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White House Visitors Office

April 10, 2024

The White House Visitors Office is responsible for public tours of the White House, for maintaining a facility where the public can obtain information about the White House, and for other White House events such as the White House Easter Egg Roll, Holiday Open Houses, Spring and Fall Garden tours, State Arrival Ceremonies and other special events.

A June 1994 tour group exits the White House.

The White House Visitor Center, which is managed and operated by the National Park Service, is located within President's Park at the north end of the Herbert C. Hoover Building (the Department of Commerce headquarters) between 14th Street and 15th Street on Pennsylvania Avenue NW, in the Federal Triangle. Since September 11, 2001, it no longer serves as a starting point for those going on a reserved tour of the White House. Instead, the various exhibits within it provide an alternative visitor experience for those not able to go on a tour. The themes of the six permanent exhibits are "First Families", "Symbols and Images", "White House Architecture", "White House Interiors", "Working White House", and "Ceremonies and Celebrations". Other exhibits change throughout the year. It houses a small bookstore operated by the White House Historical Association.

The visitors office is located in the East Wing of the White House and employed seven people at the start of the 2000s.[1] Its role has been unique in that, up to 2001, the White House was the only home of a head of state that was regularly open to the public at no cost.[1] The director of the White House Visitors Office has been termed in media accounts as "the most powerful person in Washington that you've never heard of."[2]

Early history edit

Historically, the White House has offered tours to the general public. During the Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, and Franklin D. Roosevelt administrations, the general public could see the ground floor hallways and the East Room.[3] Those who had been given a special card given by a United States senator could additionally see the three state parlors on the first floor—Green Room, Blue Room, and Red Room—as well as the State Dining Room.[3]

The White House was closed during U.S. participation in World War II.[3] Upon reopening in November 1946, the Truman administration decided to open all the aforementioned areas to all tour visitors, no senator needed.[3] But as would always be the case, the real working areas of the White House, such as the Oval Office, were not included on tours, nor were upper floor residential areas. A schedule was established: tours took place between 10:00 and noon, Tuesday through Saturday, with desiring visitors lining up outside the East Gate.[4] About a half million people a year visited, until the operation was shut down in November 1948 for a major renovation of the entire structure.[3]

Tours were restarted in April 1952.[5] In charge of them at that time was the chief usher of the White House.[3]

Tours were suspended following the November 22, 1963, assassination of John F. Kennedy, but based upon the request of Jacqueline Kennedy, were resumed seven days later.[6]

Tickets and methods edit

 
The line to get same-day tour tickets stretched a long way around in June 1994, with the Washington Monument looming in the early morning distance.

In 1976 during the United States Bicentennial, long waits in line and a whole morning spent were commonplace due to large numbers in Washington, and a color-coded ticket distribution system was put in place.[7] The system was put in place for good beginning in May 1977.[7]

White House tours were often in high demand. By 1981,[8] a director of the White House Visitor Center was in charge of the operation. During the early 1980s, as many as 6,000 visitors were accommodated each day, with just as many turned away.[8] Special pleas for tours coming from Washington officials had to be dealt with frequently.[8] In 1981, there was a dispute between First Lady Nancy Reagan and New York U.S. representative Thomas Downey over his free tickets privileges having been suspended.[9] During the early 1980s recession, White House tours remained fully booked even when other Washington attractions saw declining attendance;[10] the Visitor Center continued to process well over one million visits a year.[10] White House Visitors Office personnel are constantly caught between trying to satisfy demands and expectations for tours and events, and preserving the dignity of the presidential office and setting.[1]

The White House Visitor Office is also in charge of assorted White House special events, such as the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, in the South Lawn, the State Arrival Ceremony for visiting heads of state, and a national Christmas celebration.[8][11]

The Egg Roll in particular is an important function of the office; as one former director of the office stated, "It's the single most high-profile event that takes place at the White House each year, and the White House and the first lady are judged on how well they put it on."[12]Carol McCain, director of the White House Visitors Office from 1981 to 1987, added participatory activities and doubled the size of the crowds attending the Easter Egg Roll.[13] Later, director Ellie Schafer and First Lady Michelle Obama changed the Egg Roll procedure to have a lottery system for gaining access and to allow more people to participate.[2] The lack of a director of the office in time for the April 2017 Egg Roll was seen as symptomatic of the disorganization of the incoming Donald Trump Administration of that time.[12]

