Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum

JE Dunn is constructing the new Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in Medora, North Dakota. Set to open in July 2026, the new 96,000-square-foot facility sits on 92 acres and will include approximately 40,000 square feet of permanent and temporary exhibit spaces, as well as a large, 300-seat auditorium.

The structure is a combination of structural steel and mass timber. A walkable, glulam timber and cross-laminated timber roof support a concrete topping, roofing and insulation, and 20” of soil and native grass plantings. The building envelope is primarily wood rain screen and wood curtainwall.

To honor the conservation legacy of Theodore Roosevelt and uphold the three pillars of leadership, citizenship, and conservation, the building is striving for LEED Platinum, SITES certification, and Living Building Challenge full certification. The building aims to create a special connection with the site to inspire visitors, and encourage everyone’s engagement with nature. The roof is a mass timber, concrete slab with green roof above. Sustainable strategies include rammed earth walls, more than 200 geothermal wells over 300 feet deep, and a solar panel array to support the new facility’s mechanical and electrical systems. Low Carbon concrete is being used for all concrete on the project, and efforts are being made to minimize the embodied carbon in all structural materials.