Washington | Tourists to visit Oval Office

(Washington) Washington is getting a new tourist stop that offers visitors a good alternative to the Oval Office: an identical replica of President Joe Biden’s office, from the desk itself, to the armchairs in front of the fireplace, to the family Bible on a side table.

And when Mr. Biden’s successor takes office next year, the full-scale replica of the Oval Office will be redecorated to look exactly like the new president’s office, said Stewart McLaurin, president of the White House Historical Association, which opens its educational center to the public on Monday.

A separate space in the center called the “Immersive Theater” uses technology to transform into some of the White House’s most remarkable rooms every five minutes.

“The great thing about this Oval Office, unlike the real Oval Office, is that if you come visit us, you can come sit in this chair and be the president of the United States,” McLaurin said, speaking from the office chair as he led The Associated Press on a tour of the center before Monday’s opening.

Few people have set foot in the Oval Office—it’s not part of the White House public tour. But at this exhibit, visitors will not only see what one of the world’s most famous offices looks like, but experience it.

“You can take a call from Mr. Putin or anyone you want to take a call from, have your picture taken there,” McLaurin said.

“You can sit on the sofas or in the president’s chair as you visualized him sitting there and you see him on the news talking to a visitor or a head of state. You can do the same thing right there in front of the fireplace.”

The wallpaper, curtains, carpet, furniture, paintings and other artwork are exact replicas of the furnishings as they currently stand in the Oval Office. The plan is to change the decor for each future president.

“It’s exactly like President Biden’s, exactly,” he said. “Even the family Bible with the worn elements is duplicated.” Except for the “digital column” in the center of the room that shows visitors how the office has evolved throughout the presidency. It also doubles as a mirror so visitors can see themselves standing in the Oval Office.

Beyond the Oval Office

The technology is also being used to transform the “immersive theater” every five minutes in each of the five rooms on the White House State Floor: the East Room, the Red, Blue and Green Rooms and the State Dining Room. The images on the walls of each room were chosen by the association’s historians. Visitors can touch the walls to unlock information about the art, furniture or other historical elements that took place there.

“We want people to feel like they’re in that room in the White House,” McLaurin said.

Leaving the theater, visitors will walk to the replica Oval Office along a stone path resembling the White House colonnade with views of art depicting the Rose Garden.

Another exhibit shows how presidents use the White House for work, family and social functions. Visitors can attend Cabinet meetings and vote on the president’s policy plan, sit at a table set as if it were a state dinner to learn how presidents use these lavish events to conduct diplomacy, or settle into a seat in the family movie theater.

In a separate gallery, the chief gardener, florist, senior military aide and chief usher are among the White House staff members featured in a video explaining what they do.

In complementarity with the White House

After entering the education center, visitors will see a large model of the south side of the White House, listen to an audio welcome message from first lady Jill Biden and watch an orientation film narrated by Martin Sheen, who played a president on the TV show. The West Wing.

The education center spans three floors of an office building at 1700 Pennsylvania Avenue, a block from the White House. Technology is used throughout to teach the history of the executive residence, the presidents and families who have lived there, and the staff whose work allows it to function in its multiple roles as a workplace, residence and museum.

Mr. McLaurin said the center was designed to be an enhancement to the White House public tour, not a replacement. But because tickets to the White House tour are hard to come by, he expects that “the vast majority of people who have the opportunity to visit here will not have the privilege of visiting the White House itself.”

Jill Biden visited twice during construction and planned an event on the White House lawn on Saturday to celebrate next week’s opening.

“This new immersive education center will take visitors on an incredible journey using technology and innovation to bring the history of the White House to life,” said the first lady, who is a community college professor. “As an educator, I am thrilled to see it open to the public.”

Hundreds of visitors expected

Admission is free, but visitors must request timed tickets. The association anticipates 800 visitors each day, most staying just over an hour.

The association has raised $60 million for construction and initial operating costs, and is working toward a $50 million endowment to support operations, McLaurin said.

The White House Historical Association was founded in 1961 by former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy to help preserve the museum quality of the White House interior and educate the public. It is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that receives no government funding. It raises funds primarily through private donations and merchandise sales, including an annual Christmas ornament.