The White House was dressed up beautifully for Christmas. Our trip was easy fun and stunning. We requested our tickets three months prior through our representative. We showed up 1 hour early to the White House Visitor Center, where we discovered that the entrance is across the street. The White House Visitor Center was a great place to start, with a 12 minute informative video, models and Miniatures of the White House, and artifacts with information about the life in the White House. We also picked up several gifts for family members at the gift shop at the White House Visitor Center. 30 minutes prior to our appointed visit time we made our way to the security entrance across the street from Pershing Park. There are three separate screening areas, but all were easy and non-intrusive. The White House itself was fully decked out for Christmas. It looked and smelled like the holidays. The tour is self-guided, but there are Secret Service agents everywhere who are very friendly and willing to provide information about the room in which theyre posted. We highly recommend this tour for anyone.

We apparently were quite fortunate to be able to get into the White House on this trip as wed put a request in for the tour less than a month before our vacation and Id heard youd need to request a tour several months in advance. Security is tight, as one could imagine, so be sure to follow all the prescribed rules very carefully. The security stationed around the home are quite friendly and informative, giving the history of each room in which theyre stationed to all who ask. Our timing was great, as we got to see the presidential motorcade leaving right as we showed up.

Very cool. More history and basic information than I anticipated. It was amazing.

Interesting and varied displays. Not as much content as I thought there would be. Due to our groups early entrance time, we visited the White House before walking down the the visitors center. Even the hallways in the White House have been a part of history and the entire place is a museum. It would have been nice if the we could have reversed the order. We would have had more background information before stepping into the White House.

Touring the white house was awesome.

Very cool place and I wish it was advertised better. Once you find it it is a great museum, full of information about the beginnings of the White house. Also it tells of the evolution the building went throw over time. Cool artifacts that show the people who interacted with America, old house hold items that were used to entertain guests and old furniture the past presidents sat on. Pretty quick museum over all in comparison to all the other museums at the National Mall.

I really enjoyed the tour but the only thing that disappointed me was that the tour was not long enough. It is more or less a self-guided tour but there are a Secret Service agent in each room to answer any questions you may have. Wished we could see more but we knew that was not possible because of security concerns. We would recommend this tour.

It blows my mind how the tax payers moneys can go to keep up these historical building but the roads are worse that that of the poorest towns in American. Government theft and priorities are their finest !

Great place to learn about the history of the White House. Really enjoyed the amount of artifacts that this center had, not too overwhelming if you have small kids.

While we didnt really plan to visit the White House Visitors Center, it was an enjoyable experience. We were actually just looking for a rest room and we were told by the White House Park staff to go to the White House Visitor Center. This place is free to visit and has many interesting item to see that once belonged inside the White House or were once gifts to previous US Presidents from other nations. I would recommend coming here.

Take the guided tour. Very informative. Great history and an opportunity to see areas you wouldnt normally be able to view.

Probably just a one time deal. Staff were great. Everyone needs to do this.

The White House is one of the places you need to see if you’re in Washington D.C.I would recommend the tour inside and also to admire the architecture and beauty of the building itself.

Must see if you are a visitor to DC.

Truly came in here just to use the restrooms, but had a great time here! The gift shop is really nice with a great variety of items with many different price points. There is a lot of historical information throughout the visitor center. Great place to stop! Going through all the security before entering didnt make a lot of sense to me just for a visitors center, but staff were kind and explanatory. Bathrooms were in nice shape, properly clean and well maintained. Great place to stop before (or after) heading to the White House.

Today was one of the most profoundly Inspiring days of my life! It was almost overwhelming.I was in the place where everything that is our Country has been done. The Power was Incredible. I am proud of the service I gave to my country. And today I was given the honor to walk the halls and be in the rooms that have witnessed the most important decisions made in our country. And even the world.It was humbling and exhilarating, scary and wonderful, and i was Proud! Its hard to describe what it was like. Everything was perfect, and in good working order. The people working were the absolute professionals and incredibly nice. I was able to be inside the building that has seen Elvis, Abraham Lincoln, JFK, Teddy Roosevelt, Mohammed Ali, the Queen of England, the Heads of State to almost every Nation since it was built.It has been burnt to the ground and re built but the walls have always been there. The walls have heard death and children playing. Goats have lived and dogs have played. every war except one has been played out in it. Peace has been kept and won, all for a simple idea. For the People by the People.I saw the desk that was used to sign the Civil rights act and help organize NASA. National parks were made on it and Nixon resigned. Winston Churchill was there and the room that witnessed the death of Osama bin laden and Benghazi. Terrible and Amazing things happened in it and it made me feel...everything! I was in the White House! IT WAS SO FREAKING AWESOME

