Near the White House, but can’t get in? The People’s House, a free museum steps from the White House at 1700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, uses two floors and 33,000 square feet to show how the Executive Mansion works as a home, workplace and ceremonial stage, without requiring an actual White House tour.
A Scale Model Traces Two Centuries of History
Created by the White House Historical Association and opened in September 2024, The People’s House offers free general admission, though timed passes are recommended, and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
One of its first major installations, part of the museum’s permanent exhibits, is a 1-to-5 scale model of the White House that shifts through lighting, narration and video to trace its architectural story from 1790 to the present, with interactive tablets letting visitors activate individual rooms.
Full-Scale Replicas Put Visitors Inside the White House
The museum includes a full-scale Oval Office replica and an immersive State Floor experience and exhibits on the West Colonnade. Upstairs, The White House in Action places visitors inside a Cabinet Room meeting and scenes of everyday life inside the residence.
A Rockwell Series Adds a Timely Reason to Return
Norman Rockwell’s So You Want to See the President!, a new series of interconnected works created during Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidency and displayed in the West Wing for more than four decades, is now on public view at The People’s House through June 2027.
(Reminder) – A ticket to The People’s House does not provide access to the actual White House, West Wing or complex, which keeps it a distinct experience from an official tour.
The People’s House is located at 1700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. General admission is free, and timed passes are recommended given the museum’s popularity. The museum’s Instagram is a good way to track new installations, and readers can follow The Washington Lobbyist for more of Washington’s museums and cultural openings.
