BOSTON (WHDH) - The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum unveiled a new exhibit, celebrating the history of presidential pets.
Several personal items from past presidents are on display and the exhibit has been years in the making.
“We had to coordinate with so many other presidential libraries, with loan agreements to get the artifacts and photographs here, so it’s about two years of planning to make it happen,” said Alan Price with the JFK Presidential Library and Museum.
Set to open on July 1, the exhibit traces the history of the four-legged residents of the White House.
From working animals, like cows, chickens and sheep, all the way to the first family’s pets in the modern era.
Historians say the exhibit isn’t just a reflection of the presidency, but another way to look at the country’s history.
“So many pets have lived in the white house, what would it be like to learn about American history and presidential history through the lens of all the pets that have lived in the White House?” Price said.
Rare items include things like a navy coat made specifically for President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s beloved Scottie “Fala,” a supersized re-creation of President Barack Obama’s dog “Bo” made entirely of pipe cleaners, and a phot of President Abraham Lincoln’s dog “Fido,” the first documented picture of a “presidential pet.”
Curators say they hope the exhibit can offer visitors a new perspective and offer them a good time as they learn.
“It’s so much fun to go through this exhibit,” said Price. “The cats, the dogs, even Josiah the badger. So many people are going to say ‘wow!’ And just look at the White House and the office of the presidency a little differently, because pets make presidents so much more relatable.”
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