The tour is for appx 45min. Its good but not as expected. Worth visiting once

Great introduction to the White House. There is an awesome model display of the White House. Many presidential artifacts to purchase except,Obama’s.

Some neat artifacts and items on display. Young kids may not want to stay long.Woman in gift are was awesome. She thoroughly went through the details of most of the ornaments. Pretty neat.

Nice visitor center with much information about the White House (presentation boards, information boards, cinema show and so on).A gift shop is also on site where you can buy a lot of souvenirs and other things. At the entrance you have to pass a security check.

You can get all kinds of knick knacks and gifts from here. You cant buy them online. So, its something special that really shows support for the White House! They have an amazing Lego White House model on display for Christmas. Its ADORABLE!

Excellent place to visit. Restricted access, however, you can enjoy the beautiful views from behind the fence.

Security folks friendly but professional. Tours are self guided. Facility is amazing... as one would expect of the home of our head of state. Amazing amount of history, but you have to bring your own resources, as the secret service agents, with one amazing exception, volunteered no information.

Its a lifetime experience.You will be able to take a look on previously used rooms for theater,dinning area, meeting rooms, pictures of previous Presidents etc.Security check is high and one take pictures but not videos.

Highly recommend taking this tour! All of the employees are super nice and helpful! We really enjoyed ourselves!

The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C. and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. The term White House is often used as a metonym for the president and his advisers.The residence was designed by Irish-born architect James Hoban[3] in the neoclassical style. Hoban modelled the building on Leinster House in Dublin, a building which today houses the Oireachtas, the Irish legislature. Construction took place between 1792 and 1800 using Aquia Creek sandstone painted white. When Thomas Jefferson moved into the house in 1801, he (with architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe) added low colonnades on each wing that concealed stables and storage.[4] In 1814, during the War of 1812, the mansion was set ablaze by the British Army in the Burning of Washington, destroying the interior and charring much of the exterior. Reconstruction began almost immediately, and President James Monroe moved into the partially reconstructed Executive Residence in October 1817. Exterior construction continued with the addition of the semi-circular South portico in 1824 and the North portico in 1829.

Short wait to get in the day I visited. The Rangers at desk were wonderful. Smiling and full of helpful advice. Made my day. Friendly and genuinely happy with the job. Thank You.

The visitor center is a good place to acquainted with the great history of the US symbol.

It was difficult to find (look for the blue awnings just off thr main road INSIDE the department of commerce. Because its inside the commerce building it was a bit confusing to recognize from 15th street. The displays and artifacts inside are really informative.

If you not able to get into the White House tour there is the Whitehouse visitors centre which is a fantastic insight into the workings of the Whitehouse. There is lots to see and there is even a gift shop. The room itself is worth looking at too. The staff here are fantastic and friendly. they are also very knowledgeable about the history of the Whitehouse

We didn’t think we’d enjoy it but we did. A beautiful collection and so nice to restore perspective on everyone who has built where we are today. Fun to learn more about First Ladies and first families.

Must see..we didnt get a White house tour. However, we did enjoy the visitors center after a few pics at the gate. The video of past presidential families living in the White house was very interesting...actual interviews and pictures. Must see.

Very interesting place / museum to learn everything around the White House and its history. There is also a screening of a documentary about the importance of White House, in which you can hear the voices of a lot of ex presidents of the United States. The entrance is free of charge, there is only a security control that all visitors have to pass (nothing exaggerated). A place that I highly recommend to visit to every tourist that comes to Washington!

I would skip this one for one of the others if you are short on time. Some interesting stuff but not much

Kudos to this place. It has a nice bathroom prior to heading to to a bathroomless white house tour. It also has a respectable gift shoo to commemorate a visit to the seat of democracy. On top of that - its a respectable historic museum to give some context to what youll see at the actual white house, so right on that. Ill also concede that we did have a US president named Andrew Johnson - did not believe that for a long time.

