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WHITE HOUSE TOURS: One of most-popular tours among
tourists visiting the US. Though most of the rooms are historic,
each has a different flavor and a different story. It was
President Thomas Jefferson also permitted public tours of
his home, which have continued ever since, except during wartime.
The White House was designated a National Historic Landmark
on December 19, 1960.
Visit Eisenhower Executive Office Building to see the Declaration
of Independence, the Constitution, and George Washington's
sword on display. The "Presidential Collection Room",
now the China Room, was designated by Ms Woodrow Wilson to
display the growing collection of White House china. The Map
Room was used by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to follow
the course of World War II.
Few people realize the size of the White House, since much
of it is below ground or otherwise minimized by landscaping.
In fact, the White House has: six stories and 55,000 ft²
(5,100 m²) of floor space, 132 rooms and 35 bathrooms,
412 doors, 147 windows, 28 fireplaces, 8 staircases, 3 elevators,
5 full-time chefs, 5,000 visitors a day, a tennis court, a
bowling lane, a movie theater, a jogging track and a swimming
pool.
Public tours of the White House are available for groups
of 10 or more people. Requests must be submitted through one's
Member of Congress and are accepted up to six months in advance.
These self-guided tours are available from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30
p.m. Tuesday through Saturday (excluding federal holidays),
and are scheduled on a first come, first served basis approximately
one month in advance of the requested date. All White House
tours are free of charge. For the most current tour information,
please call the 24-hour line at 202-456-7041.
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