Collection A Tour of the White House
In 1961, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy resolved to make the White House a “living museum” by restoring the historic integrity of the...
Securing the White House
When the United States entered World War II in December 1941, White House security became a much more serious concern than it had been in the past. Bulletproof glass in the three south windows of the Oval Office and a "bomb-barrier," concrete poured along the West Wall of the Executive Office Building, were installed. Special outdoor lighting was designed by General Electric to dimly illuminate the grounds without casting a glare on the house itself. Despite protests from President Franklin D. Roosevelt, an air raid shelter was also built under the newly constructed East Wing. In 1942, Roosevelt ordered an East Terrace cloakroom called the "Hat Box" converted into a movie theater. Here the president enjoyed watching news reels and took special interest in the battles fought in Europe and Asia.
The “Hat Box” as it appeared in 2008.
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Collection Roosevelt White House 1933-1945
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Collection Intrepid Innovation
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Collection The 2017 White House Christmas Ornament
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Collection Animal Ambassadors
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Collection Presidential Inaugurations
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Collection The 2018 White House Christmas Ornament
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Collection Holiday Cheer at the White House
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Collection The President's Neighborhood
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Collection Presidential Retreats
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Collection White House in Bloom
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Collection White House Easter Egg Roll
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