Expect to spend a couple of hours here. We walked in without a reservation time and we were still able to get tickets for the next tour, for which the wait was only 15 minutes!The orientation movie was an amazing and very interesting history lesson and all packed into 13 minutes!Just one FYI...when they say NO food or drinks can be brought into the visitor center, they are not kidding! But dont throw out your water bottle! Just pour the water out and keep your empty bottle, because after the tour, youre allowed to fill it back up!Also, if youre not coming with a bus load of people, there are more than one set of visitor entrance doors. Plus the one from across the street...

A lot of information and very interesting documents and pictures! Professional service! Very good shop too :)

There is a documenyary style movie that is wonderful for learning the perspectives of past and current presidents, the whole building is like a museum too.

Interior is beautiful! Not much to see so it doesnt take long to get through it (maybe 30 min). Gift shop has unique gifts. Good stop if you want out of the weather for a bit.

Definitely worth a visit,should take about 1hour to see everything.

So much to see and do. A good half day is needed here

Friendly... But dont bring anything they tell you not to! Or youll lose it! 😊

Informative about the White House. You can see the room inside on the screen. A small visitor center tho

Security was rude and slow. The actual museum is wonderful and the guides very nice and helpful!

This is probably one of the nicer visitors centers you’ll find in DC. A great video to watch about the families who’ve occupied the White House, and lots of fun facts about the building and what’s it grown to become. Do the junior ranger while you’re in to learn even more and to claim your junior ranger badge!

It’s a great place to visit

The security agents were a bit stiff and didnt seem to mind when the metal detector went off when I walked through. The lady told me not to take off my coat because her shift was almost over. I didnt mind too much but would rather security take their jobs a bit more seriously given all the violence in the world today.The second security guard that I met walking through the second set of doors completely ignored me when I smiled at her and said hello, so that ticked me off...Aside from that, there was some pretty cool stuff to look at and an interesting film being played on the large screen in the back. The gift shop was alright, just a bit pricey.

Do checkout the national christmas tree right infront of the white house. Due to new laws tourists and public now cannot enter the white house. Sad. Wished to go in n explore.

We were hoping for a White House tour, but we did not make the cut. It was still a great experience at the center to see the history of the White House. It was an honor to experience this great place with my wife and children. One disapointment, as it was at many of the national sites there was not much available about our current president Donald Trump. No data memorabilia or souviniers. It should not matter what party you favor, hes our preside t and we should honor him at these historic sites. They should Fix this. I had to buy stuff from a vendor on the street.

Great place to visit prior to visiting the White House. Supplies you with maps of DC and knowledge of the White House. I recommend this visit.

Absolutely must make this a priority stop on your next visit! So much history and information!!

The White House Visitor Center is very well done. It tells the history well through a variety of displays. We visited early in the morning, missing the crowd, and had a pleasant visit. The staff was very pleasant and helpful. The gift shop had variety of unique items.

Very informative! I learned the President Gerald Ford was the only president to serve as a park ranger. My kids swore in as junior park rangers. An unforgettable experience!

Loved it! Found out things I never knew! The inside of the building was beautiful of course!

It says it’s open, but it’s closed due to covid. They should update this on here so tourists don’t waste time.

White House Visitor Center.I used to see the White House on the screen of a television or sometime in cinemas. A place that symbolizes the freedom of mankind, a big country and as a melting pot of all nations in the world.It would not easy for me to come here, at least I need to fly for about 21 hours. Then one day I have a chance to visit Washington DC and I wont let myself miss the opportunity to visit the White House and join the tour.When I got there on Tuesday and I didnt lucky, therere very long queuing of people along the fence and the tour already close then I come back again very early on Thursday and finally succeeded.The security procedures are very tight a lot of Secret Service persons seen there and I saw the signboard of restriction before entering the place such as; no pet, no aerosol, no gun, no knife, no smoking, etc.Once you are inside, the tour is self-guided and will take about half an hour including the public rooms in the East Wing, which includes the Blue Room, Red Room and Green Room; the State Dining Room; the China Room; and a view of the White House Rose Garden.Only in my imagination I can meet the President and visit the Oval room.Nice experience and forget not to drop by a while at the souvenir shops to buy something there, as proof that you have been there.

