Nothing but Color at the White House: my First Visit
At the tender age of near-middle aged, I was able to cross off one of the items on my bucket list. This whole trip was meant to be a pumped-up version of my 8th grade field trip. It had been over 20 years since I visited that city. And I wanted to make it count. Museums and landmarks all around, this would be a little treasure trove for me. In September 2024, I visited the historical and beautiful Washington, DC. And the bucket list highlight? Stepping foot inside the White House.
Over 30 Images for a White House “Overview”
A quick note, this post is meant to be a general “overview” of my visit. This will be packed to the brims with over 30 images, so I’ll be inserting them earlier in the post than where I’m referring them to. There is more (of course, there’s more!) images, but I’ll be going into depth in separate posts in the future. So keep an eye out!
Normally, I don’t mention this aspect of my trips. But we need to talk about planning. Washington, DC is packed with museums, statues, and monuments that are open to the public. The free museums are thanks to a British man who never visited America but admired the concept from afar, James Smithson. We’ll get more into him later, on a full post, to pay our proper respects.
If you’re looking for the ultimate photography walk and history lesson, you’ve found the perfect city in the countless memorials and statues. I’ve already written about the Korean War Memorial. But there are certain things in DC I highly recommend visiting if you’re able to. And it isn’t entirely up to you, exactly.
Securing White House & FBI Tour Passes
My September trip planning started Memorial Day weekend (late May). And by planning, I mean paperwork (digitally). After seeing all the things you can visit in DC, my biggest goals were to snag passes to the White House and the J. Edgar Hoover Building (FBI). These would require filling out a form with my state senators or representatives. I filled this out on my senator’s website for DC Tours. It allows you to sign up for five places: the White House, Bureau of Printing & Engraving, FBI Tour (may not be available currently with the FBI move), Library of Congress, and the US Capitol. It’s mostly asking for basic info on your upcoming trip and group lead contact info.
Personally, there was a notes section and mentioned when my group would be arriving and leaving DC and gave a preferred date range for the visits. My senator’s office selected the days and kept the visit requests for each tour on different days.
But there’s an additional FBI Tour form to fill out, and this surprisingly asked for your social security number (or passport/green card info) for every member of your group. Ironically, you feel protective of your information since you’re told your whole life to be careful with whom you’re sharing. I had to remind myself, it’s the government, it’s the government. We made it through with FBI passes (months later!) and our identities were not stolen in the process (whew!).
When I initially submitted my request, I had to wait about two and half weeks before my White House request could be submitted. It might’ve been too early, not sure. Once it was submitted, I had to register each guest which required more information. It’s the government, another reminder. It took another two months before I received confirmation, we could visit the White House.
It was so exciting, and we had to print our passes which felt like little souvenirs all their own. Although don’t mistake my excitement, it was a great honor to be able to visit. I thought it would be a few tries before being able to attend. I think you just need to ask early (and follow up with your state!). It made the trip more important for me. Visiting Washington, DC was a great pleasure with the White House being a great honor see in person. The US Capitol was the only comparable institution, which also was unbelievably beautiful and emotional to see.
The FBI tour let us know a week or two before our requested date that we were confirmed. These are security measures, but it made planning around the tours a bit tricky. Keep that in mind. When looking now at the FBI Tour, there’s a minimum of four weeks in advance to request tickets.
The FBI notices were one by one; as in guest 1 approved, guest 2 approved, etc. It was funny and daunting, felt like we’re being investigated. Amongst my group, we joked about who’d be last: least trusted, per the FBI.
You will be planning your DC trip with the need to have backup activities, like the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden, should you not be able to secure passes. Luckily, DC is a great city with lots of museums (many free) and memorials. Any visit to DC will never be long enough. You’ll definitely have things to fill in any gaps in your schedule. Personally, I plan on returning during the holiday season to take in the winter sights!
Morning of My White House Visit
Our passes were for the morning and everyone dressed in their Sunday Best. We were very excited and nervous. I tend to imagine the worst, so I started worrying: did I correctly make sure everyone’s name PERFECTLY matched their IDs? What if it turns out one of us secretly got rejected for some unknown criminal past (that doesn’t exist!).
