The White House Historical Association is a private non-profit educational organization with a mission to enhance the understanding and appreciation of the Executive Mansion. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy founded the Association in 1961 to help the White House collect and exhibit the very best artifacts of American history and culture. Today, our acquisition, preservation, research, and education efforts continue through generous private donations and the sale of our books, products, and the official White House Ornament.
External link for White House Historical Association
1610 H Street NW
Washington, D.C., US
White House Historical Association President Stewart D. McLaurin and board member Anita B. McBride met with American Ambassador Tilman Fertitta in Rome to showcase the Association's efforts during #A250!
A very meaningful highlight of this week in Rome was the privilege Anita B. McBride and I had to meet with Ambassador Tilman Fertitta at the American Embassy in Rome to share the work of the White House Historical Association during this Semiquincentenniel year! 🇺🇸🇮🇹
This week, we celebrate National Teacher Appreciation Week and recognize all the educators who bring history to life for students across the country. At the White House Historical Association, working with teachers is a core part of our mission and central to how we share the history of the White House. Through our free classroom resources, field trips to The People's House: A White House Experience, and professional development programs like the White House History Teacher Institute, teachers and students find new and meaningful ways to connect with and understand American history through the lens of the White House. As our Education team celebrates 10 years of the White House History Teacher Institute and prepares to welcome the program’s 1,000th teacher this summer, we thank all educators who use our resources and participate in our programs for the impact they make every day. Across every grade level, subject, and classroom, teachers play a critically important role in shaping a brighter future for us all. #ThankYouTeachers 🍎 Explore our free classroom resources, field trips, and educator programs: https://lnkd.in/e4iAgCSS #TeacherAppreciationWeek #ThankATeacher #TeacherAppreciationDay #Education #WhiteHouseHistory #ThePeoplesHouse #HistoryEducation #CivicEducation Image 1: Phillip Warfield for the White House Historical Association Images 2 & 3: Thom Goertel for the White House Historical Association
White House Historical Association reposted this
In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States this summer, So You Want to See the President! by Norman Rockwell is coming to The People's House: A White House Experience on June 25, 2026! So You Want To See The President! was commissioned by Franklin D. Roosevelt’s press secretary, Stephen T. Early, at the height of World War II. Early invited Rockwell to the White House to photograph and sketch the procession of visitors waiting for a moment with the Commander-in-Chief. From Senators to Miss America, So You Want to See the President! showcases democracy in action during a pivotal time in American history. The artist’s only known suite of four interrelated sketches was loaned to the White House, where they were displayed from 1978 until 2022. In 2025, the sketches were purchased by the White House Historical Association to be displayed as a part of the Association’s mission of education and providing access to the rich history of the Executive Mansion. Free timed entry passes through June will be available tomorrow, so make sure to plan your visit to see these sketches! As a reminder, passes are released by 5pm EST on the first business day of each month for the following month. So keep an eye out for July passes on June 1.
