Photo: Alamy
First Lady Melania Trump announced on Wednesday that the White House will begin offering public tours starting Feb. 25.
The tours must be reserved in advance through each visitor’s member of Congress.
“The President and I are excited to reopen the White House to those interested in the extraordinary story of this iconic and beautiful landmark,” the first lady said in a statement.
“There is much to learn about the American Presidency, the First Families who have lived here, and our Nation’s rich history from a firsthand experience at the White House. This opportunity is unique among nations around the globe,” she added.
White House tours cover the public rooms in the East Wing and the Residence, including the Vermeil Room, Library, China Room, Blue Room, Red Room, Green Room, State Dining Room, and a view of the Kennedy Garden. Along the tour route, Secret Service Officers are present to provide information on the history, art, furnishings and current uses of each room.
White House tours are free and cover select areas on a self-guided route, including the State Dining Room, China Room, and Library. The Oval Office is not part of the tour.
The news comes just a month after the first lady said she was ready for a return to the White House as Trump prepared to begin his second term.
The First Lady shared the comments during an interview on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends.”
“The first time was challenging, we didn’t have much of the information. The information was withheld from us by the previous administration,” she said.
“But this time I have everything. I have the plans, I already packed, I have selected the furniture. So it’s a very different transition this time, the second time around,” she added.
“I think it will be an exciting four years. We have a lot to do to put the country back in shape.”
Though the first lady makes few public statements, she shared her excitement to return to Washington shortly after her husband’s election victory.
“The majority of Americans have entrusted us with this important responsibility,” she wrote in a post on social media. “We will safeguard the heart of our republic – freedom. I anticipate the citizens of our nation rejoining in commitment to each other and rising above ideology for the sake of individual liberty, economic prosperity, and security.”
