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,...
Main Content
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...
James Archer AbbottJames Archer Abbott currently serves as the Executive Director of the Lewes Historical Society in Lewes, Delaware. A...
2022 2022 American Best Book Award Designing Camelot: The Kennedy White House Restoration and Its Legacy, Finalist, Best Cover Design: Nonfiction How...
AuthorsJAMES ARCHER ABBOTT is a graduate of Vassar College (B.A.) and the State University of New York’s Museum St...
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...
October 1, 20209:00-9:15amWelcome and Overview Stewart D. McLaurin, President, White House Historical AssociationFrederick J. Ryan Jr., Chairman, Board of Directors,...
The White House Historical Associationcommissions the official White House Christmas ornament each year. This is the 36th ornamentin the series...
Simmie Knox
The 2023 White House History Teacher Institute is open to all K-12 educators and will be offered in both in-person and...