WE’RE HIRING: Lantry Education Fellow The White House Historical Association is seeking a Lantry Education Fellow for the 2026–2027 academic year. This in-person fellowship offers hands-on experience supporting our K–12 education initiatives, including student field trips at The People's House: A White House Experience and teacher professional development programs. The Fellow will work closely with the education team while collaborating across departments and with partners in the public history field. Current grad students in education, museum studies, public history, or related fields are encouraged to apply. Applications due by May 26. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/em99chyi #EducationJobs #WhiteHouseHistory #WHHA #Hiring #JobOpening
This evening’s White House State Dinner honoring Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla of Great Britain continues a longstanding tradition of hosting foreign leaders that reflects both diplomacy and history in action. Moments like this are part of a broader transatlantic relationship shaped not only by diplomacy, but by shared cultural and artistic ties. In a recent episode of the White House 1600 Sessions podcast, Association President Stewart D. McLaurin traveled to Windsor Castle to speak with Tim Knox, Director of the Royal Collection Trust about American artists in the Royal Collection during the reign of King George III. From art to diplomacy, these shared histories continue to shape the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom today. Watch the episode: https://lnkd.in/egYmAQAG #WhiteHouseHistory #1600Sessions #America250 #Semiquincentennial #CivicEducation #CountdowntoAmerica250 British Embassy Washington Embassy of the United States of America, London
Looking ahead to the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the presidency offers a reminder that leadership is often defined not just by what is accomplished, but by how those decisions shape the future. James K. Polk, the nation’s eleventh president, entered office as a dark horse candidate and pledged to serve just one term. In four years, he accomplished an ambitious agenda, overseeing vast territorial expansion that reshaped the nation’s future while deepening divisions over slavery and setting the stage for future conflict. In a new essay for the In Pursuit civics project, our Chief Education Officer Dr. Matthew Costello reflects on Polk’s leadership and the enduring lesson that a leader’s time in power may be limited, but the impact of those decisions continues long after. Read the full essay: https://lnkd.in/e5s7Nexv #WhiteHouseHistory #JamesKPolk #PresidentPolk #USHistory #InPursuit #America250 #CountdowntoAmerica250 Credit: White House Historical Association/White House Collection
As we continue our countdown to America’s 250th anniversary, we release a new episode of The White House 1600 Sessions - America’s 250th: American Artists in the Royal Collection. Recorded at Windsor Castle, Stewart D. McLaurin sits down with Tim Knox, Director of the Royal Collection Trust to explore how American-born artists shaped the Royal Collection during the reign of King George III. Through the work of artists like Benjamin West, John Singleton Copley, and John Taylor, the episode highlights how art and objects carry stories that connect nations across time, offering a lens into the cultural ties that continued even as political relationships evolved. It also marks the start of a collaboration with the Royal Collection Trust, bringing together two institutions committed to caring for significant national collections and expanding public access to the histories they represent. Stay tuned to our social channels this May as we continue the conversation through a joint series, highlighting artists represented in both the White House Collection and the Royal Collection. Watch the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/egYmAQAG #WhiteHouseHistory #1600Sessions #America250 #Semiquincentennial #CivicEducation #CountdowntoAmerica250 #UKinUSA #USAinUK British Embassy Washington Embassy of the United States of America, London
The Association is seeking a Chief of Staff to the President of the White House Historical Association. This position serves as the principal administrative and operational advisor to the President of the White House Historical Association. The Chief of Staff provides high-level strategic and operational support, oversees key staff, and ensures the efficient functioning of the Office of the President. Learn more and apply: https://lnkd.in/e_uhwkUG #hiring #nonprofitjobs #executiveleadership #ChiefOfStaff #whitehousehistory #washingtondcjobs #dcjobs
White House Historical Association reposted this
My latest column for the Forbes Nonprofit Council focuses on the importance of strategic partnerships in sharing White House history. Through my 12 years at the White House Historical Association, I have seen firsthand how collaboration across nonprofits, government, and the private sector strengthens the way we experience history—a priority that remains especially significant during America’s Semiquincentennial year. In this article, I reflect on why strategic partnerships are essential to closing the gap in civic and historical knowledge and how nonprofit leaders can approach mutually beneficial alliances that align with their goals. Read more in Forbes: https://lnkd.in/e3fQ82y5
On May 1, the White House Historical Association, in partnership with the Westminster Abbey Institute, will host the "Faith, Freedom, and Democracy Symposium" in Washington, D.C. Earlier this year in London, Dr. Jamie Hawkey, Canon Theologian of Westminster Abbey and Chair of Westminster Abbey Institute, joined Association President Stewart D. McLaurin for a conversation on art, diplomacy, and shared history as part of our ongoing collaboration. We are pleased to welcome back Canon Hawkey to Washington this spring as we continue that dialogue. This May symposium will explore the role of faith in American public life, from its colonial roots to the evolution of religious freedom, and the enduring exchange of ideas between the United States and the United Kingdom. Join us for a day of discussion and reflection, followed by "An Evening with the Choir of Westminster Abbey" at St. John's, Lafayette Square. Click below for ticketing information for both events: Symposium: https://lnkd.in/eSsPDY_M Concert: https://lnkd.in/ePXN3hRU