KC ORIGINALS

Wild About Harry.

Harry S. Truman is ours. Born and raised in Missouri, Truman became the 33rd President of the United States after the death of President Franklin Roosevelt, and while he has devotees around the globe, we hold him as close as neighbor or friend. For the last year, the board and staff of the Truman Library Institute and the Truman Library and Museum in Independence have worked to reimagine and renovate the library and museum that honors Truman’s legacy and his contribution to history.

“Harry Truman rose to the occasion, and I think that’s the story that resonates with people,” Kurt Graham, director of the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum says. “The world is a fundamentally different place because this farmer from Missouri ascended to the highest office in the land. The lines on the map are literally different because of him.”

When it was time for the library and museum board and staff to initiate the campaign to update the facilities, they began to consider how to communicate the significance of Truman’s legacy by reimagining the museum. While the primary focus was telling Truman’s story and his historical significance, they were aware, too, of the very personal connection so many people have with Truman.

“People tell me constantly that Truman is their favorite president,” Graham says. “In fact, it is I seldom don’t hear it. People on both the left and the right [politically] are interested in, engaged by, and appreciative of the legacy of Harry Truman.”

While Graham is aware that President Joe Biden is placing a bust of Truman in the Oval Office, he notes that Truman’s legacy is honored on both sides of the aisle.

“Ronald Reagan was a Truman supporter back in the day. George W. Bush said wonderful things about Truman.

Truman went home every night with three-ring binders and read through white papers. He was very informed and he was decisive. I think the way he went about making a decision is what inspires people to hold him in such high regard.”

Graham and his board entered the renovation with the awareness of how significant Truman is to so many people. As they reimagined the library and museum, they began by identifying their priorities.

“The exhibits that were installed 20 years ago had held up very well,” Graham says. “But we know more now. So much has been researched and written. We had the opportunity to tell a better story.”

In addition, they knew that they had the opportunity to enhance the telling of Truman’s legacy through a more compelling physical space.

“We put a new entrance on the backside of the building, so the main entrance is all glass and features the presidential seal. As you walk in, there is a straight line of sight to the inner courtyard where Harry’s and Bess’s gravesites are. There are windows up near the ceiling and natural light floods the space.”

Graham says when he tours the site with people that they are immediately engaged.

“It’s almost cathedral like,” he says. “I always feel as if this entrance is becoming of the legacy of our 33rd president. From the beginning, we wanted to do something so that before people saw an exhibit or read a single label, they would say, ‘Wow, Harry Truman must have mattered.’”

As the board and staff began to approach the renovation, they knew that connecting with a 21st century audience would be different both from a historical perspective and a physical one.

“We now had the opportunity to do justice to Truman’s experience in World War I, his recognition of Israel, and his civil rights record.”

He notes that the Korean conflict, which he says cost Truman both personally and politically, was previously a single panel.

“Now it’s an entire room with interactive media, a film, and a couple of collections that are recent acquisitions that tell the story of the war from the bottom-up perspective that Truman would have appreciated as a soldier.”

While media has its place in the exhibits, the team was careful not to overwhelm visitors with screens. They were well aware that even young children are familiar with swiping and pushing buttons, so they made sure to include tactile interactions along with visual.

“We felt as if swiping for more information at every turn would be as tedious as reading printed cards. So, we have some very hands-on elements where the visitor opens a door or flips a lever to discover something new. There’s a combination of things that make it a ‘wow’ experience.”

A striking example is the 14-foot-tall globe that visitors can walk into and discover the fractured world that Truman had to put back together [following World War II].”

Adam Sachs’s family has been friends with the Truman family for three generations.

“My grandfather and Harry Truman were good friends throughout their adult lives,” Sachs says. “They served in Jackson County government together, and had a shared interest in politics and public service.”

Sachs is a board member of the Truman Library and involved in fundraising for the renovation.

“We were fortunate with the timing of our project. We were able to round up extremely generous support from our benefactors prior to the pandemic, and the museum was already scheduled to be closed for renovations during 2020.

We were very honored that people were willing to open their pockets and support the renovation.”

Sachs thinks the reopening, which is planned for 2021, will be timely.

“The importance of understanding history, and the lessons we can learn by studying the leadership styles of successful Presidents, is perhaps more important now than at any time in our nation’s history. I am hopeful these renovations will help make this history come to light for generations to come.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Patricia O’Dell started the lifestyle blog “Mrs. Blandings” in 2007. Her curiosity led her to write about designers, artists, business owners, and industry leaders. She’s been published in Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Chicago Tribune, Flower magazine, Kansas City Spaces, and The Kansas City Star, as well as archdigest.com and elledecor.com.

INTRODUCING THE NEW LAND ROVER DEFENDER

MSRP FROM $46,100*

The Land Rover Defender story began with the simple thought of creating an exceptionally capable off-road vehicle. Today, the story continues with the New Land Rover Defender. While it builds on the legacy of previous versions, it’s a completely new vehicle. As the toughest and most advanced Land Rover vehicle ever produced, it can confidently take you to some of the most remote places on earth—and back again. Put the new Land Rover Defender to the test at Land Rover Kansas City.

Land Rover Kansas City 9400 W. 65th Street, Merriam, KS 913 677 3300

landroverkansascity.com

Vehicle shown: New 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 with optional equipment. *Price shown is Base Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price. Excludes destination/handling, tax, title, license, retailer fees, all due at signing, and optional equipment. Retailer price, terms and vehicle availability may vary. See your participating Land Rover Retailer for complete details, visit LANDROVERUSA.COM or call 1-800-FIND-4WD / 1-800-346-3493. © 2021 Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC