All 5 Living Presidents Attend George W. Bush Library Dedication

It was a momentous occasion in Dallas on Thursday, April 25, 2013, when all five living American presidents gathered with their First Ladies for the dedication of the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum. Watch the presidents arrive:

It was made even more rare by the fact that 41 and 43 are father and son. Each President gave a speech but when George H.W. Bush spoke for approximately 30 seconds, he was given an even longer round of applause.

In a speech often laced with humor, George W. Bush dedicated the library “with an unshakable faith in the future of our country. He called it the “honor of a lifetime to lead a country as brave and as noble as the United States.” When he spoke about his his new grandchild, Mila, his daughter, Jenna had tears streaming down her face.

The newly constructed George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum is located on the campus of Southern Methodist University. It contains a historic journey through the Bush’s presidency, from the disputed election to his final days in the White House. via TV clips, interactive screens and artifacts. The display on the 9/11 terrorist attacks contains powerful reminders of what the museum calls the “Day of Fire.”

The bullhorn the president used to speak as he stood amid the wreckage at Ground Zero, vowing to show American justice to the terrorists is part of the display. President Obama said: “As we walk through this library, obviously we are reminded of the incredible strength and resolve that came through that bullhorn as he stood amid the rubble and the ruins of Ground zero promising to deliver justice to those who would destroy our way of life.”

The Bush museum also features a full scale replica of the Oval Office which leads outside to an actual rose garden. There are bronze statues of George W. Bush and George H.W. Bush, standing side by side. There are also many personal items on display, as well as bronze statues of the Bush pets.

The new complex will be opening up to the public in May. It is the third presidential library in Texas. Lyndon B. Johnson’s library at the University of Texas was the first, followed by the George H.W. Bush library at Texas A&M. Texas is now the only state with three presidential libraries.