In April 1995 the current White House Visitor Center facility was opened in the Herbert C. Hoover Building, two blocks from the White House.[14] The daily tour ticket distribution place was moved there,[15] with exhibits meant to spend the time until one's tour slot had come about.[14] The yearly run rate for visitors was now at 1.25 million, with as always demand exceeding supply.[14] By 1997, ticket scalping was a persistent problem, with scalpers getting from $5 to $50 a throw.[15]

Early in the George W. Bush administration, White House officials cracked down on commercialized tours trying to get into the building as well as people late getting to their tour slot.[16] Comparison were made against the more lenient policies of the Clinton administration.[16]

On July 22, 2012, the main White House Visitor Center facility closed for an extensive renovation process with the goal of including new exhibit galleries, interactive exhibits and improved visitor services. On July 28, a temporary visitor center opened near the Ellipse Visitor Pavilion at the intersection of 15th and E Street and it remained open until the main visitor center reopened on September 13, 2014.[17][18]

In the wake of September 11 edit

 
Interior of the White House Visitors Center, April 2007. First Lady of the United States Laura Bush stands next to 51 State Eggs decorated by artists from each state and D.C.

Tours were suspended in the wake of the September 11 attacks due to terrorism concerns. In September 2003 they were resumed on a limited basis for groups making prior arrangements through their congressional representatives and submitting to background checks. They were again suspended in March 2013 during the Obama administration, due to the effects of the ongoing budget sequestration, but were resumed again in November 2013.[19]

Presently, a tour of the White House must be arranged through a member of Congress. Reservations may be made a maximum of six months ahead of time, and the White House encourages tours be submitted as close to six months in advance as possible as tours are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. The approval and reservation system was modernized under the Obama administration.[2]

Anyone aged 14 or older who is offered a tour must undergo a background check. This requires providing personal information, including name, date of birth, Social Security number, and country of citizenship.

Tours are available from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays (excluding federal holidays or unless otherwise noted).[20] Tour hours will be extended when possible based on the official White House schedule. They are self-guided and free of charge. Tours are subject to last-minute cancellation.

The process used to screen potential visitors for tours has come under fire due to concerns of identity theft that can affect potential visitors.[21] Concerns include that those who apply to be visitors must provide their personal information to congressional offices, who request this information via e-mail, and in turn, send the information via e-mail to the White House. The e-mail format that is used in this process is susceptible to interception.

