Visitor Center at Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site

GENERAL INFORMATION

The Visitor Center building at Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site is a separate structure from the Ansley Wilcox House where Roosevelt was inaugurated on September 14, 1901, after President William McKinley was assassinated while visiting the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo. The Visitor Center was built in 2008-09 on the location of a former carriage house that was torn down in the 1930s. The front of the building blends nicely with the Wilcox House façade facing Delaware Avenue (white-painted brick), while the back where visitors enter the building is natural brick. It is connected to the Wilcox House by elevator and stairs.

Visitor Center at Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site (right) and the back of the Ansley Wilcox House

OPERATING HOURS

The Visitor Center is open daily, with weekday hours from 9 AM to 5 PM and weekend hours from 11 AM to 5 PM. Keep in mind that times can always change, so be sure to get the latest schedule on the TR Inaugural Site’s Plan Your Visit web page.

AMENITIES

• Information desk where you can ask questions and pick up a park brochure
• Purchase tickets for a guided tour of the Wilcox House
• Pan-American Exposition exhibit
• Room on the second floor available for private events (rental fee)
• Souvenir and bookstore
• Restrooms

Information desk inside the Visitor Center at Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site

PAN-AMERICAN EXPOSITION EXHIBIT

Pan-American Exposition exhibit inside the Visitor Center at Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site

While waiting for your guided tour of the Wilcox House next door, be sure to check out the interesting exhibit on the Pan-American Exposition that was held in Buffalo, New York, from May 1st through November 2, 1901. The exposition was designed to be similar to a World’s Fair, only it focused on technological and artistic accomplishments of countries from North, Central, and South America. The big attraction was that all the buildings were lit up at night by Thomas Edison’s new electric light. The exposition is the reason why President William McKinley was visiting Buffalo when he was shot by Leon Czolgosz on September 6th at the Temple of Music.

There is not a lot of information on the history or background of the Pan-American Exposition, for the exhibit is more so designed to give modern-day visitors an idea of what it was like to have been there. The exhibit if full of photographs of the buildings, events, and promotional materials created for the Exposition, and playing throughout the room are carnival sounds and music to help recreate the atmosphere of excitement.

Food and refreshments information at the Pan-American Exposition exhibit inside the Visitor Center at Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site

Visitors can watch old movies shot at the Pan-American Exposition on a hand-cranked kinetoscope and play a game answering questions to see where they fall in the hierarchy of business society. With the coming of the American industrial revolution, being a successful businessman was the most desired position in life.

Kinetoscope on display at the Pan-American Exposition exhibit inside the Visitor Center at Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site

Captains of Industry game at the Pan-American Exposition exhibit inside the Visitor Center at Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site

The Pan-American Exposition exhibit is open anytime the Visitor Center is open, so if you are called to take your tour and haven’t finished exploring everything, you can come back to the exhibit afterwards. It’s actually not that big, and you can read everything and play around with the kinetoscope and Captains of Industry game in about twenty minutes.

Pan-American Exposition exhibit inside the Visitor Center at Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site

The guided tour of the Wilcox House actually begins at the Pan-American Exposition exhibit, though you won’t be repeating yourself if you just spent time there. One of the wall panels is actually a giant TV screen, and the tour begins with a video about the Exposition and McKinley’s assassination. The video only shows at the start of each tour. At other times, a slideshow of photographs is shown on the screen.

EVENT VENUE

On the second floor of the Visitor Center is a large room that can be rented for private events. For more information, see the TR Inaugural Site’s Plan Your Private Event web page.

Room available for private events at the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site Visitor Center

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