Wonderful sights to see and we saw Marine 1 land and takeoff!!!

It is best alternative to know White House. There are many information and stuff from White House. Furthermore, various souvenir make me crazy!

Great history lessons. Tight security, had small pocket knife and had to dispose of it. The security rules use no common sense. Lady behind me had a 3 closed umbrella with a spike on the end and she was allowed in with that weapon? Just does not make good sense to me. Im not complaining about my pocket knife, just the rules enforcement.

Its a real enjoyable experience.

It was full of History very nice place

We had actually requested to the Member of Congress for a White House tour but they said that they dont have an opening on the date we requested. When we visited the White House, we couldnt even access it from the front yard, so they must have closed it for some reason, which is disappointing.

I would definitely recommend it for all the history nerds out there

Semi-decent tour of the White House, however there isnt much to see and the communication system for narrating the building is a hit or miss.

Information center is a good way to start your trip in dc

I enjoyed walking by the White House on the weekends. You never know who you might see. I saw George H.W. Bush, his wife and their dog Millie. When I went around to the front, I saw Dan Quayle stopping to pick up The President of Turkey. On my last visit, I saw the White House and snapped a photo while on a Segway. I once took the tour inside as well.

Lots of great information about the White House. Has just enough exhibits and be in and out in about an hour or less.

It was awesome to see some of America history.And it was beautiful.

I enjoyed it very much. It was a great day and I was happy to see it

The home of the most powerful head of state in the world, yet it’s actually smaller than most other such buildings. It took me 30 years to see the White House. It was beautiful. There’s also a lot of security. And protestors.

Definitely visit here! All welcome.

Good place needs more items

A bit of insight into stuff from the white house.

Well worth a visit if you are a non US citizen and therefore unable to tour the White House

It was wonderful! Great stop and learn. Just the right size.

Came early in the morning. Very quite and good to see the evryday life of the whitehouse.

Realy good overview about the White House. I can prefer the movie. Some prominent people talk about the White House.

Had a great time visiting the White House. Wish we could have seen more.

Interesting to learn more about the White House. Also some items on display

Great place, short tour but worth it

Nice little building that is detached from the white house. That has some history of the white house and some things that were used.

Amazing day..Got to do this trip!

The history of this building is awe inspiring!

Really cool and short visit museum that’s free. Not a lot to see but worth the 1hr it takes to look around at things. I found it interesting to learn about our whites house and see some items donated to the museum.

About 90 minutes to tour. Amazing.

Most people forget or misses to drop in at this place. This is a very beautiful must visit place in DC. We liked the details and artifacts and innovation of this place.

Truly a member whole experience. Taking a step back 200 years of history and more like a museum.

There is only one gift kiosk so make sure to get your souvenirs when you get done in the photo hallway.

Unforgettable seeing the Iconic residence of the President !

It had a lot about the white house. Small gift shop there. One of the ladies came and talked to me about the Christmas ornaments and I ended up buying 2 that she had told me about.

Nice tour.

Super efficient and hardly any wait time for our tour of the White House.

Great historical account of the White House.

Very efficient security. Only problem was rude people(adults) stepping in front of children. Not the White Houses fault.

Touring the Whitehouse is a must for all Americans. Do it!

Loved the visitor center, learned a lot about the White house

Alot of information about White House construction and architecture,presidents life style and history and important artifacts collected over time. Enjoyed the interactive display.

Very interesting going to White House

The White house. Its very famous I hear.

So, if youre like me and didnt do your due diligence before coming to Washington, then you would have been pretty surprised to find out you need to book your visit to the white house 21 days to 3 months in advance. If youre a US citizen, you will need to ask your congressman or woman to set up a visit. Otherwise, you need to go to your countrys embassy to schedule a visit.However, the silver lining is that this place is wonderful to visit as a consolation prize. Its a wonderful little museum that looks at the history of the White house and its inhabitants. I really enjoyed my time here. Just like most places, you will need to pass airport like security before entering and there is a gift shop. I enjoyed the gift shop, its pretty cool to get an official white house notebook.