Art in the White House

Taken from a September 2008 presentation at the Smithsonian, art historian and White House Collection expert, William Kloss, guides this audio tour of eleven of the more notable pieces of artwork in the collection.

The White House Collection: Decorative Arts Timeline

From John & Abigail Adams' arrival in November, 1800, to now, the White House has always housed one of the nation's most important collections of decorative arts. View this era-by-era timeline history of White House furniture, services, vases, glassware and more.

"Acquisition of Presidential Portraits for the White House"  Betty Monkman

"Well into the twentieth century, the commissioning and acquisition of portraits of presidents for the White House was a haphazard affair that was largely dependent on gifts from families and friends" ... [click title link to read on]

Treasures of the White House Collection

View fact sheets about the history and provenance of a few of the more notable artworks and pieces of decorative arts in the White House Collection.

The White House Collection / Digital Library

The over two hundred images presented here comprise a selection of portraits, landscapes, historical scenes, sculpture, and other works of art from the White House Collection. Browse, register and download images from our expanding library.