Directors of the White House Visitors Office edit

Name Term Ref.
Michael J. Farrell 1974–1977 [22]
Nancy Willing 1977–1979 [23][24]
Carol McCain 1981–1987 [8][13][25]
Debra Romash 1989–1992 [26]
Melinda N. Bates 1993–2001 [12]
Clare Pritchett 2001–2004 [16][27]
Sara Armstrong 2004–2007 [28]
Amy Allman 2007–2009 [29][30]
Ellie Schafer 2009–2016 [31][12]
Daniel Fisher 2017–2019 [32]
Dana Hurtik 2019–2021 [33]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Patterson, Bradley H. Jr. (2001). The White House Staff: Inside the West Wing and Beyond. Brookings Institution Press. ISBN 0-8157-6951-2. p. 400
  2. ^ a b c McCormick, Kelley. "The Most Powerful Person in Washington That You've Never Heard Of". Capitol File. Retrieved September 6, 2014.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Furman, Bess (1952-05-11). "What a Tour of the New White House Includes". The New York Times.
  4. ^ Copeland, George H (1948-02-08). "Doing the Capitol: Visitors Flock to Washington to Watch Congress in Action and See the Sights". The New York Times.
  5. ^ "White House Tours to Resume April 22: Public Inspection of Lower Mansion to Be Allowed After More Than Three Years". The New York Times. 1952-04-09.
  6. ^ "White House Tours to Reopen". The New York Times. United Press International. 1963-11-28.
  7. ^ a b "White House Tours to Require a Ticket". The New York Times. Associated Press. 1977-05-29.
  8. ^ a b c d e Gamarekian, Barbara (1981-08-30). "White House Tour Leader Courted and Criticized". The New York Times.
  9. ^ Weisman, Steven R (1981-06-20). "Truce, Of Sorts, On White House Tours". The New York Times.
  10. ^ a b "White House Remains Ever Popular". The New York Times. 1982-09-02.
  11. ^ Naedele, Walter F (1986-11-18). "O'Neill is Weighing an Invitation For Post as Bicentennial Spokesman". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  12. ^ a b c d Davis, Julie Hirschfeld (April 11, 2017). "The Latest Test for the White House? Pulling Off Its Easter Egg Roll". The New York Times.
  13. ^ a b Radcliffe, Donnie (1986-12-30). "Christmas Card Presidents". The Washington Post.
  14. ^ a b c Molotsky, Irvin (1995-04-02). "A Visitors' Center For White House Tours". The New York Times.
  15. ^ a b "White House Access, for Just $5". The New York Times. 1997-08-03.
  16. ^ a b c Sciolino, Elaine (2001-05-13). "Rules on Visitors Recast By Bush's White House". The New York Times.
  17. ^ "White House Visitor Center Renovation". July 18, 2012. Retrieved August 3, 2014.
  18. ^ "White House Visitor Center Reopens Saturday, September 13, 2014". Retrieved September 11, 2014.
  19. ^ Eilperin, Julie (November 5, 2013). "As White House tours resume, the Obamas surprise visitors with a personal welcome". The Washington Post.
  20. ^ whitehouse.gov
  21. ^ "White House Tours Could Lead To Identity Theft". WBAL-TV. 2007-11-20. Retrieved 2016-10-11.
  22. ^ "Michael J. Farrell Files". www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  23. ^ "White House Stopping All Afternoon Tours". The New York Times. UPI. March 17, 1977. p. 31.
  24. ^ "Tourists keep coming to visit White House". The Times-News. Twin Falls, Idaho. UPI. May 29, 1979. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ Naedele, Walter F (February 19, 1987). "Bicentennial Group Adds, Loses Staff". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  26. ^ "Alumni Who Have Served in the Office of President or Vice President · News · Lafayette College". news.lafayette.edu. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  27. ^ "2004 White House Office Staff List - Alphabetical". www.washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  28. ^ "Sara Armstrong, Former Director of the White House Visitors Office". whitehouse.gov. Retrieved 11 September 2018 – via National Archives.
  29. ^ "Amy Allman, Director, White House Visitors Office". whitehouse.gov. Retrieved 2008-06-16 – via National Archives.
  30. ^ "Revolving Door: Amy Allman Dean Employment Summary - OpenSecrets". www.opensecrets.org. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  31. ^ Gordon, Rachel (2009-01-28). "San Franciscan in the White House". sfgate.com. Retrieved 2009-01-30.
  32. ^ www.whitehouse.gov
  33. ^ www.whitehouse.gov

