New Mount Vernon Exhibit Opens With Original Washington Artifacts

MOUNT VERNON, VA — Visitors at George Washington's Mount Vernon can check out a new exhibition focused on the stories of people who contributed to the estate's history. "Mount Vernon: The Story of an American Icon" opened Saturday, featuring original items from George and Martha Washington's home.

The permanent exhibition not only tells the stories of George and Martha Washington but also stories of people enslaved at Mount Vernon, earlier generations of Washingtons, and the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, which has owned and preserved the estate since 1860. According to a news release, it is the largest reunion of original Mount Vernon items since the dispersal of George and Martha Washington's estates in 1802.

"The history of the estate comes to life with this addition to the Mount Vernon museum," said Douglas Bradburn, the president and chief executive officer of Mount Vernon. "We’ve taken the museum to the next level by sharing the full story of Mount Vernon, expanding beyond the history of America’s first president, George Washington. Mount Vernon’s passionate and talented team of experts and historians has assembled a best-of-class exhibition of American history, the fine and decorative arts, and architecture and archaeology."

The exhibition adds new items to Mount Vernon’s collection, such as George Washington’s swiveling office chair, Martha Washington’s diamond-studded pocket watch, Nelly Custis’s harpsichord, and pieces of stone tools from 10,000 years ago. Some items of Martha Washington’s were acquired from her descendants in 2020 by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association. Visitors can use interactive touchscreens for hands-on learning about the objects and history of Mount Vernon.

Galleries in the exhibition feature people who have impacted the estate, from the Washington and Custis families, to enslaved and hired workers, to notable visitors and Mount Vernon Ladies' Association board members. Mount Vernon also has the original Washington and Custis family portraits on loan from Washington and Lee University. This includes the earliest known portrait of George Washington, completed by Charles Willson Peale in 1772 when Washington was 40.

"The Making Mount Vernon: The Work of Many Hands" portion of the exhibition looks at the evolution of Mount Vernon’s landscape. The history extends from 10,000 years ago when seasonal Native settlements existed, to John Washington’s 1674 land patent, to George Washington’s renovation of the house and grounds.

"The Treasured Possessions: The Material World of Mount Vernon" portion centers around original items owned by George and Martha Washington. This includes family portraits, musical instruments, porcelain punch bowls, garnet jewelry and a child’s teething rattle. Visitors will learn about the Washington's values and styles through the objects as well as the history of enslaved people at Mount Vernon. The exhibit includes archaeological artifacts from a slave quarter to reveal what objects were valuable to the enslaved people.

"Saving Mount Vernon: The Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association of the Union," examines the work to preserve Mount Vernon. Unlike many historical landmarks in the region, Mount Vernon isn't owned or funded by federal, state or local government. The effort to preserve Mount Vernon began with Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association founder Ann Pamela Cunningham’s 1850s fundraising campaign. The organization raised $200,000 to buy the estate in 1860. The exhibit highlights other woman who worked to preserve Mount Vernon.

Mount Vernon is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon. Mount Vernon has other spring events coming up, including George Washington Whiskey Tasting, Mount Vernon Historic Plant and Garden Sale, Revolutionary War Weekend and Spring Wine Festival & Sunset Tour.

For more information and admission tickets, visit www.mountvernon.org.

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