We started the day in the Orientation Center where we watched a short film about George Washington's battle years leading up to his presidency. The film was a little gory (the girls were squeamish and the boys cheered) but it was very well done. (Pat Sajak was the narrator and George Washington was played by a famous actor, although his name slips me at the moment.) After the film we walked through the gardens toward the line to enter the mansion. (Tickets are handed out in the welcome center with allotted times to tour the house.)
The mansion itself was not a mansion by today's standards, but I'm sure was very grand in those days. A tour of the house revealed brightly colored walls, beautiful antiques (including some of my favorite pieces by Sheraton, Hepplewhite and Chippendale), and the actual bed that George and Martha slept in remains intact, along with some aged treasures. The back of the house has an amazing piazza (porch) spanning the entire width of the house with a breathtaking view of the Potomac River. (I imagined an infinity pool right on the edge of hill looking over the river). Accompanying the mansion were several outhouses used for sewing, cooking, storing goods, curing meat, and so on. There is also a stable, a greenhouse and slave quarters. There are costumed actors roaming the grounds and you can meet Lady Washington at scheduled times.
Venturing away from the mansion grounds, you will find an underground, state-of-the-art Education Center which walks you through George Washington's life. Here you will watch films about things such as George and Martha's romance and the Revolutionary War (in 4D), look at artifacts used by Washington and his family and see his famous dentures. (kinda gross but the kids were excited to see them).There's also a Hands-on History Center for kids 3-8, where they can dress up in colonial clothes, color, etc.
Next to the Education Center is the Museum which holds treasures from the Washingtons such as china, crystal, jewelry, weapons, clothing and furniture. You can also pick up a few of Martha's recipes such as Great Cake (which Martha served at Christmas), Hoecakes (cornmeal pancakes-one of Washington's favorite foods) and the Cherry Bounce (General Washington's favorite brandy-based drink).
Also on the property are a pioneer farm where Washington invented the treading barn used for threshing wheat, a slave memorial and burial ground, and Washington's tomb where he, Martha and other family members lay at rest. (Daily wreath laying ceremonies are conducted from April to October.) There is a wharf where you can take a boat ride on the Potomac and the Mount Vernon Inn which I'm told has delicious food (especially during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays).
With so many kids and our limited time schedule, we were unable to visit the places listed in the last paragraph so stay tuned for Part 2 because we will be going back to finish the tour (and dragging my husband along this time). I was very impressed with what we saw and highly recommend it if you're in the area.
Kid's View: "It was cool seeing where George Washington lived and being able to touch things that he touched all those years ago and it had the perfect view of the Potomac River. I also liked how they had a live working blacksmith shop and different buildings for the slaves and examples of what they ate. I liked the 4D movie because they had fake snow that came down on us in the theater. In the museum they have his dentures and they looked really, really old. I think the teeth looked worse than the original rotten teeth they were replacing. There were things we didn't get to see, so I would like to go back there again."
http://www.mountvernon.org/
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