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William McKinley Presidential Library and Museum facts for kids

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William McKinley Presidential Library and Museum
William McKinley Presidential Library and Museum Logo.jpg
William McKinley Presidential Library and Museum 02 (37053630725).jpg
General information
Location Canton, Ohio, United States
Coordinates 40°48′23.08″N 81°23′33.06″W / 40.8064111°N 81.3925167°W / 40.8064111; -81.3925167
Named for William McKinley
Management Stark County Historical Society

The William McKinley Presidential Library and Museum is a special place. It's like a big scrapbook and history book all about William McKinley. He was the 25th U.S. President.

This museum is in Canton, Ohio. This is where McKinley lived and worked for many years. He was a lawyer, a congressman, and even the governor of Ohio before becoming president. The Stark County Historical Society runs the museum. It sits near the McKinley National Memorial, a monument built in his honor.

The museum has the biggest collection of items from William McKinley's life. You can learn all about him, from when he was born to the end of his life. There's also an exhibit about how the McKinley National Memorial was built. You can also learn about the sad story of the McKinleys' home in Canton. It was destroyed by a fire in 1937.

The museum also has a cool science center. It features exhibits on wildlife and fossils. There's a special area called the Keller Gallery for temporary exhibits. Plus, you can enjoy a show at the planetarium! Because of the science center, if you become a member, you might get into other museums across the U.S. The museum also shows off other cool things from the city of Canton. Many volunteers help keep the museum running smoothly. Kimberly Kenney is the current curator.

Explore the Planetarium

The Hoover-Price Planetarium is a star-gazing wonder. It opened in July 1963. You can find it inside the McKinley Presidential Library & Museum. It's also right next to the McKinley National Memorial.

A man named Richard Emmons (1919-2005) helped design this planetarium. He was an engineer who loved space. He even had an asteroid named after him: Asteroid 5391 Emmons!

The main projector in the planetarium is a Spitz Model A-3-P. Mr. Emmons made it even better. He added 1,500 more stars to the show! The dome, which is like the screen for the stars, is 7.2 meters wide. It's made of special aluminum. The planetarium also has 60 other projectors. These can show you things like solar eclipses, meteors, and even the Milky Way galaxy!

The planetarium was built with money from two families. They were the Hoover family and Mr. and Mrs. Harley C. Price. That's why it's called the Hoover-Price Planetarium. It hasn't changed much since 1964. They did add some new projectors and a computer to make images. Richard Emmons' son, Thomas Emmons, helps keep the planetarium working. David L. Richards is the current director.

Research at Ramsayer Library

The museum also has a special library. It's called the "Ramsayer Research Library." This library holds all the important papers and records about President McKinley. It's located in the South Wing of the building.

See Also

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