National Trust for Historic Preservation
Upcoming
Upcoming Events:
Tuesday, September 22
Dr. Korey Garibaldi | Woodrow Wilson & the Fence: Race, Architecture and Democracy at Princeton
12pm - 1pm
Dr. Korey Garibaldi is Assistant Professor in the Department of American Studies at Notre Dame. Garibaldi studies the social and intellectual history of the United States, with a special interest in the history of late nineteenth and twentieth-century literary production. His courses focus on modern histories of citizenship, transnationalism, cultural and economic thought, and the African diaspora. He is currently finishing the manuscript for a book tentatively titled Before Black Power: The Rise and Fall of Interracial Literary Culture, 1908 – 1968. The study explores the intermittent flourishing of cross-racial industrial print culture in the U.S. underpinning the genre now commonly celebrated as African American literature. It shows how innumerable literary, professional, and technological challenges to the color line, now taken for granted, were once central to the promotion of cosmopolitan habits and mentalities during the Jim Crow era. Prior to joining the College of Arts and Letters faculty, Garibaldi was a joint residential fellow of the University of Chicago’s Center for the Study of Race, Politics and Culture and the Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality.
Tuesday, September 29
Garrett Peck | Disruption and Resilience, moderated by Dr. Kristoffer Smemo
12pm - 1pm
Tuesday, October 6
Dr. Eric S. Yellin | Racism in the Wilson Administration, Part 2
12pm - 1pm
Wednesday, October 7
Vintage Game Night
5:30 pm - 7 pm
Enjoy the fall weather in the Wilson House garden with the last Vintage Game Night of 2020. We'll supply croquet, bocce and ring toss; you bring your own board games to play with members of your 'bubble'. Explore the Suffrage Outside! exhibition while you are here.
$10 per person includes one drink and outdoor seating.
Rain date: October 8
Tuesday, October 13
Dr. Mary R. Habeck | Racialization of a Pandemic: Today and Yesterday
12pm - 1pm
Tuesday, October 20
Ambassador Joel Danies and Chris Richardson, moderated by Dr. Jonathan Wharton |
Today and Yesterday: The Racial Implications of the Wilsonian Foreign Service.
12pm - 1pm
Joel Danies is the United States Ambassador to the Gabonese Republic and the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe. He is a career member of the U.S. Senior Foreign Service, class of Counselor, and a diplomat since 1987. Chris Richardson is a former Foreign Service Officer with over a decade of experience as an immigration lawyer and former Consular Officer for U.S. Embassies and Consulates across four continents. Moderator, Jonathan Wharton is Associate Professor, Political Science & Urban Affairs, Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, CT.
Tuesday, October 27
Brenda Jones and Krishan Trotman, “Queens of the Resistance”
12pm - 1pm
Brenda Jones and Krishan Trotman present their four-book series "Queens of the Resistance" celebrating the life and accomplishments of four different influential woman in Congress: Nancy Pelosi, Maxine Waters, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Elizabeth Warren.
Tuesday, November 10
Dr. Arica Coleman, “That the Blood Stay Pure”
12pm - 1pm
Recent Events ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tuesday, September 15
Laura Kumin | All Stirred Up - Suffrage Cookbooks, Food and the Battle for Women's Right to Vote
12pm - 1pm
Join us online as Laura Kumin discusses "All Stirred Up; Suffrage Cookbooks, Food and the Battle for Women's Right to Vote."
It wasn’t only rallies and picket signs that gained women the exposure and power that led them to the vote. Ever courageous and creative, suffragists also carried their radical message into America’s homes wrapped in food wisdom, through cookbooks, which ingenuously packaged political strategy into already existent social communities. Kumin expands this forgotten history and shows us that long before they had the vote, women enfranchised themselves through the subversive and savvy power of the palate.
Tuesday, September 8
Keisha N. Blain, Ph.D. author of "Set the World on Fire"
12pm - 1pm
Keisha Blain has dug deeply into twentieth-century history to reveal the personal and political lives of African diaspora women determined to "Set the World on Fire" as they walked a fine line between leading and adhering to the black nationalist dictate of masculine leadership. Drawing upon a range of materials, including FBI files, personal letters, newspapers, and federal census records, Blain details every step of these women’s organizing efforts and their pan-African visions.
Tuesday, July 14
Eric S. Yellin author of "Racism in the Nation's Service; Government Workers and the Color Line in Woodrow Wilson's America."
12:00pm
Our Suffrage Speaker Series is so successful, the Conversation continues! Join author Eric S. Yellin for the next installment in our Tuesday Speaker Series. Using vivid accounts of the struggles and protests of African American government employees, Yellin reveals the racism at the heart of the era's reform politics.
FREE
Tuesdays at noon, June 2020
“Why Wait? From Start to (Un)Finished; A Look Back at Suffrage History”
2020 marks 100 years since women gained the right to vote. Join notable women historians, curators, and leaders for a series of talks exploring varying aspects of the women’s suffrage movement and its relevance today. Talks will explore the movement’s origins, its radicalization during Woodrow Wilson’s presidency, and the role of race in the movement’s evolution.
FREE! (But, you must register to attend the online meeting).
June 2 - Kimberly A. Hamlin author of "Free Thinker: Sex, Suffrage, and the Extraordinary Life Of Helen Hamilton Gardener"
June 9 - Angela P. Dodson author of “Remembering the Ladies: Celebrating those who Fought for Freedom at the Ballot Box”
June 16 - Rebecca Boggs Roberts, author of "Suffragists in Washington, DC : The 1913 Parade and the Fight for the Vote"
June 23 - Tina Cassidy, author of "Mr. President, How Long Must We Wait?: Alice Paul, Woodrow Wilson, and the Fight for the Right to Vote"
June 30 - Dr. Erin D. Chapman: "Black Women, Suffrage and Citizenship
Thursday, Feb 20, 2020
From Start to (Un)Finished; A Look Back at Suffrage History
6:30pm - 8:00pm
Join Karen Hill, President and CEO of The Harriet Tubman Home to discuss the origins of the women’s suffrage movement through the lens of pioneer abolitionist and suffragist Harriet Tubman. Discover how Tubman’s era connects to tactics used by suffragists during Wilson’s presidency. $30 in advance.
