Committed to preserving and advancing the legacy of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, the Roosevelt Institute supports and promotes the Roosevelts’ inspiring message of hope, resilience, and visionary change. From FDR’s New Deal—which included the Social Security Act that created unemployment and disability insurance and ensured a baseline of retirement security for Americans—to Eleanor Roosevelt’s pioneering work on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Roosevelts’ accomplishments have shaped the very fabric of our nation and are still vital today.
The Roosevelt Institute is the nonprofit partner to the National Archives-run Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum, the nation’s first presidential library. The Roosevelt Institute provides financial support for the library and museum in areas that the federal government cannot, including special exhibits, education, and public programs.
“Democracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely. The real safeguard of democracy, therefore, is education…to prepare each citizen to choose wisely and to enable him to choose freely are paramount functions of the schools in a democracy.”
— Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum Annual Reports
The Roosevelt Institute is the nonprofit partner of the FDR Library and Museum. In this capacity, the Institute raises money that benefits Library programs, including special exhibits, community events, membership programming, school group transportation and educational staff for school field trips, to name a few. The Roosevelt Institute Annual Report for the FDR Library and Museum is a snapshot of each year’s programs, initiatives, engagement, and resources provided to the public.
See the Roosevelts’ impact through the eyes of the Library’s dedicated supporters.
My Favorite Things: Roosevelt Edition Opens in new window
Library and Museum Permanent Exhibits
Permanent exhibits tell the story of the Roosevelt presidency—beginning in the depths of the Great Depression and continuing through the New Deal and World War II—and emphasize both Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt’s relationship with the American people. Special interactive exhibits, immersive audiovisual theaters, and rarely seen artifacts bring the Roosevelt era to life, delivering a “New Deal to a New Generation.”
Franklin D Roosevelt Presidential Library, Location: Hyde Park NY, Architect: EYPArchitecture & Engineering
Special Exhibits
The museum hosts a new exhibition each year; previous exhibits have commemorated the 75th anniversary of D-Day, explored Pearl Harbor, featured the World War II posters that helped shape American thought, and grappled head-on with more challenging aspects of FDR’s presidency, including the internment of Japanese Americans—viewed today as a serious violation of civil liberties.
Public Programs
A vibrant public program schedule highlights a rich array of subject matter about the Roosevelts. Reading festivals, lectures, book talks, and a Family Fun Day fill the Roosevelt calendar, and thousands of people each year enjoy our many free public offerings. Please check our schedule for upcoming events.
Education Programs
The FDR Library and Museum’s Education Program teaches students about the major historical events of the Roosevelt era and aligns them with current standards of learning. The program offers both onsite and distance learning options. Each year, hundreds of teachers bring more than 24,000 students to Hyde Park to participate in the library’s free Education Programs.
Civics Education
The Civics Education Program was founded in 2017 with the launch of the Goodman Initiative for American Youth. It strives to strengthen our democracy by teaching students the skills to be effective and informed citizen participants.
For information, contact Jeff Urbin at Jeffrey.urbin@nara.gov.
Research and Archives
The digitized collections of the FDR Library can be accessed through FRANKLIN, a virtual research room and digital repository. The library also maintains over 17 million pages of documents that include both Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelts’ papers, as well as those of individuals and organizations associated with the Roosevelts. FRANKLIN hosts over 130,000 photographs, and the library houses an extensive collection of audio and film holdings.
Follow the recent New York Times’s coverage of the Roosevelt Library: “At the Roosevelt Library, an Unflinching Look at Race.”
MUST READ: The @FDRLibrary's newest exhibit signifies a "paradigm shift" in approach to presidential history.
We are so proud to partner with the library, which never shies away from evolving its understanding & telling of history. Via @jennyschuesslerhttps://t.co/OvCUhECsGX
— Roosevelt Institute (@rooseveltinst) August 1, 2023
Roosevelt Institute Staff at the FDR Presidential Library
Lauren Karagianis
Development Manager and Head of Membership, Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential LibraryAs the Development Manager and Head of Membership for the FDR Library Membership, Lauren runs the Library membership program and is focused on raising funds for the FDR Library through multiple channels.
lkaragianis@rooseveltinstitute.org | (845) 486-1970