First, a clarification: a Presidential Library is not a bookstore — a classic English false friend for Italian speakers — nor simply a conventional library. In the United States, it is an institution dedicated to preserving and promoting a President’s legacy and the history of his administration.

That distinction helps explain why the new Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library (TRPL), inaugurated on July 4 during the United States’ 250th Anniversary celebrations, is emerging as a destination for travelers exploring the country’s vast range of attractions.

Designed by the architecture firm Snøhetta, the building combines functionality with a form inspired by its natural surroundings, a landscape that helped shape Theodore Roosevelt’s character.

The library stands on the western edge of North Dakota, near the southern section of Theodore Roosevelt National Park and its badlands. The nearby town of Medora caters largely to visitors to the park and now, the library. Just beyond the town, the building’s undulating profile rises from the prairie.

The complex comprises two large pavilions whose wood, stone and vegetation echo the landscape’s yellow and ochre tones. One houses the auditorium, archives and research facilities; the other contains the main visitor spaces.

Why travel deep into the Great Plains, following in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark, the explorers Thomas Jefferson sent west to survey the country, to visit a Presidential library?

The answer has two parts. First, Roosevelt’s record includes positions and actions that look different through today’s eyes, but his contribution to environmental conservation remains significant.

During his Presidency, from 1901 to 1909, Roosevelt placed 93 million hectares of American land under federal protection, created five national parks, signed the Antiquities Act, established the U.S. Forest Service and set aside the first federal bird reservations. His approach to wildlife management continues to influence American conservation policy.

The Library seeks to extend that legacy through its sustainability goals, landscaping with native plants, connection to Theodore Roosevelt National Park and network of outdoor walking trails.

The second reason to visit is the interactive experience inside the visitor pavilion. Digital technology and artificial intelligence bring Roosevelt’s life and the issues of his era into the present.

Visitors begin by wearing a wooden, watch-like device containing a chip and taking a selfie. The system then places them in different settings and allows them to interact with historical characters.

Activities include helping drive a herd of cattle, as Roosevelt did as a rancher; speaking with a hologram of the former President; listening to stories around a simulated campfire; and taking part in election campaigns. Visitors must also weigh decisions involving tariffs, monopolies and environmental protection.

At the end, each visitor becomes a “star,” positioned on a large wall resembling a night sky according to the choices made and experiences encountered. The installation conveys a central idea: “Everyone has a place and a purpose in life and in history.”

The experience explores political, environmental, social and cultural questions that remain relevant across generations and countries.

A basic knowledge of English is enough to follow much of the presentation. Images and sound are central to the experience, alongside scent: the aromas of prairie plants, including sage, help evoke the surrounding landscape.

The bookstore is relatively small, suggesting that merchandise is not the institution’s main commercial focus. The café may need to expand if the library reaches its projected 200,000 annual visitors.

Outside, a terrace overlooks the North Dakota sky. Visitors can walk along a paved path across the roof and follow a roughly one-kilometer trail around the complex.

As the sun sets over the prairie, the landscape offers a final connection between Roosevelt’s legacy and the place where it took shape.