Saturday, December 28
Wreath Laying at the National Cathedral
10:00am (please arrive at least 15 min early)
Join representatives from the U.S. military services for a Ceremonial Wreath Laying on President Wilson’s Tomb on the occasion of the 163rd anniversary of his birth. Following the presentation of the wreath, First Lady Edith Wilson with be honored with a floral tribute commemorating her death on Dec 28, 1961.
We recommend arriving approx 15 min early in order to find your seat and see the honor guard process. The Cathedral will open the doors at 9:30am for this event. Use the main visitor entrance located on the northwest corner across from the glass elevators to the parking garage. Parking will be available along South Rd at no cost to those in attendance. Or park in the garage, a $9 flat rate on Saturdays.
FREE, At the National Cathedral.
SOLD OUT – November 8 & 9, 2019
Origins of Modern Dance Salon; Dana Tai soon Burgess Dance Company
Opening Night, 6:00 – 8:00 pm, Friday, November 8, 2019
Matinee Discussion & Performance, 2:00 – 4:00 pm, Saturday, November 9, 2019
In a contemporary-style dance salon, Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company (DTSBDC) will explore how modern dance rose to prominence in the U.S. in the post WWI era. Company founder Dana Tai Soon Burgess will intersperse dances with stories of how early dance pioneers Isadora Duncan and Michio Ito navigated their way through the tumultuous field of dance to branch away from traditional standards to design a new movement.
Tickets: $25-35
SOLD OUT
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Centennial Perspectives: The Treaty of Versailles and the End of WWI
6 pm – 8 pm
In a panel discussion introduced by Garret Peck, John Milton Cooper, Jr., Edwin Fountain and Robert Litwak reflect on the last 100 years and share their perspective on prospects for peace in the next 100 years. Q&A and reception to follow.
Tickets: $25
Wednesday, October 2, 2019
Presidential Playground/VGN Combo
6 pm – 8 pm
LAST CHANCE in 2019!!
This special edition combination ticket includes a fascinating guided tour of Dupont Circle and Embassy Row, before stepping back in time inside President Wilson’s original house. Join local tour guide/historian Carolyn Muraskin of DC Design Tours for a one hour neighborhood walk, where you’ll hear about the fascinating stories and scandals that shaped the Nation behind the doors of Washington’s most extravagant homes. The walking tour begins at 6pm in Dupont Circle and ends at the Woodrow Wilson House at 7pm. Your tour ticket also includes entrance to Vintage Game Night. $35
Friday, September 20, 2019
A Vintage Garden Soiree
6pm VIP Reception
7-9pm General Admission
Step back in time for a vintage garden soiree and experience the excitement of the 1920s dancing under the stars to live jazz of the period. Toast the upcoming anniversary of Women’s Suffrage with a vintage cocktail as you explore the historic Wilson House museum. Come early for the VIP reception to meet the curator and see rare Suffrage artifacts.
Ticketed event, $40 in advance.
Buy your tickets early to get the advance price!!
July 12, 2019
Second Friday Gallery Walk:
Helen Zughaib: Migrations
6pm – 8pm
Explore Helen Zughaib’s recent work throughout the historic Wilson House as part of the Second Friday open house. During the evening, chat with the curator about the exhibit. Galleries throughout the greater Dupont Circle neighborhood will be open from 6:00-8:00 p.m. for a self-guided art walk during Second Friday.
Inspired by Jacob Lawrence’s 1941 seminal Migration Series, Zughaib’s Syrian Migration Series allows for an exploration of the contemporary consequences of the post WWI peace through the lens of the current Syrian conflict and the mass migration it has triggered. This exhibition is presented to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the 1919 Paris Peace Conference.
FREE
Art at Wilson House: Wilson and the World
Helen Zughaib: Migrations
On View May 23 – July 28, 2019
Artist Helen Zughaib will exhibit recent work throughout the historic Wilson House. Inspired by Jacob Lawrence’s 1941 seminal Migration Series, Zughaib’s Syrian Migration Series allows for an exploration of the contemporary consequences of the post WWI peace through the lens of the current Syrian conflict and the mass migration it has triggered. This exhibition is presented to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the 1919 Paris Peace Conference.
Zughaib’s works have been exhibited widely in the US, Europe, and Lebanon and have been gifted to heads of state by President Obama and former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton.
Friday, June 7, 2019
Opening Reception & Artist’s Talk
Helen Zughaib: Migrations
6-9pm (Artist’s Talk at 7pm)
Please join us for the opening reception of Helen Zughaib: Migrations, an art exhibition [intervention] at the Woodrow Wilson House. Artist Helen Zughaib will talk about her work at 7pm. The opening is being held in conjunction with First Friday Dupont, a monthly gallery open house.
Free – Please RSVP.
June 1-2, 2019
36th Annual DKMC Museum Walk Weekend
11:00 am – 4:00 pm, both days.
Decorate your own tile/coaster at Wilson House during this weekend long celebration in one of Washington, D.C.’s most beautiful neighborhoods. We’ll be open for you to take a self-guided tour or just enjoy the garden – Free of charge!
In addition to a wide variety of exhibitions, Dumbarton House, National Museum of American Jewish Military History, The Phillips Collection, Anderson House and, of course, Wilson House are all offering special programming. Be sure to post your walk weekend photos on Instagram with the hashtag #walkdkmc – the best image submitted during the weekend wins a prize! Additional information on programming at individual sites is available at www.dkmuseums.com.
