The permanent exhibits

The galleries run roughly in the order of a career: Young Jack, the 1960 presidential election, the inauguration, JFK Meets the Press and the Peace Corps, then a White House corridor of gifts from heads of state, a recreated Oval Office, Robert Kennedy's attorney general office, a gallery on First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, the state visit to Europe and Lift Off!, on the space program. Among the objects on display is a moon rock collected on Apollo 15 in 1971.

The pavilion

The glass pavilion is the building's great open room, 80 feet square at the floor, with a 45-by-26-foot American flag hung inside. Photography is encouraged throughout the museum unless a wall label says otherwise.

Café and practicalities

The JFK Café seats 45, looks across Boston Harbor to the skyline, and serves drinks, snacks, salads, soups and sandwiches from 10 a.m. Security works as it does at any federal building, with a metal detector and a strict limit on bag size, so leave backpacks and luggage at the hotel. The archives' research room is a separate, appointment-only service for researchers.

Sources: JFK Library, about, fast facts, hours and admission, getting here, dining, visiting FAQ, permanent exhibits. Checked September 27, 2026.