Ronald Reagan would have been 100 years old on Sunday, February 6, and the nation paused to remember the Dixon, Ill., radio broadcaster who became a Hollywood star, a major force in American politics and the 40th president of the United States.

The Ronald Reagan Centennial featured special programs and celebrations which highlighted the career of a great communicator whose leadership brought an end to the Cold War with Russia and led to freedom of captive nations and a reunited Germany, launched the longest recorded period of peacetime prosperity and greatly advanced the conservative political movement.

Reagan's legacy lives on at his presidential library and museum in Simi Valley, California, which has informed and inspired millions of visitors from around the world since it opened in 1991. The 100-acre site 45 minutes from Los Angeles offers magnificent views of mountains, valleys and the Pacific Ocean. The museum's galleries and exhibits are filled with items of historic and personal significance that chronicle the life and times of Ronald and Nancy Reagan.

Our visit to the library in June of 2009 was a truly memorable experience.

Just inside the main entrance stands a statue of Reagan clad in attire he might have worn on Rancho del Cielo, which he used as a Western White House. Passing through a hall with portraits of all U.S. presidents, we walked through a series of galleries marking various stages of Reagan's life - from his early years to his time as Governor of California and two terms as president.

Highlights of the self-guided tour:
 

Oval Office - An exact replica of the office as it existed during the Reagan administration.
 

Air Force One Pavilion - In this 90,000-foot facility, visitors have the opportunity to go aboard the Boeing 707 used by Reagan and six previous presidents traversing the globe. The pavilion also houses a presidential helicopter and motorcade vehicles.
 

Berlin Wall - A piece of the "Iron Curtain" that for many years separated freedom from oppression serves as a gateway to a reproduction of the White House lawn, including the Rose Garden.
 

The Memorial - In this peaceful setting lies the body of the former president, who was laid to rest on June 11, 2004.



When we had our visit, staff members were talking about plans for extensive renovations to begin in August that required closing of the galleries for about 18 months. The $15 million project added 26,400 square feet of exhibit space and 17 new galleries.

For more information about this outstanding museum and library, go to www.reaganfoundation.org