Once we arrived, we made our way through the security gate. Passes and IDs in hand. In front of us was a family with young children, all in their Sunday Best as well. Going through security, my focus was looking at the guards. Are they secret agents? As I immediately realize there’s nothing secret about what they’re doing. Well, are they secret service? I have no idea. Military? Your guess is as good as mine.
After we get cleared, we moved through, and I can’t help but take pictures of everything I see. Cop cars, street signs, the fence, buildings through the fence. Didn’t realize the US National Treasury was right next to the White House. American flags lined the columns at the entrance. This image was taken along the pathway. It was pretty regal all its own.
We approached a black fence and saw retirees about to step in. For fences, I like to get snap a few pictures with fence in sight. Then I move in closer to pictures in between the bars since fences don’t have to ruin your pictures. You just need to adjust a bit. And in this case, I kept the bar in to whip out the sneak peek appearance.
When I began walking up, I see a variation of the President’s seal along the pathway.
The garden was not available for touring at that time, but we could see a part of it from the windows in the East Colonnade. Beyond the manicured landscaping with rounded bushes and trees, I saw a red brick pathway and multiple white benches. Yellow Canna Lilies stood out, but I couldn’t make any other flowers. But the pictures did allowed a (sort of) view into the garden.
The east Colonnade
This hallway was beautifully decorated with pictures of various first families. Nothing was separated by term or year, it was interweaved. A beautiful mish-mash of more personal moments from JFK’s children playing in the Oval Office as the President claps for them to President Nixon bowling to President Lyndon Johnson’s daughter having her wedding at the White House.
It’s so funny that the first images you’re seeing of our Presidents are not imposing, or even in an official capacity but personal. They’re individual people, with lives and families, working in service of our country. Given that most people think of the President and first families mostly in terms of their role, it makes sense the tour itself begins with a reminder of the personal side of these historic figures.
The beautiful thing about visiting the White House is seeing evolution of America through its leaders. Each administration, each President, is a steppingstone in the history of our country. Never a boulder (or a landslide!). It’s all meant to complement each other in hindsight. Each President is just another brick that continues to build the home that is America.
The visitors take a moment at the different sets of pictures, each with a semi-circle shaped transom window. The beautifully tiled floor and the white walls gave a summer feeling to the room. The large window led in a lot of light. Luckily, it wasn’t crowded at all so one could comfortably see all the pictures.
While many visitors were enjoying the pictures, the plant lover in me obsessed over the garden. This was September so all the foliage were still green and plush. Despite the White House being an enormous estate, the garden felt intimate and private. Almost fit for only one or two people.
The Reminder of a Founding Father
The Washington Monument could also be seen from the window, in the distance. It could also be spotted in the far distance at many other locations, including Dr. King’s Memorial. Having the first President’s Monument randomly pop-up all-over DC was a nice find, looking back through the pictures. It’s certainly intentional as skyscrapers are not allowed in DC. Allowing President George Washington’s Monument to stand tall and proud.
It almost provides a comfort having a memorial to one of the Founding Fathers within sight from many corners of the city. It allows the reminder of the Founding Fathers’ values, like power of the people, unalienable rights (life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness), separation of powers, and of course, checks and balances to prevent tyranny.
If you have ever visited Washington, DC, I challenge you to see how many times Washington’s Monument pops up in the background. It might be more than you think.
Getting back to this part of the garden, I had to zoom in (as best I could) at the white pergola. This seems like such a great little place to have a moment to yourself or read. It makes me think it’s best suited as a spot for the First Ladies, to sit and enjoy the garden. Or a private talk with a friend.
Movie Theater at the White House
The movie theater lays beside this long hallway. We were able to peek at the room and found plush red seats. According to the sign, the movie theater gets used a coat check room during private events. The walls and ceiling lamp had a vintage look but strangely the red isn’t overdone. It’s perfectly on-point for a theater.
What About the White House Gift Shop?
Passing the East Colonnade, we were advised to stop and take a look at the souvenirs before moving on. It was a strange placement, fairly early in the tour. An early souvenir shop visit also occurred during the FBI tour, so don’t know if this is a DC thing. The souvenirs were planted on a few bookcases and shelves with a countertop. There were decorative plates, magnets, ornaments, books, and notebooks. I only saw one thing I was interested in, an ornament.
