Collection Presidential and First Lady Portraits
Since 1965, the White House Historical Association has been proud to fund the official portraits of our presidents and first ladies,...
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The collection of fine art at the White House has evolved and grown over time. The collection began with mostly presidential portraits, commissioned or purchased by Congress, or donated by presidential descendants. In the era before photography, some presidents invited painters to set up studios in the White House to record significant events and paint their likeness. In the late nineteenth century, a few landscape paintings were acquired for the White House, but not until the John F. Kennedy administration was the first curator hired and protocol developed for maintaining and adding to the collections. Since that time, it has grown exponentially under the guidance of a professional curatorial staff and now includes more than 500 works of art, selected for their historical and cultural significance.
Since 1965, the White House Historical Association has been proud to fund the official portraits of our presidents and first ladies,...
For two hundred years, Decatur House has stood as a near neighbor to the White House across Lafayette Square. Stewart...
President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy’s advocacy for the arts endures as a vital part of th...
The White House Collection and the Atlantic World Jennifer L. Anderson, Mahogany: The Costs of Luxury in Early America (Cambridge,...
Simmie Knox
Bill BarkerVeteran historical actor-interpreter Bill Barker is widely recognized as the nation’s foremost interpreter of Thomas Jefferson. After portraying Th...
Jim AdamsJim Adams has been gardening in Washington, D.C., for over 25 years. His D.C. career began at the...
As part of the White House Historical Association’s 60th anniversary celebration in 2021, the Next-Gen Leaders (NGL) initiative was announced. Th...
James Archer AbbottJames Archer Abbott currently serves as the Executive Director of the Lewes Historical Society in Lewes, Delaware. A...
October 1, 20209:00-9:15amWelcome and Overview Stewart D. McLaurin, President, White House Historical AssociationFrederick J. Ryan Jr., Chairman, Board of Directors,...
January 14, 1964: State Dinner for Italian President Antonio Segni was hosted by President Lyndon Baines Johnson. Featured entertainment included Robert Merrill...
Congress has always been tasked with appropriating funds for the care, repair, refurnishing and maintenance of the White House and...