External links edit

  • FAQs about White House tours

38°52′48″N 76°59′05″W / 38.8799°N 76.9846°W / 38.8799; -76.9846

April 10, 2024
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The White House Visitors Office is responsible for public tours of the White House for maintaining a facility where the public can obtain information about the White House and for other White House events such as the White House Easter Egg Roll Holiday Open Houses Spring and Fall Garden tours State Arrival Ceremonies and other special events A June 1994 tour group exits the White House The White House Visitor Center which is managed and operated by the National Park Service is located within President s Park at the north end of the Herbert C Hoover Building the Department of Commerce headquarters between 14th Street and 15th Street on Pennsylvania Avenue NW in the Federal Triangle Since September 11 2001 it no longer serves as a starting point for those going on a reserved tour of the White House Instead the various exhibits within it provide an alternative visitor experience for those not able to go on a tour The themes of the six permanent exhibits are First Families Symbols and Images White House Architecture White House Interiors Working White House and Ceremonies and Celebrations Other exhibits change throughout the year It houses a small bookstore operated by the White House Historical Association The visitors office is located in the East Wing of the White House and employed seven people at the start of the 2000s 1 Its role has been unique in that up to 2001 the White House was the only home of a head of state that was regularly open to the public at no cost 1 The director of the White House Visitors Office has been termed in media accounts as the most powerful person in Washington that you ve never heard of 2 Contents 1 Early history 2 Tickets and methods 3 In the wake of September 11 4 Directors of the White House Visitors Office 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksEarly history editHistorically the White House has offered tours to the general public During the Calvin Coolidge Herbert Hoover and Franklin D Roosevelt administrations the general public could see the ground floor hallways and the East Room 3 Those who had been given a special card given by a United States senator could additionally see the three state parlors on the first floor Green Room Blue Room and Red Room as well as the State Dining Room 3 The White House was closed during U S participation in World War II 3 Upon reopening in November 1946 the Truman administration decided to open all the aforementioned areas to all tour visitors no senator needed 3 But as would always be the case the real working areas of the White House such as the Oval Office were not included on tours nor were upper floor residential areas A schedule was established tours took place between 10 00 and noon Tuesday through Saturday with desiring visitors lining up outside the East Gate 4 About a half million people a year visited until the operation was shut down in November 1948 for a major renovation of the entire structure 3 Tours were restarted in April 1952 5 In charge of them at that time was the chief usher of the White House 3 Tours were suspended following the November 22 1963 assassination of John F Kennedy but based upon the request of Jacqueline Kennedy were resumed seven days later 6 Tickets and methods edit nbsp The line to get same day tour tickets stretched a long way around in June 1994 with the Washington Monument looming in the early morning distance In 1976 during the United States Bicentennial long waits in line and a whole morning spent were commonplace due to large numbers in Washington and a color coded ticket distribution system was put in place 7 The system was put in place for good beginning in May 1977 7 White House tours were often in high demand By 1981 8 a director of the White House Visitor Center was in charge of the operation During the early 1980s as many as 6 000 visitors were accommodated each day with just as many turned away 8 Special pleas for tours coming from Washington officials had to be dealt with frequently 8 In 1981 there was a dispute between First Lady Nancy Reagan and New York U S representative Thomas Downey over his free tickets privileges having been suspended 9 During the early 1980s recession White House tours remained fully booked even when other Washington attractions saw declining attendance 10 the Visitor Center continued to process well over one million visits a year 10 White House Visitors Office personnel are constantly caught between trying to satisfy demands and expectations for tours and events and preserving the dignity of the presidential office and setting 1 The White House Visitor Office is also in charge of assorted White House special events such as the annual White House Easter Egg Roll in the South Lawn the State Arrival Ceremony for visiting heads of state and a national Christmas celebration 8 11 The Egg Roll in particular is an important function of the office as one former director of the office stated It s the single most high profile event that takes place at the White House each year and the White House and the first lady are judged on how well they put it on 12 Carol McCain director of the White House Visitors Office from 1981 to 1987 added participatory activities and doubled the size of the crowds attending the Easter Egg Roll 13 Later director Ellie Schafer and First Lady Michelle Obama changed the Egg Roll procedure to have a lottery system for gaining access and to allow more people to participate 2 The lack of a director of the office in time for the April 2017 Egg Roll was seen as symptomatic of the disorganization of the incoming Donald Trump Administration of that time 12 In April 1995 the current White House Visitor Center facility was opened in the Herbert C Hoover Building two blocks from the White House 14 The daily tour ticket distribution place was moved there 15 with exhibits meant to spend the time until one s tour slot had come about 14 The yearly run rate for visitors was now at 1 25 million with as always demand exceeding supply 14 By 1997 ticket scalping was a persistent problem with scalpers getting from 5 to 50 a throw 15 Early in the George W Bush administration White House officials cracked down on commercialized tours trying to get into the building as well as people late getting to their tour slot 16 Comparison were made against the