This souvenir post felt so out of place, I told myself I would get something at the gift shop. Didn’t occur to me that the White House doesn’t have a permanently set gift shop (not my best moment!). It was just these souvenirs and I great regret not getting something at that point. If you ever visit the White House, please make sure to get a souvenir. It would’ve been amazing to have a souvenir directly from there. Learn from my mistakes.
Ground Floor Corridor: The Museum Part of the Tour
At this point, the next hallway had arched ceilings and felt like the most museum part of the tour. This is the Ground Floor Corridor. Very different from the bright, summery feels of the East Colonnade. This corridor was darker, felt older, and smaller due to the lower ceiling. It featured mostly gold trinkets that were gifted to the White House. There was also an assortment of plates chosen by each administration for State Dinners on display.
The rooms adjacent to this corridor, like the movie theater, were blocked off but allowed you to take a quick view at the door. All visitors were respectful, and people lined up to get to see what they could of each room. A bit stressful since you’d like to take a good look at the room and snap a few photographs. Everyone was doing this so people were patient, but I’ll admit a lot of my pictures were not focused. I think I panicked trying to get pictures and rushed off. Make sure to practice taking quick pictures as you pass through places back home.
My favorite peek was into the library, which felt pretty cozy. The chandelier and pink orchids took my attention in person. But looking back at the pictures, I really enjoyed the rug. There was also a gold eagle as the stand on the table lamp. Gold eagles were everywhere so this was kind of a running theme. The Vermeil and China rooms were also located in this section. Again, I’ll be doing a deeper vibe since there are so many pictures to share.
After looking out the window at the end of hall, I could see the bright columns on the north portico. In hopes of trying to get a different angle, I went straight up. Otherwise, you’d see more of the driving path and landscaping.
The Rooms of the White House You’ve Heard All About
Onto my favorite part of the tour, walking through different rooms of the White House that I’ve heard about all my life. We began in the East Room, large and regal. Your eyes immediately dash to the three grand chandeliers. Naturally, you start noticing the details on the crown molding and ceiling itself. I found myself looking at the opposite direction than the rest of the crowd at a certain point. There were more decorative details on the walls and around the doorways behind the visitors. I’d advise you to take a few quick looks, or snaps of your camera.
The East Room
The East Room is used for large formal events and public events like bill-signing and presentations. Of course, the portraits were the main focal point. Especially the portrait of President George Washington, a sign explained that specific Presidential Portrait survived the burning of the original White House in 1814. It was originally placed in 1800. First Lady at the time, Dolley Madison, made sure to have the portrait saved.
The portrait in this picture is of First Lady, Martha Washington, as a companion piece to President Washington’s portrait. Very fitting, and quite the welcome, to be greeted by the First President of the United States and the very first, First Lady (had to do it).
As I was still in the East Room, I looked over to the doors and saw green. These next few rooms were smaller, so the crowds were more noticeable. Everyone is excited, wants to see and take pictures, so it’s a bit challenging. You’re not going to get perfect images of the room. Of course, it’s best to embrace the true environment so crowds will be visible. For this overview though, I picked the clearest shots of the room. But you’ll see the crowds when I do a deeper dive.
The way the Green and Red Rooms were situated for visitors, the main center of the rooms was roped off. Visitors were touring from both sides of the room. A fun detail if you get misplaced from your group and see them pop out on the other side of the room. A quick wave as I wondered where did we diverge? Certainly, you can get different angles in the room. I’m not sure if you could double back and see from the other side though.
The Green Room
The Green Room had a calming atmosphere. The black accents from the portraits and gold frames naturally fit in with the green. The portrait of First Lady Edith Roosevelt is a natural focal point of the room. This was the wife of President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt. Also, the rug (apparently, I have thing for rugs, never knew). You can see it pretty well here, but I made sure to take a picture of the green rug on its own, it was complemented with shades of pink and white. This was my favorite rug in the White House and made me curious to find a similar one for my own home.
The Green Room also opened to the Cross Hall, which we couldn’t access. But, as the pattern emerged, we could look from roped off open doors. You could see the Grand Staircase through that window in the hall. The stairs immediately made me think of the film, The American President, as Annette Benning and Michael Douglas walked down the stairs discussing first dates in the movie. This is NOT what you’re supposed to be thinking of when visiting the White House. But the thought popped into my head when I was in the Entrance Hall and wondered, are those the stairs?
