23 Jun JFK at 100 – Take a Photo Tour
John F. Kennedy’s words inspired not only his generation but continue to inspire generations of people around the globe. How did he become a man so committed to public service? How does his legacy live on? What role did Cape Cod play in shaping his personality?
John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917. Although he lived only 46 of the past 100 years, he continues to be quoted constantly by world leaders. Thousands of public facilities have been named in his honor.
His visions for space travel, civil rights, and nuclear non-proliferation remain a guiding force for how the John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum has approached these contemporary topics with its JFK at 100: Life & Legacy exhibition, which considers how President Kennedy influenced the full hundred years after his birth – not just the first 46 years he was with us.
This exhibition, which has attracted worldwide attention and visitors from as far away as Asia, begins by telling John F. Kennedy’s story from childhood through election day, when he was known to family and friends as Jack. It tells a story through a carefully curated collection of photographs, many rarely seen: candid shots taken by friends and family; studio, magazine and newspaper photos; stills from television and video. Many of the images include Jack and his friends and family enjoying themselves at the Cape, their refuge from their busy schedules and the place Jack always considered home.
The journey continues through Kennedy’s White House years, including fascinating artifacts from Inauguration Day and stunning photos of Jacqueline Kennedy. Other photos will give important glimpses into the President’s life in Hyannis Port, known as the Summer White House.
The Legacy years feature the careers of his brothers Bobby and Ted and his lasting influence on space travel, the Peace Corps, advocacy for children with intellectual disabilities, and of course the Cape Cod National Seashore.
Visitors to leave with a better sense of Jack Kennedy, the private person, and President John F. Kennedy, influential world leader, and to understand the deep and lasting influence of Cape Cod on the man and his ideas.
Take a photo tour below, with your guide, Museum Director John Allen, to get just a small taste of the experience when you visit the JFK Hyannis Museum in downtown Hyannis. You can click each photograph for a more up close and personal viewing.
Click here for more details about the museum and directions. Beyond its extraordinary insights, the exhibition extracts great emotions, as families spanning generations share this incredible legacy whose roots are right here on Cape Cod.