Wednesday, May 8, 2019
Spring and Swing
7:00-9:00 pm (6pm VIP Reception)
Celebrate spring with a period cocktail in your hand, as you step back in time for a vintage garden soiree. Experience the excitement of the 1920s dancing under the stars to the swinging sound of the fabulous Foggy Bottom Whomp Stompers. Stroll inside and compare your best vintage or vintage inspired attire to examples of Mrs. Wilson’s couture wardrobe on display for the occasion.
Ticketed event, $35-$55
Tuesday, April 23
Discovering President Woodrow Wilson’s Voyage to France, 1918
6–8 pm
Learn about nine days of previously undocumented presidential history when local author Skip Moskey gives an illustrated lecture describing President Woodrow Wilson’s voyage to France to attend the 1918 Paris Peace Conference. See artifacts from the ship he sailed not normally on view in the Woodrow Wilson House.
Free. Please RSVP
Women’s History Month
Movie Night at Wilson House: Spotlight on Women’s Suffrage
Thursday, March 21, 6-8 pm
Watch a period film in the same room the President enjoyed films of his day. This inaugural movie night will focus on the fight to secure women’s right to vote during Wilson’s presidency. Participate in discussion after the film to reflect on women’s suffrage and its relevance to today’s political climate. Tickets $10. Light refreshments for purchase. More info on the movie here.
Women of Wilson House: A Special Women’s History Tour
12:00 pm, Tues – Thursday and Sundays
Starting Sunday, March 10
All during Women’s History Month, our 12pm tour will provide a new way to experience Wilson House – through stories of the women who occupied it. This tour will explore the lives of First Lady Edith Wilson, President Wilson’s daughters Jessie, Eleanor, and Margaret, and Mary Scott, the African American attendant to the First Lady. No reservation needed. Offered at 12pm T, W, Th & Sun. Standard Wilson House tour at all other times.
Friday, Feb 15, 2019
Peace, Love, Cocktails
6:30 – 9:30
Toast the 100th anniversary of the Versailles Peace Conference at Wilson House, with a period cocktail in your hand, surrounded by the magnificent gifts and mementos of the Wilson’s triumphant tour of Europe. Participate in a trivia contest or win a prize for the best Vintage, Versailles inspired or Peacenik attire. VIP reception at 6:30, General Admission begins at 7:30.
Ticketed event $35-55
Black History Month
DC Jazz: Stories of Jazz Music in Washington, DC
Thursday, Feb. 21, 6 – 8 pm
Join scholars Maurice Jackson and Blair Ruble and artists E. Ethelbert Miller and Davey Yarborough for a discussion of the new book DC Jazz: Stories of Jazz Music in Washington, DC, a collection of original and fascinating stories about the DC jazz scene throughout its history. The discussion will be moderated by Ariel Shelton of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and include a poetry reading by E. Ethelbert Miller. Following the program, the authors will be available to autograph books.
FREE , Please RSVP
Friday, December 28
Wreath Laying at the National Cathedral
10:00am
Join representatives from the U.S. military services for a Ceremonial Wreath Laying on President Wilson’s Tomb on the occasion of the 162nd anniversary of his birth. Following the presentation of the wreath, the Wilson House will honor First Lady Edith Wilson with a floral tribute commemorating her death on Dec 28, 1961.
We recommend arriving a bit early, so you can see the honor guard process in before the ceremony starts.
FREE, At the National Cathedral.
Dec 5, 2018
Vintage Game Night
5:30 – 8 pm
Our monthly game night is the perfect mid-week happy hour for history/museum/board game enthusiasts! The museum will be decorated for the holidays and open afterhours with game tables spread throughout the historic rooms. Play vintage games from the 1920s, 30s and 40s inside the authentically furnished home of our 28th President.
Additional Vintage Game Nights: Feb // Mar (no VGN in January, sorry!)
November 30, 2018
Holidays Through History
5:30 – 8:30pm
Explore three festively decorated historic mansions (for one price!), Woodrow Wilson House, Anderson House, and Dumbarton House, to celebrate the holidays through history. Each beautifully trimmed house will feature a historic cocktail unique to the site. Raise your voices around the historic piano, listen to music, create your own ornament, and help us put the finishing touches on the tree. The Wilson House family will be waiting to welcome you!
$25 in advance ($30 at the door). Tickets available here.
Nov 7, 2018
Vintage Game Night
5:30 – 8 pm
Our monthly game night is the perfect mid-week happy hour for history/museum/board game enthusiasts! The museum will be open after general admission hours, with game tables and snacks spread throughout the house. Play vintage games from the 1920s, 30s and 40s inside the authentically furnished home of our 28th President.
Additional Vintage Game Nights: Dec // Feb // Mar
Nov 7, 2018
Presidential Playground Package: Tour & VGN
5pm – 8pm
New this fall is a collaboration between Wilson House and DC Design Tours. This special edition combination ticket includes a fascinating guided tour of Dupont Circle and Embassy Row AND Vintage Game Night. Join local tour guide/historian Carolyn Muraskin of DC Design Tours for a one hour neighborhood walk, where you’ll hear about the fascinating stories and scandals that shaped the Nation behind the doors of Washington’s most extravagant homes. The walking tour begins at 5pm at Dupont Circle Fountain and ends at the Woodrow Wilson House around 6:15pm. Your tour ticket includes entrance to Vintage Game Night, 2 drink vouchers, gaming munchies, and all-you-can-play vintage board games.
November 8, 2018 -FULL
WWI Panel Discussion:
“The Great War in America: WWI and its Aftermath”
6:00 – 7:30pm
Join us for a WWI panel discussion on the unexpected social changes precipitated by the Great War. Authors Garret Peck discusses his new book The Great War in America: WWI and its Aftermath with Don Shomette (The Ghost Fleet of Mallows Bay), moderated by Edwin Fountain, Vice Chair of the United States World War One Centennial Commission, touching on the Red Scare, race riots, women’s suffrage, the labor movement and Prohibition. Mr. Peck is available to sign books following the program. Light refreshments.
November 11, 2018
100th Anniversary of Armistice Day
noon – 4:00pm
Veterans and their families are invited to tour Wilson House free of charge on Sunday, Nov 11. All visitors can make a special remembrance poppy to wear home. Tours on the hour.
Oct 25, 2018
Heritage Conservation in Cuba, Reception for Dr. Leal
5 pm – 7 pm
Join the National Trust for Historic Preservation in welcoming Dr. Eusebio Leal Spengler, Havana City Historian, as he shares his thoughts about the current status of heritage conservation in Cuba, and his vision for the future. A reception honoring Dr. Leal will follow. RSVP required.
October 4, 2018
Exhibit Opening: Woodrow Wilson and the Great War
Gallery Talk w/ Dennis Cremin & Kole Torres
6:00 – 7:30
Commemorating the 100th anniversary of WWI’s conclusion, the pop-up travelling exhibit, “Woodrow Wilson and the Great War” examines the war and Wilson’s presidency during this catastrophic global event through a variety of lenses. The exhibit will open on October 4 with a free reception and gallery talk “The War to End All Wars” by curators Dennis Cremin & Kole Torres of Lewis University. Exhibit open thru Nov 2.
Free. Please RSVP
September 22, 2018
A Vintage-Inspired Evening of African American Music and History
6 pm – 9 pm
A lively evening of jazz, history and cocktails featuring renowned musician and educator Davey Yarborough. Enjoy cocktails and music throughout the museum and garden, join Yarborough for a conversation with celebrated music historians around African Am music of the Wilson era, listen to a special performance by emerging Jazz talents inspired by African American resistance music and its history, and dance to the swinging sound of the Foggy Bottom Whomp Stompers. Vintage attire inspired by African American early 20th century music encouraged. We expect to sell out so dust off your dancing shoes and get your tickets on line early!
Sept 5, 2018
Vintage Game Night
5:30 – 8 pm
Our monthly game night is the perfect mid-week happy hour for history/museum/board game enthusiasts! The museum will be open after general admission hours, with game tables and snacks spread throughout the house. Play vintage games from the 1920s, 30s and 40s inside the authentically furnished home of our 28th President.
Ticketed event, $15
Additional Vintage Game Nights: Oct // Nov // Dec
Aug 1, 2018
Vintage Game Night
5:30 – 8 pm
Our monthly game night is the perfect mid-week happy hour for history/museum/board game enthusiasts! The museum will be open after general admission hours, with game tables and snacks spread throughout the house. Play vintage games from the 1920s, 30s and 40s inside the authentically furnished home of our 28th President.
Ticketed event, $15. Additional Vintage Game Nights: Sept 5
Friday, July 27, 2018
Seersucker Garden Soiree with ICDC
7:15 – 9:30 pm
Join our friends from International Club DC for a summertime Seersucker Garden Soiree. Dance under the stars to 20s Jazz from the Foggy Bottom Whomp Stompers, show off your best seersucker, vintage or vintage inspired attire with awards given to the best dressed lady and gentleman of the evening.
VIP Experience 6:30 – 7:15, General Admission 7:15 – 9:30
June 2-3, 2018
35th Annual DKMC Museum Walk Weekend
11:00 am – 4:00 pm both days
Make your voice heard on our Sticky Wall at Wilson House as we participate in this weekend long celebration in one of Washington, D.C.’s most beautiful neighborhoods. We’ll be open for you to take a self-guided tour or just enjoy the garden – Free of charge!
In addition to a wide variety of exhibitions, Dumbarton House , National Museum of American Jewish Military History, The Phillips Collection, Anderson House and, of course, Wilson House are all offering special programming. Be sure to post your walk weekend photos on Instagram with the hashtag #walkdkmc – the best image submitted during the weekend wins a prize! Additional information on programming at individual sites is available at www.dkmuseums.com.
May 16, 2018
Spring and Swing
7:00 – 9:00 pm (6pm VIP Reception)
Celebrate spring in the Wilson House Garden with live Jazz by the Foggy Bottom Whomp Stompers, Cocktails, & Vintage Games. Featuring History & jazz special guests and experts including renowned saxophonist Davey Yarborough. Wear your best bonnet or crazy Derby hat to compete in our popular hat competition. We expect a sold-out event this year! Tickets online $35 regular and $55 VIP
May 13, 2018
Mother’s Day: Women’s History Tours
12:00 pm, 1:00 pm; 2:00 pm & 3:00 pm
Wilson officially established the first national Mother’s Day holiday! As you take a tour on this special day, hear stories of the strong women of the early 20th century and the impactful events of the suffrage movement. No reservation required. Regular admission applies.
March 24 – April 15, 2018
Cherry Blossom Festival “Taste of Spring” Tours
4:00 pm
Reserve a special tour during Cherry Blossom season and finish your visit with a spring cupcake and beverage in the Wilson’s garden.
$15, Reservations required.
Taste of Spring tours: Apr 7 // Apr 8 // Apr 14 // Apr 15
Friday, February 16, 2018
Book Talk: Mark Benbow, The Nation’s Capital Brewmaster
6:00 – 7:30pm
Author Mark Benbow tells stories from his biography, The Nation’s Capital Brewmaster; Christian Heurich and his Brewery 1842-1956, focusing on Heurich’s career during the 1910s and the effect Wilson’s policies had upon this long-established DC business, and the anti-spy panic when Heurich was accused of planning at assassinate Wilson.
Free (RSVP suggested).
Friday, January 19
A Vintage Night at the Presidential Home of Woodrow Wilson
A Lively Evening of 20s Jazz and Vintage Games.
Step back in time for an exclusive evening at the Presidential home of Woodrow Wilson. Experience the excitement of the roaring 20s with an evening of hot jazz and our popular Presidential vintage games. Enjoy a specialty cocktail with light appetizers. Period attire from the 1920s encouraged with awards given to the best dressed lady and gentleman of the evening. 7:45 PM General admission (VIP Reception 7:00 PM)
Ticketed event. Co-hosted by the International Club of DC. 200 tickets available and expected to sell out.
Thursday, December 28 // 10am
Wreath Laying at the National Cathedral
Join representatives from the U.S. military services for a Ceremonial Wreath Laying on President Wilson’s Tomb on the occasion of the 161st anniversary of his birth. Following the presentation of the wreath, the Wilson House will honor First Lady Edith Wilson with a floral tribute commemorating her death on Dec 28, 1961. We hope to include the beautiful Edith Bolling Wilson orchid developed by Chadwicks Orchids in the spray!
FREE, At the National Cathedral.
Please be in place BEFORE 10am to see the Color Guard process.
December 6, 2017
Vintage Game Night
5:30 – 8 pm
Our monthly game night is the perfect mid-week happy hour for history/museum/board game enthusiasts! The museum will be decorated for the holidays and feature game tables and snacks spread throughout the house. Play vintage games from the 1920s, 30s and 40s inside the authentically furnished home of our 28th President.
Ticketed event, $15.
Dec 2, 2017
Holidays Through History
5:30 – 8:30 pm
Explore three festively decorated historic mansions, Anderson House, Dumbarton House, and Woodrow Wilson House, to celebrate the holidays through history. Each museum will feature a historic cocktail unique to each site – at Wilson House you can sample the “Bee’s Knees”, a favorite of the 1920s. We hope to entice you to raise your voices around the historic Steinway piano or try your hand at making an ornament and helping us decorate our tree in Wilson style!
Ticketed event, $15 in advance.
Thursday, October 26, 6-8pm
Exhibition Opening: The Ghost Fleet of Mallows Bay
Join us for the opening reception of our newest exhibition: The Ghost Fleet of Mallows Bay. In the middle of the Potomac in Mallows Bay, lies the largest shipwreck fleet in the Western Hemisphere, a haunting legacy of WWI. In April 1917, President Woodrow Wilson approved the greatest shipbuilding program in history: an order for 1,000 ships to make up the shortage of transport vessels needed for the war effort. The war ended before any ships were put into service and hundreds were simply scrapped in the Bay. This exhibit will explore the history of this “Ghost Fleet,” tell the stories behind a scandalous wartime boondoggle and highlight the rich archaeological and ecological treasure it has become today. Exhibition runs October 26, 2017 – through Feb 2018
Free, RSVP required.
Wednesday, November 1
Vintage Game Night – Prohibition Edition
6:30 – 9:00pm
Party like it’s 1917! Commemorate the 100th anniversary of Prohibition in DC in style at our extra special Vintage Game Night with live music by the Foggy Bottom Whomp Stompers, an expanded food selection, and a rare glimpse of the historic wine cellar. The museum will have game tables spread throughout the house for you to play vintage games from the 1910s, ‘20s and ‘30s while you sip your beverage and snack on prohibition inspired hors d’oeuvres. Hear more about Prohibition in DC as you explore the historic kitchens and wine cellar. Period garb encouraged!”
Ticketed Event, $45
October 4, 2017
Vintage Game Night
5:30 – 8 pm
Our monthly game night is the perfect mid-week happy hour for history/museum/board game enthusiasts! The museum will be open after general admission hours, with game tables and snacks spread throughout the house. Play vintage games from the 1920s, 30s and 40s inside the authentically furnished home of our 28th President.
Ticketed event, $15.
June 3-4, 2017
34th Annual DKMC Museum Walk Weekend
11:00 am – 4:00 pm both days
Make your own Remembrance Poppy at Wilson House as we participate in this weekend long celebration in one of Washington, D.C.’s most beautiful neighborhoods. We’ll be open for you to take a self-guided tour or just enjoy the garden – Free of charge!
In addition to a wide variety of exhibitions, all sites are offering special programming. Celebrate the grand re-opening of Dumbarton House with a new exhibit and some yoga; hear stories from WWII veterans as well as genealogy tips at the National Museum of American Jewish Military History. Get creative with Jazz n’ Family Fun Days at The Phillips Collection, make your own tricorn hat or WWI overseas cap at Anderson House. And be sure to post your walk weekend photos on Instagram with the hashtag #walkdkmc – the best image submitted during the weekend wins a prize! Additional information on programming at individual sites is available at www.dkmuseums.com. Please note: NO shuttle service this year.
Free
April 26, 2017
Theatre & Conversation: In Flanders Fields
Marking the 100th anniversary of the US entry into World War I, Woodrow Wilson House and the Alliance for New Music Theatre present In Flanders Fields, an exploration of poetry and music of the Great War told through the experiences and correspondence of the Chapman family, whose son Victor enlisted in the French Foreign Legion in 1914.
Ticketed event, $20
Feb 23, 2017
Food On Both Fronts: Canning and Preserving with Mrs. Wheelbarrow
5:30pm
As part of our centennial commemoration of WWI, blogger and author of Mrs. Wheelbarrow’s Practical Pantry, Cathy Barrow demonstrates canning with practical tips on modern food preservation right in our historic kitchen. Come learn about the history of food preservation during the WWI era, take home some delicious recipes and a tasty sample jar from the day’s demonstration!
Ticketed event, $20
Feb 15, 2017
Theatre & Conversation: R.U.R.: A Retro-Futuristic Musical
7:00pm
Alliance for New Music-Theatre presents an intimate reading with music based on the play R.U.R. in a music-theatre adaptation by composer Maurice Saylor and director Susan Galbraith.
R.U.R. takes us “back to the future” in this work-in-development, unveiling the ideas behind a play written in 1920 by Czech playwright Karel Čapek, who introduced the word “robot” to the world. The work both celebrates and examines critically the promise of industrialization and technology that was envisioned in the time of the very modern “Electric President” Wilson. Following the performance, the Alliance will lead a conversation with the audience to further explore themes presented.
$20.
Jan 18, 2017
Theatre & Conversation: An Evening of Kafka
7:00pm
Join the Alliance for New Music Theatre for a solo performance of Franz Kafka’s riveting 1917 short story A Report to an Academy exploring the struggle to be human in a broken, oppressive society.