In between my ridiculous movie thoughts, I found more presidential portraits of Lyndon Johnson and Jimmy Carter. There’s another in the far back I can’t quite make out but will research for the deep dive. But this hall is extensive and much longer than it looks, since this is a small piece of it. You can see decorative details on the crown molding and ceiling.
The Blue Room
Next up, the Blue Room, which was the only one that was oval. The gold and blue theme here is more typical of my expectations for the White House in terms of decoration. This looked the most traditional of the rooms, especially the rug, but the other rooms felt more timeless. The Blue Room felt slightly dated but true to what I thought the White House would look like. And perhaps it was the shape of the room and colors, but the Blue Room made me think of the Oval Office.
The Red Room
The Red Room has the same format of the Green Room, but bolder color. The furniture stands out a bit more since it looks bespoke to the room. The Red Room has a simple elegance, with the portrait of President Van Buren’s daughter-in-law, Angelica, hanging above the mantel. Funnily enough, President Van Buren’s bust painted in the portrait, is also located in the room just above the cabinet in the back. Although it reminded me of Shakespeare’s statue in back home in Chicago.
White House personnel is on-site to answer any questions, the guard is mid-step in the picture. This was by chance, but I like the pose.
The State Dining Room
A small room but there’s a quiet extravagance, the State Dining Room. The opulent chandelier immediately gets your attention but then your eyes find President Lincoln’s Portrait. The large table in the room makes me think of meetings or bill-signing. This room carries a more professional atmosphere than previous rooms. But the trim and ceiling details runs throughout like the rest of the house. Despite the lack of colors, this room holds its own.
If you’re able to read the sign, it explains this Presidential Portrait wasn’t originally selected as his official portrait. However, the President’s son, Todd Lincoln, said no other portrait could compare and bought it himself. The portrait was eventually gifted to the White House officially in 1939.
After leaving this room, you get a passing view of the Cross Hall but actually head into the Entrance Hall. This would be the final stop of the tour. In between, I found President Reagan’s Presidential Portrait and JFK’s, although I’ll save them for the follow-up. There’s a final view of the President’s Seal and American Flag in this area as well.
Tile Marker at the White House for Years Constructed
But my focus ended on the floor, where I saw a marker on the ground (in gold) with four years: 1792, 1817, 1902, and 1952.
1792: Year the original White House was constructed
1817: Reconstruction of the current White House (the original burned down in 1814)
1902 & 1952: Major renovations
At the time, I suspected this was the case but was awfully confused by the additional two years on the marker since I only considered the construction and reconstruction. But, as I often do, snap first and research later. It’s pretty easy to miss since most people are getting their picture taken under the President’s Seal. I might’ve noticed as I was taking a picture of someone under President’s Seal. It felt like an easter egg, although it was probably obvious. I remembered thinking most people walked away without noticing it.
The Entrance Hall & Finale
The Entrance Hall is grand, highly extravagant, and gives us our last Presidential Portraits for a proper goodbye. I’m sure you’ll recognize them since they’re from the past generation, our currently living Presidents. By the Grand Stairs (at the time of my visit), President Barack Obama was a great finale and fit in perfectly.
On the opposite side, President George W. Bush. By his portrait, you’ll see a beautiful walnut-colored piano with a gold eagle as a leg. Which was a random theme throughout the tour.
Leaving the White House
We exited through the north portico but made sure to stop and snap a few pictures before going down the steps. Two large American Flags are hanging vertically on both sides for the public to see from the gates on the sidewalk. Which I was able to view later at night, but those pictures are for another post. It’s a beautiful view in person and up-close. Being surrounded by the iconic white columns was slightly intimidating. There’s such an honor you feel being at the White House and I hope all Americans get to experience that. Make sure to do your due diligence and take the extra steps to secure passes. It’s well worth it!
After the tour, you take even more pictures of the exterior. Nobody wanted to leave, crowds of people waited at the end of the tour. Who knows if you’ll ever be able to visit again. I’m glad to have had experienced the White House at this time. It’s a perfect blend of history, elegance, and strangely, strength of character.
The White House itself feels like a separate entity from the Presidents and administrations. A historical figure in its own right. Something each President should make sure to live up to. The standards, and stakes, are high. I hope to feel even more pride and honor on a future visit, perhaps in the next decade.
Until then.
