About Richard Nixon Presidential Library (California)
Learn about the story of President Nixon's life and career at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, the twelfth Library to join the Federal government's system of Presidential Libraries. While the Museum is located in Yorba Linda, California, the collections of the Nixon Library are located in two facilities - one in Yorba Linda, California, and the other in College Park, Maryland. Despite the separation, the two facilities are a single institution sharing one director. Under the authority of the 1974 Presidential Recordings and Materials Preservation Act, the Nixon Library (a part of the National Archives and Records Administration) maintains the records of the Nixon administration, including secretly recorded conversations between President Nixon and his advisers, official files, audiovisual materials, and other collections of documents and materials that have been donated. Located on the citrus ranch that President Nixon's father owned nearly a century ago, the Nixon Library and Museum in Yorba Linda features artifacts ranging from a Moon rock (retrieved by an Apollo lunar mission during the Nixon administration) to the house where President Nixon was born. Other exhibits showcase glittering head of state gifts, elegant gowns, and the president's limousine and helicopter. The Nixon Library in Yorba Linda also periodically hosts speakers and authors to discuss their works, American history, and the presidency, among many other topics. While the Nixon Library in Yorba Linda principally holds papers from the pre-presidential period, including the vice-presidential era, and from the post-presidency, the College Park, Md., office holds the bulk of the presidential papers, including the recordings of presidential conversations (the "White House tapes") and other audiovisual materials. The College Park office of the Nixon Library has no exhibit galleries or museum space.
How to Get There
From DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES: Go south on Interstate 5 to Highway 91. Take Highway 91 east to Highway 57. Take Highway 57-North and exit Yorba Linda Boulevard. Head east (turn right) on Yorba Linda Boulevard and proceed to the Museum at 18001 Yorba Linda Boulevard. From LOS ANGELES AIRPORT (LAX): Take Sepulveda to Interstate 105-East to Interstate 605-South to Highway 91-East to Highway 57-North and exit Yorba Linda Boulevard. Head east (turn right) on Yorba Linda Boulevard and proceed to the Museum at 18001 Yorba Linda Boulevard. From SAN DIEGO: Go north on Interstate 5 to Highway 57. Take Highway 57-North and exit Yorba Linda Boulevard. Head east (turn right) on Yorba Linda Boulevard and proceed to the Museum at 18001 Yorba Linda Boulevard. From ANAHEIM: Take Katella Avenue to Highway 57. Take Highway 57-North and exit Yorba Linda Boulevard. Head east (turn right) on Yorba Linda Boulevard and proceed to the Museum at 18001 Yorba Linda Boulevard. From JOHN WAYNE AIRPORT (SNA): Head north on Highway 55. Merge onto Highway 91 and exit at Imperial Highway. Turn left and go north on Imperial Highway and proceed to Yorba Linda Boulevard. Turn left and proceed to Museum at 18001 Yorba Linda Boulevard. From RIVERSIDE and SAN BERNARDINO: take Highway 91 to Imperial Highway. Go north on Imperial Highway and proceed to Yorba Linda Boulevard. Turn left and proceed to Museum at 18001 Yorba Linda Boulevard.
Driving directions (Google Maps) →Plan Your Visit to Richard Nixon Presidential Library (California)
Heading to Richard Nixon Presidential Library (California)? A few things to know before you go:
- Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
- Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
- Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
- Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
- Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a reservation for Richard Nixon Presidential Library (California)?
No central reservation system listed for Richard Nixon Presidential Library (California). Check the official page (https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/223022) for the latest entry policy and availability.
How do I get to Richard Nixon Presidential Library (California)?
From DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES: Go south on Interstate 5 to Highway 91. Take Highway 91 east to Highway 57. Take Highway 57-North and exit Yorba Linda Boulevard. Head east (turn right) on Yorba Linda Boulevard and proceed to the Museum at 18001 Yorba Linda Boulevard. From LOS ANGELES AIRPORT (LAX): Take Sepulveda to Interstate 105-East to Interstate 605-South to Highway 91-East to Highway 57-North and …
How do I contact Richard Nixon Presidential Library (California)?
You can reach the park at phone: 714-983-9120 or email: nixon@nara.gov.
References & Official Resources