Following the performance, participate in a cast led discussion to further explore the themes presented that still resonate widely in our current culture.
Ticketed event, $20
Dec 15, 2016
Woodrow & Edith Wilson’s 101st Wedding Anniversary
5pm – 7pm
Come visit the Woodrow Wilson at our free holiday open house! Enjoy cake and champagne punch as we celebrate Woodrow and Edith Wilson’s 101st wedding anniversary. See the house in 1920s Christmas style, as the Wilsons would have decorated when they lived here. Special collections on display include an original fragment of wedding cake and wedding gifts given to the Wilsons.
Free open house.
Nov 9, 2016
Opening Reception for Evolving Elections Exhibition
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
We’re all ready to make this election a thing of the past, so let’s place it in history as we explore the elections of 1916 and 2016 side by side at the exhibit’s opening reception. This exhibit will only be installed for a short time, so come decompress after the heat of the election and enjoy this happy hour event. Thank you to Tony Atkiss and Glen’s Garden Market for their support!
FREE
Nov 2, 2016 SOLD OUT
Vintage Game Night
5:30 – 8 pm
Our monthly game night is the perfect mid-week happy hour for history/museum/board game enthusiasts! The museum will be open after general admission hours, with game tables and snacks spread throughout the house. Play vintage games from the 1920s, 30s and 40s inside the authentically furnished home of our 28th President.
Ticketed event, $15.
Monday, Oct 17, 2016
Booktalk: “Madam President: The Secret Presidency of Edith Wilson”
6:00 pm – 7:00pm
Join author William Hazelgrove for a presentation about the role Mrs. Wilson played after the President fell victim to a stroke until the end of his presidency.
Mr. Hazelgrove will be available to sign books following the program.
Free. (Registration required.)
October 5, 2016
Vintage Game Night
5:30 – 8 pm
Tuesday, September 27, 2016 (Sold Out)
and Wednesday, Sept 28, 2016 (Sold Out)
Havel’s “Protest”
7:00 pm
The Woodrow Wilson House is pleased to offer a live performance of Havel’s “Protest” in the Wilsons’ Dining Room–just the way it was intended to be dramatized! Due to popular demand we have added a second performance on Tuesday, Sept 27.
Ticketed event, $20.
August 13, 2016
Booktalk: “Larz and Isabel Anderson; Wealth and Celebrity in the Gilded Age”
10:00 – 11:30 am
Presentation by Stephen T. Moskey
Join Dr. Stephen T. Moskey, author of “Larz and Isabel Anderson, Wealth and Celebrity in the Gilded Age” as he takes a fresh look at a fascinating period of American history, through the lens of Wilson contemporaries Larz and Isabel Anderson.
Light Refreshments.
Ticketed event, $15.
August 3, 2016 SOLD OUT
Vintage Game Night
5:30 – 8 pm
July 6, 2016 SOLD OUT
Vintage Game Night
5:30 – 8 pm
June 16, 2016
Booktalk: “The Invisibles; The Untold Story of African American Slaves in the White House”
5:30 – 7:00 pm
Jesse Holland will discuss the experience of African-American slaves in the White House at an evening presentation at the President Woodrow Wilson House. His new book, The Invisibles, chronicles the African American presence inside the White House from its beginnings in 1782 until 1862, when President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.
Jesse J. Holland is a nationally recognized journalist and media personality, who combines his work as a political reporter for The Associated Press, with a love of African American history and news. A longtime AP Washington correspondent, He now serves the organization as the race, ethnicity and demographics writer. This event was supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Trust for Historic Preservation
Light refreshments.
Ticketed event, $15
June 4-5, 2016
Dupont Kalorama Museum Walk Weekend
11:00 am – 4:00 pm both days
The President Woodrow Wilson House and other museums of the Dupont-Kalorama Museum Consortium are offering free admission to the public this Saturday and Sunday as part of our annual “Museum Walk Weekend.” Each site will offer a free activity for kids and adults and free shuttle service is provided between participating museums.
May 11, 2016
Annual Garden Party
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Join The President Woodrow Wilson House Property Council and the Benefit Host Committee in welcoming Spring to Washington with cocktails, hors d’oeuvre and a Hat Contest.
Ticketed Event
April 22, 2016
District Saxophone Quartet Concert
8pm
Join the District Saxophone Quartet for an intimate evening exploring one of the most popular instruments of the early 20th century. Free. Registration suggested.
Noah Getz, Soprano Saxophone
Jason McFeaters, Alto Saxophone
Stephen Dunlap, Tenor Saxophone
Doug O’Connor, Baritone Saxophone
Dec 28, 10am
Wreath-Laying at President Wilson’s Tomb, Washington National Cathedral
Join representatives from the U.S. military services for a ceremonial wreath laying to mark the anniversary of Wilson’s birth.
December 18, 4pm – 7pm
Woodrow & Edith Wilson’s 100th Wedding Anniversary
Celebrate the Wilsons’ anniversary with cake and champagne, visit the exhibition The Gifts of Love, and vote on your favorite wedding cake.
Free open-house.
Dec 5, Holidays Through History
Celebrate the season with this special Holiday open house at three of Washington’s most beautiful historic homes: Anderson House, Dumbarton House, and the President Woodrow Wilson House.
Ticketed event.
Nov 6, 5:30 – 8:30pm
Kalorama House & Embassy Candlelight Tour
See the Sheridan-Kalorama neighborhood and its architectural gems in a new light, Candlelight!, as our annual event gets a fresh perspective.
November 4, 2015
Vintage Game Night
5:30 – 8 pm
Our monthly game night is the perfect mid-week happy hour for history/museum/board game enthusiasts! The museum will be open after general admission hours, with game tables and snacks spread throughout the house. Play croquet in the Garden, weather permitting, and vintage games from the 1920s, 30s and 40s inside the authentically furnished home of our 28th President.
Ticketed event, $15.
Additional Vintage Game Nights: December 2, February 3.
