It’s the most visited museum on the Central and South Coasts, attracting visitors from around the world since it opened nearly 30 years ago. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley has hosted world leaders, presidential debates, and is the final resting place of President Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan.
The library has been temporarily closed before - by brush fires and in response to events like 9/11 - but nothing like what’s happened as a result of coronavirus. It's been closed for more than six months by the pandemic.
Melissa Giller is the Chief Marketing Officer for the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation. She says the library normally attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors a year, and regularly hosted special events.
Now, the library is offering up some of its special events online, and also hosts regular behind-the-scenes virtual tours.
In addition to the museum’s permanent exhibitions and Air Force One, the library is known for its special exhibitions. Its most recent featured Egyptian artifacts, and was up and running when the coronavirus crisis hit. It's since been removed.
Another exhibit is in the works for when the museum reopens, highlighting the FBI.
Giller says while they don’t know when the presidential library will be allowed to reopen, they are hoping to be back in action October 1st. If that happens, they would open the new FBI exhibition in November.
