When first lady Jacqueline Kennedy came to the White House in 1961, she found the executive mansion poorly maintained and lacking in any furnishings from the previous century. She wasted no time in appointing the first White House curator, and in forming the Fine Arts Committee for the White House to procure furniture and artwork that was either owned by previous presidents, or representative of particular periods in the building’s history. She was careful to insure the public understood that this was not a matter of decorating to her tastes, but an effort to honor American history and craftsmanship, saying: “It would be sacrilege to merely redecorate it- a word I hate. It must be restored, and that has nothing to do with decoration. That is a question of scholarship.”

With the formation of the White House Historical Association in November 1961, Mrs. Kennedy oversaw the publication of "The White House: An Historic Guide"- the first official guide for the building. Highly successful, proceeds from the sale of the guide helped pay for the continued restoration of the White House.

This special new edition celebrates the Fiftieth Anniversary of the book's release with a new design, updated text, and new photography. The Kitchen and Press Room are among the new chapters and highlights of this edition. The State Floor and public rooms of the Ground Floor, Second Floor, and West Wing are presented with richly illustrated historical text. For the first time, the guide also offers a walking tour of the exterior, with a key to its architectural elements and grounds. Softcover, 246 pages with 238 illustrations.