Stella Linn ’27 and the group enjoy this new public, self-guided museum meant to preserve and teach the history of the White House in an engaging modern context.
On February 8th, we got the opportunity to visit The People’s House: A White House Experience, a new public, self-guided museum meant to preserve and teach the history of the White House in an engaging modern context. The People’s House was created by the White House Historical Association (WHHA), which was founded in 1961 by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. When she led a restoration of the White House, she argued that “everything in the White House must have a reason for being there… it must be restored—and that has nothing to do with decoration. That is a question of scholarship.” Believing that it was important to preserve and recognize the rich history of the White House from decades of different presidencies, she believed that stories that can be told through important objects, furnishings, and distinct decorative choices. She also created the exhibition with the intent to live up to the name of “the people’s house,” wanting to connect the public with democracy through the accessibility to life inside the White House. Her legacy is carried on by the WHHA, which pursues her goals of education and preservation in many ways, one of them being this immersive museum, The Peoples House: A White House Experience. When we arrived at the museum it immediately struck me as different from the other museums we had previously visited on the trip, as we all sat down in front of a replica of the White House that suddenly came to life, with bright colors, figures moving throughout the windows and a short but informative exposition of the museum and its founding. Then we proceeded behind the replica’s facade to see an exact replica of the layout of the White House and each room, displayed through miniature furnishing palaces and ornate wallpaper. This was accompanied by a feature that allowed us to “explore” each room and the stories behind it; a room would light up at we chose it before filling with figures who simulate day-to-day activities in that room along with a timeline of its events and restoration. Following this exhibit was an immersive space that cycled through digital recreations of different rooms in the White House every five minutes, allowing us to interact with the rooms’ features and learn the historical significance of each. We then proceeded into a replica of the Oval Office, everyone taking a turn sitting at the Resolute Desk, and enjoying the comfy seating, something the museum did not lack. Upstairs we found an interactive movie theatre, that we enjoyed sitting in for 30 minutes while answering trivia questions displayed on the screen about past presidencies. It was educational and also enjoyable versus being on your feet all day at a traditional museum—and we learned fun facts, such as that Harry Truman wanted to be a professional pianist. Additionally this floor included more sitting spaces where you could listen in to real events and conversations that happened at cabinet meetings, giving you the experience of being in the room and weighing in on important decision making. The last section of the museum allowed us to explore different objects that held significance and importance in the White House. Overall, it was a very positive immersive experience that kept people engaged and refreshed more than a typical museum experience, using new technology, direct engagement, and comfy seating.
