The peak attendance at the LBJ Library was more than 900,000 in 1976.
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LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY, IMPACT TO THE TEXAS ECONOMY, 2023
811
TOTAL EMPLOYMENT
$81.9 Million
GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT
$137.1 Million
OUTPUT
$48.5 Million
DISPOSABLE PERSONAL INCOME
Notes: “Total employment” refers to direct and indirect employment; “gross domestic product” refers to the total value of all final goods and services produced in Texas; “output” refers to the total value of all goods and services (final and intermediate) produced in Texas; “disposable personal income” refers to post-tax incomes.
Sources: REMI Model for Texas; Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
| Media | Quantity |
|---|---|
| TEXTUAL RECORDS | 45 million pages |
| PHOTOGRAPHY | 650,000 photos |
| FILM AND VIDEO | 7,500 films / tapes |
| LIBRARY ARTIFACTS | 53,853 artifacts |
| AUDIO | 12,000 hours |
TEXAS
LBJ PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY
The Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library and Museum (LBJ Library) in Austin promotes understanding of the career and presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson as well as broader U.S. history during the 20th century. President Johnson’s legacy includes domestic policy initiatives related to the Great Society and historic events such as the Vietnam War and the passages of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
HISTORY
The LBJ Library, located on the University of Texas at Austin’s (UT) campus, was originally proposed in 1965, following LBJ’s 1964 presidential election victory. Although LBJ attended Southwest Texas State Teachers College (now known as Texas State University) in San Marcos, his deep connections to Austin led him to choose the UT campus. First Lady Claudia Alta Taylor “Lady Bird” Johnson was a graduate of UT, further adding to the appeal of building a library on the UT campus. Although most presidential libraries up until this time were funded through private donations, the LBJ library was unique in that it was funded primarily by a public university. Construction began in fall 1967, with UT funding $15 million of the $18 million needed to construct the library.
The 10-story library features temporary and permanent exhibits including the First Lady’s gallery dedicated to the life and service of Lady Bird Johnson.
LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM ATTENDANCE, FISCALS 2014-2023
View Attendance Data
| Fiscal Year | Value |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 139,026 |
| 2015 | 173,815 |
| 2016 | 154,238 |
| 2017 | 152,583 |
| 2018 | 152,475 |
| 2019 | 145,202 |
| 2020* | 70,225 |
| 2021* | 3,373 |
| 2022 | 84,354 |
| 2023 | 118,885 |
| Total | 1,194,176 |
Note: The U.S. federal government fiscal year runs from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30.
*The Museum was closed to the public for most of the fiscal year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Source: Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library, U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
LBJ FOUNDATION
The foundation manages several programs, including grants, fellowships and endowments, with the most recent being the Willie Nelson Endowment for Uplifting Rural Communities.
The LBJ Library and the foundation offer several lecture series and speaker events throughout the year, often in collaboration with the LBJ School of Public Affairs (LBJ School) and other centers and organizations housed at UT.
The LBJ Library was the first presidential library to create a foundation to oversee the financial aspect of its programming and services, paving the way for other libraries to follow suit.
TEXAS’ THREE PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARIES
Texas is home to three presidential libraries at sites chosen by the presidents to preserve their records, stories and legacies. Part archive and part museum, these landmarks are local treasures with global impact, spurring curiosity, dialogue and informed debate. Each site is a time capsule, providing glimpses of past conflicts and solutions — and even shedding light on future opportunities.
TEXAS’ PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARIES SHOW OUR STATE’S OUTSIZED IMPACT ON THE AMERICAN PRESIDENCY AND HISTORY, SUPPORT THE TEXAS ECONOMY AND SERVE AS MAGNETS FOR CIVICMINDED VISITORS, SCHOLARS AND SPECIAL EVENTS.
And that’s good for Texas.
THIS IS ONE IN A SERIES OF REPORTS THE COMPTROLLER HAS PREPARED ON TEXAS PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARIES. SEE MORE INFORMATION ON TEXAS PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARIES.