The White House is one of the most famous buildings in the world; it has survived being burned in the War of 1812, and after reconstruction and expansion, it now has 132 rooms and 55,000 square feet of space. The White House has been the home of every president since 1800, making it the symbol of the executive branch that is even featured on the back of the 20 dollar bill. Anyone can see the White House from the National Mall, but to get past the fence you will need to take a tour.
The White House has tours of the lawn and gardens in the Spring and in the Fall. This past spring I had the chance to see the grounds; I was able to get a close view of the Oval Office. The tour includes many photographs of historic events such as peace talks that happened there. You will also see photographs of many Presidents and even Queen Elizabeth planting trees on the White House lawn. If you are lucky you will even catch the First Dog strolling around the grass.
If you are interested in touring the inside you will need to contact your Congressmen. All the information on tours can be found on the White House website.
