The White House Tour

The White House.....the President's home, the President's office and a free museum too! It can take many months to get passes to get in, plus another 3 security checkpoints and a sniff-down from the dogs before you can actually set foot in the building, but once you're in it's a magic trip back in time.

Imagine standing in rooms where so many Presidents and notable people have stood, seeing old photographs, giant paintings and sculptures (even one of George Washington that survived the burning down of the original White House), admiring the architecture with it's intricately carved moldings and friezes, and viewing pieces of fine china hand-picked by past first ladies.....All this and more are included in the White House Tour.

Our visit was with my daughter's Girl Scout troop and some parents. Upon entry, the girls received a brochure and a Junior Ranger Activity Guide to use during the tour. The guide included things to hunt for, questions that could be answered by reading the information posted throughout the tour, puzzles, and historical facts of the White House. The tour led us to the Library, Vermeil Room, and the China Room, which were beautiful but a little disappointing because you had to stay at the doorway and just look in. Upstairs, the tour continued with the East Room, the Green Room, the Blue Room,  the Red Room, the State Dining Room, the Cross Hall and the Entrance Hall. These rooms you could actually walk through, admiring furniture from various periods, along with notable pieces which belonged to various First Families.  The overall tour didn't take very long and the parents seemed to enjoy the little details more than the kids did. We didn't get to see the Oval Office and we didn't happen to "run into" anyone in the First family, but it was still an experience to remember!

Kid's View: "I didn't like having to wake up so early and it was freezing cold but once we got inside, it was pretty cool. My friends and I went through the tour pretty fast (it was kinda short), and I think the moms were more interested in the stuff (like the furniture and decorations) than we were. It was neat because we were walking through places where Presidents have walked and touching things that they have touched." 

To get your tickets to the White House tour, you must write a letter to your Congressman.
http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/
http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/tours-and-events