White House Office of the Curator
Encyclopedia
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
as an official residence and as an accredited historic house museum.
The office began during the administration of President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
while First Lady
First Lady
First Lady or First Gentlemanis the unofficial title used in some countries for the spouse of an elected head of state.It is not normally used to refer to the spouse or partner of a prime minister; the husband or wife of the British Prime Minister is usually informally referred to as prime...
Jacqueline Kennedy oversaw the restoration of the White House. The office is located in the ground floor of the White House Executive Residence
Executive Residence
The Executive Residence is the central building of the White House Complex located between the East Wing and West Wing. This central building, first constructed 1792–1800, is home to the President of the United States and the First Family. The Executive Residence primarily occupies three floors:...
. The office, headed by the Curator of the White House, includes an Associate Curator, an Assistant Curator, and a Curatorial Assistant. The office works with the Chief Usher
White House Chief Usher
White House Chief Usher is the title of the head of household staff and operations at the White House, the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the United States....
, the Committee for the Preservation of the White House
Committee for the Preservation of the White House
The Committee for the Preservation of the White House is an advisory committee charged with the preservation of the White House, the official home and principal workplace of the President of the United States...
and the White House Historical Association
White House Historical Association
The White House Historical Association, founded in 1961 through efforts of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy is a private, non-profit organization with a mission to enhance the public's understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment of the White House, the official home and principal workplace of the...
.
Curators' charge
The Curator of the White House, or less formally White House Curator, is head of the White House Office of the Curator which is charged with the conservation and study of the collection of fine art, furniture and decorative objects used to furnish both the public and private rooms of the White House.The position was begun during the administration of President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
while First Lady
First Lady
First Lady or First Gentlemanis the unofficial title used in some countries for the spouse of an elected head of state.It is not normally used to refer to the spouse or partner of a prime minister; the husband or wife of the British Prime Minister is usually informally referred to as prime...
Jacqueline Kennedy oversaw the restoration of the White House. The first Curator of the White House was Lorraine Waxman Pearce who was appointed in March 1961. Pearce was a graduate of the preservation program at the Winterthur Museum
Henry Francis DuPont Winterthur Museum
Winterthur Museum and Country Estate is an American estate and museum in Winterthur, Delaware. it houses one of the most important collections of Americana in the United States of America. It was the former home of Henry Francis du Pont , a renowned antiques collector and horticulturist...
.
Curators of the White House
To date seven curators have served in the White House; they are:- Lorraine Waxman Pearce, 1961–1962
- William Vos Elder III, 1962–1963
- James R. Ketchum, 1963–1969
- Clement Ellis Conger, 1969–1986
- Rex Scouten, 1986–1997
- Betty C. Monkman, 1997–2002
- William G. Allman, 2002–present
See also
- Committee for the Preservation of the White HouseCommittee for the Preservation of the White HouseThe Committee for the Preservation of the White House is an advisory committee charged with the preservation of the White House, the official home and principal workplace of the President of the United States...
- White House Historical AssociationWhite House Historical AssociationThe White House Historical Association, founded in 1961 through efforts of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy is a private, non-profit organization with a mission to enhance the public's understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment of the White House, the official home and principal workplace of the...