FREMONT – President Rutherford B. Hayes will turn 200 on Oct. 4 and the Hayes Presidential Library & Museums is planning a year of events to celebrate.

Events will start with the birthday kickoff weekend, Sept. 30-Oct. 2, with more celebrations on Oct. 4.

On Oct. 1 and 2, visitors can enjoy free admission to the museum and a reduced price on tours of the Hayes Home. Tours on those days will be of the first floor of the home and last about a half hour.

A birthday-themed escape room geared toward families and kids, although all ages are welcome, will be offered Sept. 30 and Oct. 1.

Guests can enjoy a ceremony commemorating President Hayes’ birthday on the Hayes Home verandah and a wreath-laying at his tomb, followed by a birthday reception with cake behind the Hayes Home. Ice cream will be available throughout the ceremonies and reception.

The schedule of events for the kickoff is as follows:

Sept. 30

· 5, 6 and 7 p.m. – Birthday Escape Room – It’s President Rutherford B. Hayes’ 200th birthday, and First Lady Lucy Hayes has hidden his present. Rutherford has 30 minutes to find it, and he needs help. Lucy left clues inspired by the presidential history Rutherford knows and loves, along with a few surprises. With the president busy in meetings all day, it is up to participating teams to uncover the clues and find this hidden, precious gift. This escape room is geared toward kids and families, but all ages are welcome to participate. This escape room lasts a half hour. Each session is limited to 8 people. Tickets are $10 for non-members and $8 for Hayes Presidential members. Tickets are required at https://www.rbhayes.org/events/2022/09/30/events/birthday-escape-room/.

Oct. 1

· 9 a.m.-5 p.m. – Take your picture in the birthday photo booth with President Rutherford and First Lady Lucy Hayes. Free

· 9 a.m.-5 p.m. – Free museum admission and discounted tours of the first floor of the Hayes Home. Tours are offered every 15 minutes starting at 9:30 a.m. The last tour leaves at 4:30 p.m. Museum admission is free. Hayes Home tickets are $10 for adults ages 19 and older, $8 for teens 13-18, $5 for kids ages 6-12 and free for kids 5 and younger. Members are admitted for free. Tickets and member reservations can be made at https://www.rbhayes.org/visit-us/visitor-information/ or at the museum front desk the days of the tours, pending availability.

· 9 a.m.-5 p.m. – Scavenger hunt for kids on the grounds of Spiegel Grove. Kids can pick up the scavenger hunt at the museum front desk. Free

· 9 a.m.-5 p.m. – Hands-on activities for kids in the education lab in the lower level of the museum. Included with regular admission; members admitted for free.

· 10 a.m. – Tree tour of Spiegel Grove, the 25-acre estate of President Rutherford and First Lady Lucy Hayes and an official arboretum. Tickets for non-members are $10 for adults, $7 for kids 6-18 and free for kids 5 and younger. Tickets for members are free, but members must make a reservation. Tickets and reservations are available at https://www.rbhayes.org/events/2022/10/01/events/tree-tour-of-spiegel-grove/ or at the museum front desk the day of the event, pending availability.

· 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. – Birthday Escape Room – Tickets are available at https://www.rbhayes.org/events/2022/09/30/events/birthday-escape-room/

Oct. 2

· Noon-5 p.m. – Take your picture in the birthday photo booth with President Rutherford and First Lady Lucy Hayes. Free

· Noon to 5 p.m. – Free museum admission and discounted tours of the first floor of the Hayes Home. Tours are offered every 15 minutes starting at 12:30 p.m. The last tour leaves at 4:30 p.m. Museum admission is free. Hayes Home tickets are $10 for adults ages 19 and older, $8 for teens 13-18, $5 for kids ages 6-12 and free for kids 5 and younger. Members are admitted for free. Tickets and member reservations can be made online at https://www.rbhayes.org/visit-us/visitor-information/ or at the museum front desk the days of the tours, pending availability.

· 12:45 p.m. – Ice cream will be available. Live music begins.

· 1 p.m. – Birthday ceremony featuring live music and talks by dignitaries begins on the Verandah, followed by the wreath-laying ceremony at Hayes’ tomb. Free

· 2 p.m. – Wreath-laying ceremony at Hayes’ tomb. Military representatives sent by President Joe Biden will speak and lay a wreath at the presidents’ tomb for his birthday. Hayes Presidential Executive Director Christie Weininger also will speak. A military bugler will play “Taps” and veterans will give a gun salute. Free

· 2:30 p.m. – Birthday reception behind the Hayes Home. Enjoy cake and festivities. Free

Oct. 4

· 7:30 a.m. – Sunrise tree and grounds tour highlighting Hayes. Afterward, a light breakfast will be served on the Verandah. Tickets are $12 per person for non-members and $8 per person for members. Tickets are available at https://www.rbhayes.org/events/2022/10/04/events/sunrise-grounds-tour/

· 9 a.m.-5 p.m. – Birthday treats in the lobby. Free

· 9 a.m.-5 p.m. – Take your picture in the birthday photo booth. Free

· 9 a.m.-5 p.m. – Anyone whose birthday is Oct. 4 receives free admission. Site passes purchased in-person for adults, which include a tour of the Hayes Home, are reduced to $18.22 in honor of Hayes’ birth year.

Additional events, including an inaugural ball, musical performances and a performance of the play “Looking Over the Presidents’ Shoulder,” to commemorate the president’s birthday are being planned.

Signature events that take place annually, such as the Civil War Winter Camp and History Roundtable with Mike Gilbert, also will incorporate aspects to commemorate Hayes’ milestone birthday.

Second Saturdays R 4 Kids, a free kids’ event that takes place on the second Saturday of each month, already have started the celebration. Throughout the year, kids have completed hands-on activities, while learning about different aspects of Hayes’ life.

A Hayes Family reunion is also being planned. The last reunion hosted by Hayes Presidential was in 2016 for the institution’s centennial.

For updates, visit rbhayes.org/rbh200.

Hayes Presidential is America’s first presidential library and the forerunner of the federal presidential library system. It is partially funded by the state of Ohio and affiliated with the Ohio History Connection. Hayes Presidential is located at Spiegel Grove at the corner of Hayes and Buckland avenues.

For information, call 419-332-2081, or visit rbhayes.org.