Oval Office
The Clinton Library Oval Office is a full-size replica of the Clinton-era Oval Office in the White House. It was designed by Kaki Hockersmith. Hockersmith paid great attention to detail, even to the extent of taking a cutting from the ivy hanging over the original Oval Office fireplace and placing it in the replica exhibit.
Other presidential libraries also have replicas of the Oval Office from their respective historical times, but none of them are full sized. The Clinton Library Oval Office is also the first to feature natural lighting, a demand placed on Polshek Partnership - the architects of the Clinton Library - by Bill Clinton. Next to Clinton's original sketch of the Oval Office replica he wrote, "To my patient architects - with thanks for tolerating my obsessions."
The Oval Office is decorated with a navy blue rug and gold drapes. A replica statue of Will Rogers by Jo Davidson sits on a bookshelf in the Oval Office. The original statue is located in the Claremore Will Rogers Museum. Clinton had the sculpture on prominent display in his Arkansas Governor's Office and in the White House Oval Office. He received the statue at the National Governor Conference at Shangri La on Grand Lake.
References
- Cathleen McGuigan, "Bill's New Bridge," Newsweek, September 13, 2004.
