Sam Rayburn opened this library. He wanted it to be like a presidential library, but for a Speaker of the House. Its goal was to keep his memories, books, and special items safe. Former President Harry Truman even came to the opening ceremony!

While other Speakers have libraries named after them, this one is unique. It focuses only on Sam Rayburn's life. It also has a huge collection of documents about the United States Congress. These documents go all the way back to the 1770s!

Building Design and Look

The library building is very strong. It has a steel and concrete frame. Its walls are made of solid brick. The outside is covered with shiny white Georgia marble. It looks a lot like famous buildings in Washington, D.C., such as the White House and the Lincoln Memorial. The bottom part of the building is made of red Texas granite.

Inside the Library

When you first walk in, you'll see the main lobby. It's made of black Italian marble. Originally, a white marble platform, called a rostrum, was here. This rostrum was used in the House of Representatives from 1857 to 1950. A bronze statue of Sam Rayburn stood behind it. In 2012, the rostrum was moved to the main exhibit room.

Speaker's Office Replica

One cool part of the library is an exact copy of Sam Rayburn's office. This office is just like the one he used in Washington, D.C. The furniture in this room was actually in his Speaker's Office from 1907 to 1957!

There's also a fireplace behind the desk. This fireplace was first put in the House of Representatives in 1857. It stayed there for 92 years! It was moved to the library during a renovation of the U.S. Capitol. This office was Rayburn's official workspace when he came home to Bonham.

The chandelier in this office is also very old. It was first in the White House during the Grant administration. Later, President Theodore Roosevelt had it moved to the U.S. Capitol. He thought it made too much noise in the White House!

Explore the Galleries

In the west wing, you'll find two galleries. These are the H.G. Dulaney Gallery and the Rostrum Gallery. They show items from Sam Rayburn's life. You can see things from his childhood all the way to his time as Speaker.

The H.G. Dulaney Gallery has a special white fireplace mantle. This mantle was originally in the Adams Room of the White House. It was removed during a White House renovation in the late 1940s.

The Rostrum Gallery holds the white marble Speaker's rostrum. This is the same platform that stood in the House of Representatives from 1857 to 1950. When the House was updated, the rostrum was given to Sam Rayburn. It's now on display here forever!

The East Wing Library

The east wing has a reading room. Here, researchers and local people can read Sam Rayburn's personal books. They can also look at all the published records of the United States Congress. These go from the First Continental Congress in 1774 to today.

Rayburn's gifts and awards are also shown in the reading room. One amazing gift is a 2,500-year-old Grecian urn. The Greek Palace Guard gave it to him. They thanked him for helping the Kingdom of Greece during the Greek Civil War.