The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Will Be a Stunning Tribute to Nature in North Dakota

One of the first champions of environmental conservation (and our 26th president) is getting a library that perfectly fits his legacy.

Theodore Roosevelt is well-known for his work to preserve some of the United States most beautiful, natural environments. Not only did he establish the United States Forest Service, he also set aside millions of acres of federal land exclusively for national parks and nature preserves.

Now, the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library will honor the former president’s work by being designed and built so it practically blends in with the natural environment around it in Medora, North Dakota, according to Dezeen.

Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta has been chosen to create this unique presidential library, Dezeen reported. It’s design includes a curved roof that looks like an extension of the gently sloped hills of the North Dakota buttes, curved pathways that connect to Maah Daah Hey Trail, and will be built with sustainable materials and powered by renewable energy.

“One of Theodore Roosevelt's most enduring legacies is conservation and our national parks," said Theodore Roosevelt V, his great-great-grandson, to Dezeen. "It will invite visitors to see and experience the very cradle of conservation. That is why this location in North Dakota is perfect for the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library.”

The library will also feature sweeping views of the landscape, including Theodore Roosevelt National Park and Elkhorn Ranch, Theodore Roosevelt’s former dude ranch, Dezeen reported. There are also plans to connect to the Missouri River and the old train station where Roosevelt stopped when he visited the area.

Once complete, it will join the 14 other presidential libraries (one of which is still under construction), according to Dezeen. These institutions serve as museums and archives dedicated to the life and work of each president they’re named after. Other presidents that have been honored with their own libraries include Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, and Herbert Hoover.