"The Grip-O-Meter is currently out of order."

George W. Bush Museum

Dallas, Texas

Southern Methodist University bulldozed 24 acres of old student housing to clear a spot for President G.W. Bush's $250 million library and museum, second in size only to Ronald Reagan's. Artifacts include a 17-foot-tall, two-ton twisted piece of steel from the World Trade Center; the bullhorn that Bush used at Ground Zero three days after the attacks; the jacket worn by Bush during his secret 2003 Thanksgiving turkey dinner in Baghdad; and the pistol taken from Saddam Hussein.

The museum also has an exact, walk-thru replica of the Bush Oval Office (you can pose for snapshots sitting at the desk), and larger than life-size bronze statues of Bush, his presidential dad, and the Scottish terriers Barney and Miss Beazley.

GWB Gift shop: something for every occasion.

Another highlight is the museum's "Decision Points Theater." Visitors are assaulted by footage of breaking news about the invasion of Iraq, the troop surge, Katrina, and the financial crisis, then are offered short videos of advice from actors posing as officials and military top brass. Using touch screens, visitors have to make their own decisions before President Bush pops up to explain the steps that he took. Just in case you thought being President was easy....