October 7, 2015
Vintage Game Night
Sold Out
August 12, 2015
Earn your Beer PhD
5:30 – 8 pm
Earn your Beer PhD during Beer Week at Wilson House.
Come learn from the experts about DC’s brewing past and present, Prohibition, and President Wilson’s legacy, complete with quizzes, games, guest speakers and door prizes. (And beer.)
Ticketed event, $15.
June 6 & 7
DKMC Museum Walk Weekend
11 am – 4 pm
Seven diverse museums will open their doors free of charge for this weekend long celebration in one of Washington, D.C.’s most beautiful neighborhoods. Free
June 17, 2015
BookTalk: Rachel Carson and Her Sisters
5:30 – 7 pm
Join Dr. Robert K. Musil, author of Rachel Carson and Her Sisters: Extraordinary Women Who Have Shaped America’s Environment, for a presentation about women active in the nascent environmental movement during Woodrow Wilson’s time. Reception with Light Refreshments to follow.
Ticketed event, $15.
May 13, 2015
Annual Garden Party
6:30 – 9:00 pm
Join The President Woodrow Wilson House Property Council and the Benefit Host Committee in welcoming Spring to Washington. Tickets available online. Please reserve tickets in advance.
March 4, 2015
Vintage Game Night
5:30 – 8 pm
Our monthly game night is the perfect mid-week happy hour for history/museum/board game enthusiasts!The museum will be open after general admission hours, with game tables and snacks spread throughout the house. Play vintage games from the 1920s, 30s and 40s inside the authentically furnished home of our 28th President.
Ticketed event.
December 28, 2014
Wreath Laying at President Wilson’s Tomb
2:00 pm, Washington National Cathedral
A wreath is laid at President Woodrow Wilson’s tomb at the Washington National Cathedral each year on December 28, his birthday. The ceremony is conducted by the honor guard of the Military District of Washington in cooperation with the clergy of the Cathedral. Refreshments to follow at the Sayre House. Parking in the on-site parking garage is free.
December 18, 2014
99th Wedding Celebration
Open House: 4:00-7:00 pm
Join us for some celebratory wedding cake, champagne, coffee, and camaraderie as we toast to Woodrow and Edith’s 99th wedding anniversary.
December 6, 2014
Holidays through History
4:00-8:00 pm
Celebrate the season with this special tour through four of Washington’s most beautiful historic homes: Anderson House, Dumbarton House, Tudor Place, and the President Woodrow Wilson House.
Ticketed event.
October 24, 2014
Celebrating UN Day- From the League of Nations to the UN today
6:00- 8:00 pm
The United Nations Association of the National Capital Area and The President Woodrow Wilson House are celebrating the 69th birthday of the United Nations. The distinguished speakers will highlight Woodrow Wilson’s legacy as an essential force in the League of Nations that laid the foundation for the United Nations, and address issues of international peace and security within the UN framework today.
The Guest of Honor, Bathsheba N. Crocker, is the newly appointed Assistant Secretary, Bureau of International Organization Affairs, U.S. Department of State. Speakers Dr. John M. Cooper (Author, Historian, and Professor Emeritus, University of Wisconsin-Madison) and Dr. Walter Dorn (Author, Scientist, and Professor, Royal Military College of Canada) will speak as well as take questions.
Ticketed event. Young Professional: $20; UNA-NCA Members: $30; Non-Members: $40; Premium: $50 (includes reserved seating, a tour of President Wilson’s private quarters, and acknowledgement in the event program)
To register, click here.
September 14, 2014
Kalorama House and Embassy Tour
12:00 – 5:00 pm
The 29th annual Kalorama House and Embassy tour is an open house walking tour of the gorgeous residences and embassies in the Kalorama neighborhood.
Ticketed event.
July 26, 2014
MCMXIV: The Origins of the Great War
5:30 – 7:30pm
In the summer of 1914, World War I erupted with a spasm of violence. A century later, we ask “Why?” What were the origins of the Great War that forever changed the world? Panel discussion and reception with World War I historians.
Ticketed event.
June 18, 2014
“SMILE THE WHILE YOU KISS ME SAD ADIEU”: THE SONGS OF WORLD WAR I
6:00 – 7:30pm
A presentation by Michael Lasser – author, lecturer and theatre critic- on the popular music of WWI.
June 7, 2014 // 10 am – 4 pm
June 8, 2014 // 1 – 5 pm
Dupont Kalorama Museum Walk Weekend
Annual museum open house of Dupont and Kalorama art and cultural collections, including President Woodrow Wilson House and Phillips Collection.
May 14, 2014
Annual Garden Party
6:30 – 9:00 pm
Join The President Woodrow Wilson House Property Council and the Benefit Host Committee in welcoming Spring to Washington. Tickets available online. Please reserve tickets in advance.
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Mother’s Day Centennial Luncheon
12:00 – 2:00 pm
Celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Mother’s Day with a Centennial Luncheon at the Willard InterContinental Hotel, two blocks from the White House, for the benefit of The President Woodrow Wilson House.
Tickets available online. Please reserve tickets in advance.
April 3, 2014
“Images of the Great War” Gallery Exhibition Opening
6:00 – 8:00 pm
Free event. Please RSVP online.
March 20, 2014
“Fighting for Their Country, Fighting for Their Rights: Black Soldiers and World War I”
Presentation by A’Lelia Bundles
6:00 – 7:30pm
A’Lelia Bundles will discuss the experience of African-American soldiers during WWI at an evening presentation at the President Woodrow Wilson House. Bundles, a long time journalist & author, is now chairman of the Foundation for the National Archives & a Columbia University trustee.
Light refreshments provided.
Ticketed event.
Thursday, FEBRUARY 20
Speakeasy Bash
7:00 – 9:00pm
In 1919, President Wilson vetoed the Volstead Act, which outlawed all alcoholic beverages stronger than one-half of 1 percent. (His veto was overridden.) Join us as we open the doors to the former Presidents house for an old-fashioned speakeasy bash.
