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The White House & WH Visitor Center

1450 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, Washington, District of Columbia

Description

The White House is the seat of the USA executive power, meaning it is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It was designed in neoclassical style by architect James Hoban at the end of the 18th century who modelled the building on the Leinster House in Dublin. It was subsequently expanded in the early 19th century and the West Wing was added at the turn of the 20th century. Besides the ground floor, there are 3 upper storeys and two in the basement. The Visitors Centre offers an interactive touchscreen tour of the White House and exhibits over 90 artifacts from the White House collection. There is also a 14-minute film, "White House: Reflections from within."

Access & Transport

The White House Visitor Center is located at 1450 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW from where it is a short walk to take pictures of either the north or south facades of the White House. The closest metro stations are 'Federal Triangle' (Orange, Silver and Blue lines) and 'Metro Center' (Blue, Orange, Silver and Red lines).

Instructions & Recommendations

We suggest combining this activity with one of the nearby museums: African American History and Culture, American History or the National Portrait Gallery.

Meta review

The White House is unsurprisingly a must-see monument according to most visitors and, based on online reviews, the Visitor Center is worth a short stop regardless of whether you have a tour of the WH scheduled or not. Do not expect to be bowled over though as most of the interactive exhibits seem designed for school children and be ready for heavy (and unfriendly) security checks.

Environmental & Social

The Visitor Center has a low carbon footprint and a little educational content. Can't get our head around having a shop in there...

Conclusion

Seeing the White House is very much a tick-the-box exercise given how far you are standing (a different matter if you manage to attend a tour). The Visitor Center is a nice complement, though not a substitute at all; it is worth 30-45mins given the central location and proximity to the White House itself.

Key positive

Gorgeous White House lawns and facades

Key negative

Unfriendly security

Suitability

No restrictions

About this Rating

TYPE

Desktop

RESEARCHED IN

Updated in August 2023

PROVIDER

Koreval

Included Items
None
Timing
Duration of visit
Closed on most public holidays

av. transport time:0h 20m

est. visit time:1h

Regulated hours

Monday07:30 - 16:00

Tuesday07:30 - 16:00

Wednesday07:30 - 16:00

Thursday07:30 - 16:00

Friday07:30 - 16:00

Saturday07:30 - 16:00

Sunday07:30 - 16:00

Pricing
Free

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