more lenient policies of the Clinton administration 16 On July 22 2012 the main White House Visitor Center facility closed for an extensive renovation process with the goal of including new exhibit galleries interactive exhibits and improved visitor services On July 28 a temporary visitor center opened near the Ellipse Visitor Pavilion at the intersection of 15th and E Street and it remained open until the main visitor center reopened on September 13 2014 17 18 In the wake of September 11 edit nbsp Interior of the White House Visitors Center April 2007 First Lady of the United States Laura Bush stands next to 51 State Eggs decorated by artists from each state and D C Tours were suspended in the wake of the September 11 attacks due to terrorism concerns In September 2003 they were resumed on a limited basis for groups making prior arrangements through their congressional representatives and submitting to background checks They were again suspended in March 2013 during the Obama administration due to the effects of the ongoing budget sequestration but were resumed again in November 2013 19 Presently a tour of the White House must be arranged through a member of Congress Reservations may be made a maximum of six months ahead of time and the White House encourages tours be submitted as close to six months in advance as possible as tours are filled on a first come first served basis The approval and reservation system was modernized under the Obama administration 2 Anyone aged 14 or older who is offered a tour must undergo a background check This requires providing personal information including name date of birth Social Security number and country of citizenship Tours are available from 7 30 a m to 11 30 a m Tuesday through Thursday 7 30 a m to 1 30 p m Fridays and Saturdays excluding federal holidays or unless otherwise noted 20 Tour hours will be extended when possible based on the official White House schedule They are self guided and free of charge Tours are subject to last minute cancellation The process used to screen potential visitors for tours has come under fire due to concerns of identity theft that can affect potential visitors 21 Concerns include that those who apply to be visitors must provide their personal information to congressional offices who request this information via e mail and in turn send the information via e mail to the White House The e mail format that is used in this process is susceptible to interception Directors of the White House Visitors Office editThis list is incomplete you can help by adding missing items June 2017 Name Term Ref Michael J Farrell 1974 1977 22 Nancy Willing 1977 1979 23 24 Carol McCain 1981 1987 8 13 25 Debra Romash 1989 1992 26 Melinda N Bates 1993 2001 12 Clare Pritchett 2001 2004 16 27 Sara Armstrong 2004 2007 28 Amy Allman 2007 2009 29 30 Ellie Schafer 2009 2016 31 12 Daniel Fisher 2017 2019 32 Dana Hurtik 2019 2021 33 See also editWhite House visitor logsReferences edit a b c Patterson Bradley H Jr 2001 The White House Staff Inside the West Wing and Beyond Brookings Institution Press ISBN 0 8157 6951 2 p 400 a b c McCormick Kelley The Most Powerful Person in Washington That You ve Never Heard Of Capitol File Retrieved September 6 2014 a b c d e f Furman Bess 1952 05 11 What a Tour of the New White House Includes The New York Times Copeland George H 1948 02 08 Doing the Capitol Visitors Flock to Washington to Watch Congress in Action and See the Sights The New York Times White House Tours to Resume April 22 Public Inspection of Lower Mansion to Be Allowed After More Than Three Years The New York Times 1952 04 09 White House Tours to Reopen The New York Times United Press International 1963 11 28 a b White House Tours to Require a Ticket The New York Times Associated Press 1977 05 29 a b c d e Gamarekian Barbara 1981 08 30 White House Tour Leader Courted and Criticized The New York Times Weisman Steven R 1981 06 20 Truce Of Sorts On White House Tours The New York Times a b White House Remains Ever Popular The New York Times 1982 09 02 Naedele Walter F 1986 11 18 O Neill is Weighing an Invitation For Post as Bicentennial Spokesman The Philadelphia Inquirer a b c d Davis Julie Hirschfeld April 11 2017 The Latest Test for the White House Pulling Off Its Easter Egg Roll The New York Times a b Radcliffe Donnie 1986 12 30 Christmas Card Presidents The Washington Post a b c Molotsky Irvin 1995 04 02 A Visitors Center For White House Tours The New York Times a b White House Access for Just 5 The New York Times 1997 08 03 a b c Sciolino Elaine 2001 05 13 Rules on Visitors Recast By Bush s White House The New York Times White House Visitor Center Renovation July 18 2012 Retrieved August 3 2014 White House Visitor Center Reopens Saturday September 13 2014 Retrieved September 11 2014 Eilperin Julie November 5 2013 As White House tours resume the Obamas surprise visitors with a personal welcome The Washington Post whitehouse gov White House Tours Could Lead To Identity Theft WBAL TV 2007 11 20 Retrieved 2016 10 11 Michael J Farrell Files www fordlibrarymuseum gov Retrieved 11 September 2018 White House Stopping All Afternoon Tours The New York Times UPI March 17 1977 p 31 Tourists keep coming to visit White House The Times News Twin Falls Idaho UPI May 29 1979 p 1 via Newspapers com Naedele Walter F February 19 1987 Bicentennial Group Adds Loses Staff The Philadelphia Inquirer Alumni Who Have Served in the Office of President or Vice President News Lafayette College news lafayette edu Retrieved 11 September 2018 2004 White House Office Staff List Alphabetical www washingtonpost com Retrieved 11 September 2018 Sara Armstrong Former Director of the White House Visitors Office whitehouse gov Retrieved 11 September 2018 via National Archives Amy Allman Director White House Visitors Office whitehouse gov Retrieved 2008 06 16 via National Archives Revolving Door Amy Allman Dean Employment Summary OpenSecrets www opensecrets org Retrieved 11 September 2018 Gordon Rachel 2009 01 28 San Franciscan in the White House sfgate com Retrieved 2009 01 30 www whitehouse gov www whitehouse govExternal links editHistorical tour of the White House Visiting the White House FAQs about White House tours38 52 48 N 76 59 05 W 38 8799 N 76 9846 W 38 8799 76 9846 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title White House Visitors Office amp oldid 1172913386, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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