Dance demos, live music, costume contest and cocktails. You won’t want to miss this!
Prizes for the best 1920s attire. Light refreshments and an open bar featuring vintage cocktails.
Visit our Facebook page for photos from our Speakeasy Bash last year.
Ticketed event (21+ only)
February 17, 2014
President’s Day with President Wilson
10:00am – 4:00pm
The museum will be open in honor of President’s Day – and President Wilson himself will be welcoming guests to his home! Meet the President and hear him discuss “the role and meaning of the President” on guided tours through the house he shared with his wife Mrs. Edith Wilson after his term as President.
December 28, 2013
Wreath Laying at the National Cathedral
10 am at the National Cathedral (3101 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Washington DC 20016), with refreshments to follow at the President Woodrow Wilson House.
Celebrate and honor President Wilson’s birthday at this annual tribute in the National Cathedral.
President Wilson is the only United States President to be buried in the National Cathedral.
Light refreshments will be served following the wreath laying.
Free event, open to the public.
December 14, 2013
Holidays Through History
Open House, 4 pm – 8 pm
Celebrate the season with this special tour through four of Washington’s most beautiful historic homes, Anderson House, Dumbarton House, Tudor Place and the President Woodrow Wilson House.
Enjoy festive period decorations and music from the Federal period through the Roaring Twenties. Shuttle service provided between the sites. The Wilson House will feature a twelve-foot tree adorned with electric lights in the solarium, seasonal treats, music and a holiday craft to make and take home!
Ticketed Event.
October 24, 2013
United Nations Day with author Scott Berg
Celebrate United Nations Day with Scott Berg, author of WILSON, at the Annual Meeting of the United Nations Association – National Capital Area Chapter (UNA-NCA).
Special Guests: The Honorable Thomas Pickering, Former US Ambassador to the UN and Lynn Pascoe, former UN Under-Secretary General for Political Affairs.
Light refreshments and booksigning.
Ticketed Event.
September 15, 2013
Kalorama House and Embassy Tour
On Sunday, September 15, 2013 from 12-5:00 pm, The President Woodrow Wilson House will host the annual Kalorama House and Embassy Tour. The tour includes the residence of the Ambassador of Austria, the recently renovated Embassy of Portugal, the Embassy of Slovenia and several private homes.
Ticketed Event
September 13, 2013
Meet A. Scott Berg, author of the new biography WILSON, at a special reception held at the Residence of the Czech Ambassador.
One hundred years after his inauguration, Woodrow Wilson still stands as one of the most influential figures of the twentieth century, and one of the most enigmatic. And now, after more than a decade of research and writing, Pulitzer Prize-winning author A. Scott Berg has completed WILSON–a personal and penetrating biography about the 28th President, one of the great American figures of modern times.
After the presentation, Mr. Berg will be available for Q&A and to sign his book (included in the ticket price).
Light Refreshments.
August 28, 2013
Cup o’ Joe with Lee Craig
Booksigning: Josephus Daniels, His Life and Times
Legend has it that when Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels replaced the wine mess with coffee in all the navy vessels of WWI, the term Cup o’ Joe was born. Join author Lee A. Craig for a ‘Cup o’ Joe’ as he presents his latest work, Josephus Daniels: His Life & Times.
Free admission, rsvp suggested. Light Refreshments.
June 5, 2013
Making Music Modern: Harmony and History at Woodrow Wilson House
The National Trust for Historic Preservation and chamber music group All Points West are mixing re-imagined classical music with non-traditional spaces for a potent brew of art, place, and community. This casual, comfortable event will move you through the historic Woodrow Wilson House and garden, interpret President Wilson’s life and legacy with unexpected musical selections (Duke Ellington, anyone?), and give you unparalleled access to the performers, the historic space, and other attendees.
Ticketed event
June 1 – 2, 2013
Museum Walk
Saturday, June 1st 10am – 4pm and Sunday, June 2, 2013, 1pm – 5pm, The President Woodrow Wilson House will participate in the annual Dupont-Kalorama Museum Walk Weekend. Participants of the walk will have the opportunity to visit the home of the 28th President, free of charge! More details are available at www.dkmuseums.com
May 15, 2013
25th Perennial Garden Party
On Wednesday, May 15, 2013 from 6:30 – 8:30 pm, The President Woodrow Wilson House hosted the 25th Perennial Garden Party. This year’s party honored the chairs of the past 25 years. The evening included cocktails, music by Michael Kolmstetter, hors d’oeuvres by Occasions Caterers, and the legendary Hat Contest. You can see some pictures of the event at: http://guestofaguest.com/washington-dc/galleries/2013/may/woodrow-wilson-house-25th-perennial-garden-party
March 4, 2013
Woodrow Wilson Inaugural Centennial Celebration
On Monday, March 4, 2013, The President Woodrow Wilson House commemorated President Wilson’s Inauguration Centennial with a dinner and keynote speaker Tom Perriello, former Congressman from Virginia.
In honor of the 55th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act and the 100th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment, Wilson House encourages everyone to exercise your right to vote. You can register here:
Or find more information about how and where to vote here:
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Watch recent lectures on our YouTube Channel:
July 14 – Eric S. Yellin | “Racism in the Wilson’s Administration”
June 30 – Dr. Erin D. Chapman | “Black Women, Suffrage and Citizenship
June 23 – Tina Cassidy |”Mr. President, How Long Must We Wait?: Alice Paul, Woodrow Wilson, and the Fight for the Right to Vote”
June 16 – Rebecca Boggs Roberts |”The Great Suffrage March of 1913″
June 9 – Angela P. Dodson |“Remembering the Ladies: Celebrating those who Fought for Freedom at the Ballot Box”
June 2 – Kimberly A. Hamlin |”Free Thinker: Sex, Suffrage, and the Extraordinary Life Of Helen Hamilton Gardener”
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Photo credits: left: Susan Biddle; right: Samer Farha.