Cry harder
Alterations to the White House have included the addition of the West and East Wings, the construction of the Oval Office, the reconstruction of the building's interior, and various modernization projects like updated plumbing and heating. More recent changes include President George W. Bush's modernization of the press briefing and Situation Rooms, President Obama's addition of a basketball court, and First Lady Michelle Obama's creation of the White House Kitchen Garden.
Major structural additions and renovations
- West Wing:
President Theodore Roosevelt added the West Wing in 1902, creating offices for presidential staff.
- Oval Office:
President William Howard Taft constructed the first Oval Office within the West Wing in 1909.
- East Wing:
President Franklin D. Roosevelt added the East Wing in 1942 for additional staff and security, which included a bomb shelter.
- Total Reconstruction:
The entire interior of the White House was dismantled and rebuilt between 1948 and 1952 during President Harry S. Truman's administration, after structural engineers found the building was unsafe.
- Ballroom:
President Trump is constructing a new 90,000-square-foot ballroom in place of the East Wing, which was recently demolished.
Grounds and garden changes
- Rose Garden: The modern Rose Garden was created under President Woodrow Wilson in 1913. President Kennedy later redesigned it, and in 2025, it was paved over to create a patio under President Trump.
- Kitchen Garden: First Lady Michelle Obama planted the White House Kitchen Garden on the South Lawn in the early 2000s.
- Outdoor swimming pool: President Gerald Ford had an outdoor swimming pool built in the 1970s.
Interior and modernization projects
- Press Briefing Room: President Nixon converted an indoor swimming pool into the press briefing room in the 1970s, and President George W. Bush modernized it in the early 2000s.
- Situation Room: President George W. Bush modernized the Situation Room in the early 2000s.
- Bowling alley: President Nixon installed a one-lane bowling alley in the 1970s.
- Solar power: President Jimmy Carter installed solar heating panels in 1979, and President George W. Bush installed the first solar electric system in the early 2000s.