The Latest White House Guidebook Will Feature Never-Before-Seen Rooms
Since its first edition was released on July 4, 1962, the public has been offered a peek inside the White House through a continually updated guidebook, capturing the history and beauty of the most iconic buildings in the United States. To celebrate its 60th year of publishing, the latest edition will give readers an intimate look at never-before-seen rooms.
On July 28, 2022, the White House Historical Association (WHHA) will release the 26th edition of The White House: An Historic Guide, opening with a letter from First Lady Jill Biden.
“As an educator, I hope this guidebook will inspire curiosity about the presidents and the first families who reflect their time in history and help us learn from the past so that we can build a more just nation,” an excerpt of the letter reads.
The latest edition features new spreads with photographs of behind-the-scenes areas including the bowling alley, the kitchen, collections storage, the calligraphy office, the floral shop, the tennis court, and pool. Readers will also get a more comprehensive view of the White House with fold-out pages and wide-angle photos.
Offering a room-by-room walkthrough, you can expect to see beautiful photographs and updated text detailing the State Rooms, the West Wing, and the Second Floor, as well as brand new photographs of the Queens’ Bedroom, Lincoln Bedroom, Center Hall, Yellow Oval Room, President’s Dining Room, West Sitting Hall, Oval Office, West Wing Reception Room, and the Roosevelt Room. Exclusive to the updated version, never-before-seen features include the Presidential Seal on the ceiling of the Oval Office, the Gettysburg Address displayed in situ in the Lincoln Bedroom, and President Theodore Roosevelt’s Nobel Peace Prize Medal in the Roosevelt Room.
In addition to a detailed look at the interior spaces, the guide book also offers an exterior walking tour so that visitors viewing the White House from the streets of Washington, D.C., along with armchair tourists, can fully immerse themselves in the stunning architecture.
The White House: An Historic Guide ($22.95) is available to pre-order now via the White House Historical Association.